The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. has honored Cal Poly Pomona for making significant contributions to the region’s economy and implementing measures to help boost the social mobility of students.
President Soraya M. Coley, who attended the LAEDC’s 23rd annual Eddy Awards celebration on Nov. 8 at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, called the recognition “a tremendous honor.”
“As a polytechnic institution, Cal Poly Pomona has a proud history and a duty to support our regional economy,” Coley said. “This award culminates 80 years of fostering economic development and, by extension, affirms the economic, social, and cultural impact of the California State University system.”
The Eddy Awards are bestowed annually to educational institutions, businesses and individuals that contribute greatly to the county’s economy. Other honorees included the cities of Whittier and Azusa, American Airlines, and Beatriz Acevedo, a three-time Emmy-Award winning producer and digital media pioneer dedicated to creating opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds.
The university, which has a student population of more than 25,000, ranked No. 3 in the nation among universities that help low-income students achieve financial success after graduation, according to the 2018 Social Mobility Index. Cal Poly Pomona is one of only five universities that has ranked in the top 20 for five consecutive years.
Of the 150,000 Cal Poly Pomona alumni, 80 percent live or work in the L.A. region, she said.
Coley cited Cal Poly Pomona’s guiding principle — One Team. One Goal. Student Success —as critical to ensuring that student success is measured by more than grade-point averages and graduation rates.
“As core competencies, regardless of the field of study, Cal Poly Pomona students are learning to collaborate, to integrate technology, to appreciate diversity, and how to solve problems. Some people like to call these ‘soft skills,’” she said. “We call them ‘essential skills.’ Armed with these essential skills, our graduates are not only prepared to join the workforce the day they graduate, but they are also prepared to be leaders in their communities, focused on solving our most pressing challenges.”