Breadcrumb
College of Professional Studies
The College of Professional Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt seamlessly integrates core competencies within practical contexts through a variety of immersive experiences. Our graduates emerge as exceptional leaders in their respective professions and communities, embodying a steadfast dedication to social, economic, and environmental justice.
Applied Learning
We provide every student with dynamic opportunities for experiential learning in real-world scenarios, where they engage in practicums, research, internships, clinical, and service-learning experiences. Each is designed to enhance students' career-ready skills, ensuring they are well-prepared for their future.
Social Justice and Sustainability
Through the application of active learning and critical thinking, we prepare students for meaningful community-oriented careers that foster a just, inclusive, and environmentally conscious society.
Personal Guidance
Through innovation and collaboration our faculty challenge and support our students, ensuring their success beyond the classroom. Our students receive academic and career guidance from their faculty advisors, professional advisors, and peer mentors.
Alumni Updates
Matias Solorzano
Psychology, 2025
Matias will start a PhD program in Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the Fall 2025 semester. He also received an Education Graduate Research Scholars fellowship from the School of Education at UW-Madison to assist him in pursuing his research interests. At UW-Madison, Matias will conduct research on the transition to adulthood in employment for autistic individuals. He seeks to connect more autistic adults to resources that will help them find employment. Recently, Matias completed an internship with the California Department of Developmental Services in the Autism Services Branch. This internship helped him make connections at DDS and made him realize that working in civil service is a good career path for individuals interested in making the world a better place for individuals with disabilities.
Kacie Hallahan
Recreation Administration, 2020
Kacie has recently accepted a full-time permanent position with the Air Force in San Pedro, CA. As a Recreation Specialist, she will be planning and leading outdoor recreation programs for military members and their families, including backpacking, rafting, skydiving, deep sea fishing, and more! Thanks, REC fam!
Timothy Rupiper
Liberal Studies Elementary Education, 2020
Timothy Rupiper received a job as an outreach advisor for Academic Talent Search at Sonoma State University. Rupiper is responsible for providing consistent, accurate, academic advising services to first generation, low income, college bound 6th to12th grade students. Advising includes exploring academic requirements of a specific program or major and assisting students in exploring careers, evaluating academic abilities, and setting goals.
Mikhail Vasenin, Savva Shanaev, Humnath Panta, Binam Ghimire
Business
Humnath Panta, faculty at the School of Business, co-authored the article “ESG Ratings in Motion: The Global Market Response to Upgrades and Downgrades,” published in the Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment (Taylor & Francis, January 7, 2026). The study analyzes 2,841 MSCI-rated global stocks (2017–2021) using a calendar-time portfolio approach and finds that ESG rating upgrades (downgrades) generate statistically and economically significant abnormal returns of about +1% (–1%) per month. The effects are robust across models, holding periods, sectors, and regions, with stronger impacts for large and growth firms and in low power-distance countries, and increased synchronization post-COVID-19. The findings advance understanding of ESG information efficiency and its implications for global asset pricing and investment strategy.
Sara K. Sterner
Education
Dr. Sara K. Sterner authored a chapter titled Latherian Theorizing: A Post-Intentional Phenomenological Analytic Process Inspired by Getting Lost with Patti Lather in the recently published volume Methodology and Praxis: Thinking with Patti Lather, edited by Gabriel Huddleston and Robert J. Helfenbein (Meyer Education Press, 2025). The book examines the influence of Patti Lather’s work across curriculum theory, cultural studies, and critical qualitative research, engaging her ideas and methods in innovative ways. Read more about the book here.
Amber Gaffney, Benny Anjewierden
Psychology
Benny Anjewierden and Amber Gaffney co-Chaired a symposium with Professor Dominic Abrams at the Society of Experimental Social Psychology in Lisbon, Portugal (Praise some, punish others: When and why deviance is embraced or erased within groups). They then presented at the University of Porto, Portugal, for invited talks. Anjewierden presented some of their joint work on the polarizing nature of criticizing political leaders. Gaffney presented some of their work detailing how motives for social identity can differentially predict political extremism.