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Save the date: Mustang Media Fest and Hall of Fame Gala, Oct. 22-25, 2025

Dear Cal Poly Journalism community,

Happy summer! As the Cal Poly Journalism Department winds down the school year, we'd like to share some news about an exciting event coming this fall.

Join us October 22-25, 2025, for the inaugural Mustang Media Fest, a celebration of Cal Poly media for students, alumni and the entire community  — featuring guest speakers including the Jim Hayes Keynote, workshops, and the Mustang Media Hall of Fame Gala.

Hackathon team
Mustang Media Fest 2025

Mustang Media Fest is a new student-run event aiming to connect journalism students, alumni and the broader community to empower the next generation of Cal Poly Journalists and help define the future of media. This year's theme is "Trust, Truth, and Tomorrow."

As their senior project this spring, students in the public relations concentration designed the event as a platform for alumni and media professionals to share their experience and help empower the next generation of Cal Poly storytellers.

Check out the new Mustang Media Fest website!

Here are the details:

Mustang Media Fest will take place October 22–25, 2025, on the Cal Poly campus and venues in San Luis Obispo.

  • Wednesday & Thursday, Oct. 22–23: Alumni, faculty and student-led panels and workshops focused on career development. These sessions will take place in Building 26 on the Cal Poly campus.

  • Friday, Oct. 24: The Jim Hayes Keynote Address will feature two speakers in the morning, followed by a concert co-presented by KCPR-FM.

  • Saturday, Oct. 25: Five honorees will be inducted into the journalism department’s Mustang Media Hall of Fame at a gala at the Embassy Suites on Saturday evening.

How to get involved

We’re currently seeking alumni to lead career-focused panels and workshops Wednesday and Thursday, October 22–23. Do you have a specific skill to share? Advice and guidance on how to navigate the transition from the classroom to the professional world? Insights on where your industry is heading and how students can prepare? Current students are eager to gain firsthand insight from professionals in the field.

Interested in leading a session? Please complete this short survey.

Plan to attend our signature events

  • Jim Hayes Keynote – Friday, Oct. 24 Since 2014, we have honored the legacy of beloved professor Jim Hayes with the semi-annual Jim Hayes Symposium. This year, students have re-imagined the event as the Jim Hayes Keynote, featuring two inspiring speakers, both Cal Poly journalism alumni and students of Hayes’s, who embody the values of independence, versatility and journalistic integrity.  

  • Mustang Media Hall of Fame Gala – Saturday, Oct. 25
    Come celebrate alumni who’ve made a mark on the industry and contributed to the powerful history of Cal Poly Journalism, with Mustang Media at its core. This is a ticketed event. Sponsor a table. Sponsor a student to attend. Your support helps make the gala possible. 

Stay tuned for more details and a chance to register for events!

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