"Removing Obstacles:" 25 Years After the College of Business was Named, Paul Orfalea's Gift Still Helps Students Succeed
A clear tent on Cal Poly’s O’Neill Green marked a pivotal turning point for business education in the California State University system on April 21, 2001. Under the canopy, drenched by rain, university leadership, faculty, students and guests gathered for the official dedication of the Orfalea College of Business, Cal Poly's first named college.
A few months earlier, Kinko’s founder Paul J. Orfalea and the Orfalea Family Foundation gifted a historic $15 million to Cal Poly’s College of Business, providing Orfalea naming rights to the college. The Santa Barbara County entrepreneur and philanthropist dedicated the college in honor of his parents, making it Cal Poly’s largest donation at the time. Today, as the Orfalea College of Business celebrates its 25th anniversary, that foundational vision continues to empower thousands of students to learn by doing, lead with ethics and innovate across global markets.
For Orfalea, a graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, the partnership with Cal Poly did not stem from being an alumnus. After a chance meeting with Tom Dalton, an adjunct professor in the College of Liberal Arts, Orfalea visited the Cal Poly campus and met with faculty and students, discovering a shared philosophy of education and leadership.
Inspired, Orfalea, who had dyslexia throughout his education, established the landmark Orfalea Family Endowment for Excellence based on a simple philosophy: Remove obstacles and make learning accessible, engaging and hands-on. Through the Orfalea Family Endowment for Excellence, his support laid the groundwork for key initiatives in entrepreneurship, technology and global business while opening doors for thousands of future business leaders.
“Cal Poly is about learning, and that’s what I like,” Orfalea reflected at the time. “Removing obstacles and making it easier to learn is what it’s about.”
Former Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker noted during the dedication that the landmark gift would directly empower students for decades to come.
“The gift to the College of Business will enhance learning by doing and foster the development of vital programs and the skills students will need to be successful business leaders,” Baker said.
During the ceremony, Orfalea received a commemorative framed honor and unwrapped gifts presented by campus leaders and local youth from the children’s center. One of these gifts was a piece of artwork a young client from the newly named Orfalea Family and ASI Children’s Center presented directly to Orfalea.
In front of the building, originally constructed between 1992 and 1993, the college unveiled a temporary “Orfalea College of Business” monument sign to mark the milestone. The permanent sign was installed a few months later, in September 2001, cementing the college’s new identity for future generations of Mustangs.
Following the dedication, Orfalea’s connection to the campus went far beyond financial support. In the years that followed, he regularly returned to campus as a guest speaker and lecturer, sharing his 30 years of business experience directly with students. His candid and engaging presentations won over audiences across the college.
“We hope to help students take on new challenges and faculty to develop even closer mentoring relationships; you’ve got to make students more inquisitive and learning more fun,” Orfalea reflected.
Paul Orfalea’s vision captured a fundamental truth about business education: True learning happens when curiosity replaces compliance and guidance replaces traditional instruction. By championing hands-on experience, he envisioned a college where classroom theories directly translated into real-world confidence, empowering students to embrace uncertainty rather than fear it.
The student-centered philosophy remains at the heart of the Orfalea College of Business 25 years later.
Over the past 25 years, the college has continued to evolve, offering unique Learn by Doing opportunities to students while building a national reputation for career readiness. Today, Orfalea College of Business graduates enjoy top-tier career outcomes, high placement rates and average starting salaries near $78,000. Key modern developments highlighting this continuous innovation include the Hancock Pathway Program, an innovative transfer pathway with Allan Hancock College that allows local students to earn a Cal Poly Bachelor of Science in business administration directly within their community; the Global Business Program, featuring specialized tracks, like early career study abroad cohorts in international hubs such as Seville, Spain, paired with executive leadership coaching; and a comprehensive Student Services and Peer Mentoring program, a centralized student success program offering dedicated academic advising, career readiness coursework and upperclassman mentorship from day one.
From a clear tent on campus in 2001 to a thriving ecosystem of global programs and accessible pathways today, the Orfalea College of Business continues to build on its rich history. The landmark gift established a lasting legacy that will continue to prepare, empower and inspire future business leaders for decades to come.
Top photo: Former Cal Poly President Warren Baker, left, sat next to Paul Orfalea during the 2001 dedication. (File photo)
