The Cal Poly ‘P’ has been repainted again — this time red for Veteran’s Day.
Members of the Center for Military-Connected Students painted the ‘P’ red Sunday in honor of military personnel deployed overseas. The ‘P’ is located behind the South Mountain residence halls and can be seen from across campus.
The color red was chosen to represent R.E.D (Remember Everyone Deployed), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting service members and their families, according to R.E.D’s website.
The 35-by-50 foot concrete Cal Poly ‘P’ will remain red throughout the week to bring awareness to the on-campus community of veterans and military families.
Cal Poly’s Center for Military-Connected Students opened in early 2015 and serves about 550 veterans and dependents at the university, according to coordinator Kari Leslie.
Cal Poly was selected as the second most veteran-friendly school among colleges and universities in 15 Western states — a listing that shows which top-ranked schools participate in federal initiatives to help veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees.
“Having a center is one of the biggest things a school can do to benefit military-connected students,” Leslie said. “It’s a one-stop shop where those students can come and get all the answers they need, and it helps them build a sense of community on the campus.”
The center helps students succeed in graduating, finding a job, moving out into the world and accomplishing goals they set out for themselves, according to Leslie.