Contact Us

Amy Saldaña

(she/her)

Assistant Director, Transfer Center

Amy is the Transfer Center Assistant Director and she is dedicated to supporting and empowering Cal Poly students. Amy graduated from CSU Sacramento with a B.S. in Business Administration and also a M.A. in Higher Education & Leadership and it is during her time at CSU, Sacramento that she found her passion helping college students achieve and grow. She worked in various offices at CSU Sacramento, such as, Admissions & Outreach, Academic Advising, New Student Orientation, and First Year Experience. She also was an Academic Advisor at University of CA, Davis for some time before making the journey to Cal Poly. Amy was the Program Coordinator for New Student & Transition Programs here at Cal Poly and fell in love with this amazing campus. Amy is excited to support the dedicated Cal Poly transfer students and ensure that the Transfer Center upholds and values the various campus Resources, Community, and Advocacy. 

Allie Winding

(she/they)

Transfer Academic Support Coordinator

Allie is originally from the Bay Area but has spent the last five years living in various California cities as a result of her academic pursuit. Allie began her collegiate journey at Los Medanos Community College, where she explored multiple areas of study within the behavioral and social sciences. In 2020, she transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles and studied Sociology. While at UCLA, Allie found herself navigating new challenges that inspired her to pursue her career in higher education. Having received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Allie moved to San Diego where she worked in leadership positions that increased her passion to be a supportive resource for students. Allie’s academic journey continued as she moved up to San Luis Obispo to join the Higher Education Counseling & Student Affairs graduate cohort of 2023.

Throughout Allie’s time at Cal Poly, she has worked as a Graduate Assistant for Retention as well as an Academic Coach with Athletics. She found opportunities to serve both her passion for transfer student advocacy as well as her desire for continuous learning within the realm of higher education. In both her internships, Allie worked with students from all paths of life as they aimed to navigate a multitude of personal, professional, and institutional barriers. In Retention, she conducted mental health outreach, assisted in data analysis, and collaborated with campus partners. With the wonderful support of her team, she has been a part of the Transfer Academic Onboarding Group, assisted transfer students with registration during SLO Days, and regularly volunteered in the First Year Success Program.

Within her new role as the Transfer Academic Support Coordinator, Allie is eager to continue advocating for transfer students while building on her knowledge of campus policies, leadership abilities, and role as a resource for future generations of transfer students.

Gabe Vazquez

(he/him)

Graduate Assistant, Transfer Center

Gabe is a first year in the Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs (HECSA) master’s program and the Graduate Assistant of the Transfer Center and a Career Advisor. Gabe graduated from the University of California, Davis as a Psychology major and was a transfer student himself. Gabe is excited to help foster a more connected and involved transfer community here at Cal Poly and is determined to help transfers feel more welcome on campus.

Beyond the transfer center, Gabe enjoys going on walks with his dog, spending time with his friends, watching anime and checking out the local beaches.

Einstein Mwase

(he/him)

Student Assistant, Transfer Center

If you are reading this, you are probably a transfer student looking for some kind of help; lucky for you, Einstein is a transfer student—just like you—and he wants to avail you with opportunities to foster your discovery and resolution in your time at Cal Poly.  He is a Student Assistant at the Transfer Center.  Upon his return from studying in Uganda, he attended community college at Laney College in Oakland—from where he transferred.

Einstein is an Aerospace Engineering major, who has been affiliated with NASA on three occasions through the NCAS Program and has served as a peer tutor in calculus.  He intends to use these experiences to articulate assistance better to those that need it.  Einstein does not want you to crawl through your time at Cal Poly, neither does he want you to walk or run through it.  Rather, he wants you to fly through Cal Poly—like you were always meant to.

Andrea Salazar Santos

(she/her)

Graphic Design Student Assistant, Transfer Center

Julia Anderfaas

(she/her)

Student Assistant, Transfer Center

Julia Anderfaas is a student assistant at the Transfer Center. She wants to help transfer students thrive at Cal Poly, not just survive. Feel free to stop by and ask about anything--- and if she doesn't know the answer she'll find it and email you about it ASAP! She tries to create a welcoming, chill environment in the transfer center (and always keep the snacks fully stocked).
She is originally from Westminster, CA, and graduated from Golden West College before transferring. This is her second year at Cal Poly studying landscape architecture. In her free time, she likes to embroider, hike, and watch video essays about topics she knows nothing about.

Asarel Castellanos

(he/him)

Student Assistant, Transfer Center

Asarel is a fourth-year student assistant at the Transfer Center majoring in Economics, with a concentration in Quantitative Analysis. Asarel is from Los Angeles, CA where he studied at Santa Monica College before transferring to Cal Poly in Fall 2023.

Aside from working at the Transfer Center, he is heavily involved with SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) and with LBSA (LatinX Business Student Association). In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, tennis, and basketball.

Julissa Hernandez

(she/her)

Student Assistant, Transfer Center

Julissa is a fourth-year student assistant at the Transfer Center majoring in Computer Science. Julissa was born and raised in Los Angeles where she studied at Santa Monica College before transferring to Cal Poly in fall 2023.

Katherine Merino-Simon

(she/her)

Student Assistant, Transfer Center