A sea of green shirts rippled through Spanos Stadium Wednesday night as a man dressed in full NASA blue walked across the field.
Victor Glover’s presence came as a complete surprise to the new Cal Poly students and parents during Big Fall Welcome at Spanos Stadium. He also appeared at Fall Convocation on Monday.
“I felt like I was seeing a celebrity. He looked over at us and we all waved and everyone started screaming,” transfer student Katie Kelly said.
The Artemis II astronaut and Cal Poly alum returned in June to help his daughter move out. In August, he moved one in. In both trips to San Luis Obispo, Glover used his voice to uplift the Cal Poly community.
READ MORE: Victor Glover returns to Cal Poly with a message beyond the moon
The first thing he told the new students was, “you’re not alone.”
“This journey is going to be long and wandering. Maybe not 685,000 miles around the moon and back, but it is going to be a long journey,” Glover said. “But the journey that starts here truly can take you anywhere.”
Kelly, who knew about Glover’s connection to Cal Poly prior to Big Fall Welcome, gained more inspiration from her fellow Mustang.
“I’m very excited to be here, and I feel so grateful to have deserved a spot,” Kelly said.
Glover, who also has experience being a Cal Poly parent, spoke to a different generation in the stands.
“Something that I had to learn was to be more of a cheerleader than a coach.” Glover said on the field. “To just find out what they want to talk about, listen to what they’re doing and then cheer them on. Sometimes that opens the door to the next conversation, which opens the door to the next conversation. And that gives you that connectivity.”
Shabana Sheik, who travelled from Seattle to help move her freshman daughter into the dorms, said Glover’s point made her think in a new direction.
“It’s very emotional, but looking at what was presented today, I go back [home] with a lot of confidence,” Sheik said.
After Glover’s remarks, Cal Poly Vice President Terrence Harris asked him questions about his perspective after space travel. Glover expanded upon his previous points of unity and “seeing Earth as one.”
“As proud as I am to be a Mustang, an American, a naval officer, fly Navy, I need us to be proud to be humans, Earthlings, Homo sapiens first,” Glover said.
