A conversation with an alum about cal poly, her Disney career and giving back.

Sherri Brown graduated with a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Cal Poly in 1987. In a career spanning 33 years at The Walt Disney Company, she has held four vice president titles, including her current position of vice president of global network strategy and engineering. We asked Sherri about the impact of Cal Poly on her life and career.

What’s most memorable about your time at Cal Poly?

I recall a small-town atmosphere with a supportive community which would explode to this hive of learning and passion centered around this academic campus.   

The summer of 1985 was my first quarter at Cal Poly after transferring from my local community college, and I resided in the Shasta Hall dorms. The campus and town of San Luis Obispo were picturesque, tranquil and serene (queue the deer, which would roam on the lawns around the dorms). 

Summer was a great time to start my Cal Poly journey as there was a relatively small number of faculty and students, and I was able to secure a full-time job in a local store. Everyone I met was supportive of me pursuing my education.     

As fall quarter approached, more than 15,000 students converged on the community and campus, and I observed the Week of Welcome. I relished the energy and intensity brought by the fall semester with all the other students, and how the community adapted and supported all of us.   

What were your favorite classes? Did you have any favorite faculty members?

Some of my favorite classes were Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Numerical Analysis, Partial Differential Equations, and Proofs and Theorems.

Dr. Euel Kennedy was my favorite faculty member. I took my first class at Cal Poly (Advanced Engineering Mathematics) with him, and he was my advisor for my senior project. He hired me to grade papers to supplementmy income and was a mentor throughout my years at Cal Poly. Dr. Kennedy was from Oklahoma and quite a fun character. He wrote all over the calkboards with passion during his classes and would have chalk on his black slacks and sometimes on his face by the end of a class.

I learned a tremendous amount from all the faculty — including Drs. Kent Morrison, John Van Eps, Stephen Weinstein and Harvey Greenwald. But I spent the most hours in Dr. Kennedy’s office and corresponded with him after I left Cal Poly.

How has your Cal Poly experience helped in your professional work at Disney?

Earning a degree in applied mathematics entailed a lot of difficult problem solving. To be successful, you had to learn a variety of pretty complex algorithms and methodologies, apply analytical thinking in a logical and structured fashion, and be creative and adaptable in trying different approaches to get to the solutions.

In my professional career at Disney, particularly in the field of technology, I have utilized all these skills — continuously learning new complex technological and business concepts, solving diverse problems, adapting to constant changes and leveraging data and information for decision-making. Disney initially hired me to design and build their first global voice and data telecommunications network even though I had limited technical experience and no international experience — talk about Learn by Doing. As my responsibilities have evolved and grown, I have been learning by doing my whole career.

What’s it like returning to campus as a mentor to students?

It’s been an honor to be asked to return to the campus to mentor students. As I was preparing, I reflected on how much technology had changed the experience of current Cal Poly students from when I attended. I sought out the Disney campus recruiting team and some of my team members who had recently graduated to get perspective on the tools and advice they would recommend to current students. The fundamentals of my journey and advice were still relevant, even though 35-plus years ago we did not have the internet, social media, LinkedIn, etc.

Mentoring has been an overall rewarding and growth experience for me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and learned from the students during my attendance of the Bailey College's Student Research Conference and the mentoring sessions. I have been so impressed by the students.

Why do you give back to Cal Poly?

Being a first-generation college graduate and working full time while getting my degree was a lot of hard work. So, I was very grateful to receive such a quality education at Cal Poly at a very affordable price. I believe having an education and graduating from Cal Poly has opened many doors for me, led to a lifelong curiosity and enjoyment of exploring and learning, and overall enriched my life. I feel very blessed to have had my life and career experiences and journey. 

Therefore, I want to contribute in a manner that enables others to achieve a fulfilling life and career path through their education at Cal Poly.