Posted on March 30, 2026
By Shawn Davis
POMONA, Calif. — Leaders with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona renewed their longstanding partnership with an updated memorandum of understanding signed March 24 at the university.
“We are proud to stand alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in this shared commitment to education, innovation and service,” said Andrew Ketsdever, dean of the college of engineering at Cal Poly Pomona.
To celebrate, leaders from both organizations met at the university’s student-run Restaurant at Kellogg Ranch. The updated agreement makes the partnership, first signed in 2016, permanent by removing its expiration date.
The memorandum of understanding outlines a partnership that enables participation by USACE engineers in student mentoring sessions and applied research opportunities. Events like site visits to USACE-managed projects, guest lectures by USACE personnel and mentorship programs are a direct result of this shared partnership between the university and the Los Angeles District.
“It expands opportunities for students, and it deepens our connections to the communities that we serve,” Ketsdever said. “But perhaps more importantly, it reminds us that education and service are equally connected.
“When we prepare students to be excellent engineers, we are also preparing them to be stewards,” Ketsdever continued. “Stewards of our infrastructure, stewards of our environment, stewards of our future.”
“The LA district has hired 33 Cal Poly students since 2009,” said Col. Andrew Baker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander. “The work we do at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — delivering vital engineering solutions to secure our nation, energize our economy and reduce disaster risks —has never been more critical.”
Baker pointed to a major local project as a prime example of USACE’s impact. Just recently, the Los Angeles District awarded a more than $735 million construction contract to Barnard Construction Inc. to begin major construction work for the Whittier Narrows Dam Safety Modification Project, which is anticipated to continue until the end of 2033.
Projects like the Whitter Narrows Dam Safety Modification Project indicate the significant impact a USACE district can have for its local community by mitigating flood risk and providing recreational opportunities to those nearby. While the broader agency manages more than 700 dams nationwide, the Los Angeles District manages 15 across Arizona, Nevada and the Southern California region. Many of those dams, such as the Sepulveda, Prado and Whittier Narrows, carry significant importance due to their proximity to dense, urban communities.
“(This memorandum) is a key exercise of Cal Poly’s philosophy: ‘learning by doing,’” Baker said. “Today, students are motivated by meaningful work, a supportive culture and the opportunity to make real world impacts. That is exactly what a career in the Los Angeles District promises.”
Cal Poly Pomona President Iris Levine said the university community also benefits from the collaboration.
“We see new avenues for applied research,” Levine said. “Faculty and students can collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on challenges that require innovation and technical expertise. … We see a stronger, more connected pipeline that prepares graduates to step directly into goals where they can make an immediate difference.”
To learn more about career opportunities at the Los Angeles District, visit https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Careers/.
