Get Involved

1. Mark Munzig makes some quick finishing touches on the rocket part of last year’s float, “Galactic Expedition.” 2. Erin Hines and Karissa Perez use a variety of bright paint to finish painting the ferris wheel for Orientation. 3. Kelsey Frasher neatly prepares ingredients used to cook lunch at lab. 4. Volunteers help the decorations deparment make a smooth transition to a new Rose Float year by cleaning flower vials. 5. Michael Blumenthal shows a volunteer the proper way in maneuvering the metal machine as he keeps his hands steady. 6. Janine Watkins and Jacklyn Sorenson in welding gear, concentrate on welding the metal at hand.

DESIGN-CAN WE BUILD IT?

We have completed our rendering, scale drawings, and now building the float. The Design Team specifically will be carving some of the elements too intricate to make out of pencil steel. We will also begin construction on the Train Station soon. Coming up in the next month, we will begin a joint project with the Deco Department to create the background for the Cal Poly Letters. If you would like to help us or any of the rest of the team, come on down to lab and we will have something for you to work on with us!

MERCHANDISE-$ALE$ PER$ON$

The Merchandise Department is one of the resources that the Rose Float Organization relies on in bringing funds whether towards the Rose Float Club or equipment for the float. We design, create, organize, produce, and sell merchandise. The department like the float itself divides the work between Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and our campus, Cal Poly Pomona. You can usually catch the Merchandise Department selling during Bronco Fusion, the Queen & Court Luncheon, Rose Day, Rose Float Appreciation Day, Design Week, Decorations Week, Post Parade, and even online at rosefloat.org. The Merchandise Department shares almost as much attention as the float because millions around the world will see the custom designs created by the team. So, if you have a creative eye, a business instinct, or someone who wants to try something different, contact the Merchandise Chair Crystal Chea at crystal.chea05@gmail.com. The experience is worth your while!

DECORATIONS-COLOR & FLOWERS

The Deco Department works with the color scheme decisions. After the concept is chosen and the rendering process begins, Deco chooses what colors they want to see on the float as well as decide what deco material would be best used for each surface–from fresh to dry materials. The deco team must make sure everything is painted with the right color representation of materials. When Deco Week comes around, it is one of the most unique experiences. Nelson Chang remarks, “I look forward to it every year because each year is different and you never know what might just happen.Just imagine, working with your fellow school mates and a couple thousand volunteers to create something that will be seen by the world is just astounding! Plus as an added bonus, you get to meet people from all over the United States. We’ve met people from Iowa to Texas to Kentucky, you name it! You can have great times by talking to each other to pass the time away. Overall, it can be quite chaotic and frustrating at times but through all the work we put through and the memories we’ll create, I’d say I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

CONSTRUCTION-YES WE CAN!

The Construction Department is responsible for building the structure and all of the animation on the float. We are designers and builders, bringing the visions of the Design Department into reality. Volunteers can learn how to weld, use our machine shop, including the lathe and mill, work with hydraulics, learn about our electronic animation show control system, and work with the construction team on a variety of projects. We teach the hands-on skills needed to bring a design from paper to steel.

LEADERSHIP-JUST DO IT

Gain leadership, communication, time and project management, multi-tasking, and delegating skills. We are team leaders vital in promoting the club and working together to raise funds, increase membership, publicity, and cohesiveness between members, volunteers, alumni and the committee. We aid in the committee department projects from start to finish. We are needed to showcase what the Rose Float program has to offer–from people’s undergraduate years and beyond. We take pride in the work we do and make for others. You can expand your skill-set by joining the club as a member or as an executive board member. By joining, you’ll find a sense of camarderie you won’t be able to get anywhere else. Together as a team, we help make the Rose Float come to life by attracting thousands of volunteers to help engineer, build, and decorate the float. Take part in our team and learn what it takes to organize such a huge project on campus, not to mention one that will be widely viewed by milllions of people on television. We’re like a sport, the sum of all individuals is greater than the whole. We win trophees, awards, and compete against professional and other self-built floats. We can become famous together and create many unexpected and lasting friendships along the way!