Alumni Spotlight: Peter Kellly

Meet Cal Poly alumni, Peter Kelly! Peter graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, and currently works as a structural engineering Project Manager at KL&A Engineers and Builders in Golden, Colorado. He specializes in “large commercial projects – generally steel, concrete, or mass timber buildings” and works in a wide range of project types including “education, office buildings, multi-unit residential, civic projects, and museums.” 

One of his favorite projects is the Meow Wolf Denver project, “which is a 5-story composite steel building that houses a large interactive art exhibit. That job sticks out, since I had the chance to work with amazingly talented artists to bring their vision for the space to life – the space includes a maze of hanging catwalks and several climbable art installations that I did the structural design for. It’s a project that adds to the cultural richness of Denver, and it’s a fun one to have had a hand in. If you are ever in Denver, it’s a must see!” 

During his time at Cal Poly, Peter enjoyed surfing, running on the Bob Jones Trail, and being involved with CRU! He also valued the close connections he made during his time in school and spent a lot of time in office hours getting to know his professors! Peter shared, “Those relationships were important as they mentored me through decisions regarding grad school and what I wanted to do with my career. Shout out to Dr. Chadwell and Dr. Qu who wrote letters of recommendation for grad school and entry level job applications!”

Peter’s advice to current students is to “soak up your time there and make the most of all the networking opportunities that the Civil Engineering department has. The engineering profession is a small world – you never know how connections you make during your time in school will shape the trajectory of your career.”