Cal Poly student dies during visit to Big Sur, university officials say
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A Cal Poly student died during a visit to Big Sur over the weekend, the university confirmed Monday.
According to an email from President Jeffrey Armstrong to the Cal Poly community, third-year student Kenneth Taylor died Saturday “after an accident during a trip to Big Sur.”
Taylor, who was studying mechanical engineering, was from Richland in Washington state, according to the email.
“Kenneth was an outdoor enthusiast: He was a founding member of the Alpine Club, participated in activities with the Surfrider Foundation and served as a trip leader for ASI Poly Escapes,” Armstrong wrote in the email. “ASI staff described him as ‘a person of incredible technical skill and even more incredible kindness, unmatched wittiness and a passion for adventure that could inspire anyone.’”
Armstrong said the university is in touch with Taylor’s family and is “extending its full support to them and his friends.”
“Our thoughts are with them as they grieve their loss,” Armstrong wrote. “It is never easy to share news like this, and we know that processing this loss can be difficult for members of our community.”
