POMONA, Calif.-  In honor of their 11 years of service to Cal Poly Pomona and their steadfast dedication to the Bronco Athletic Department, President Emeritus Dr. J. Michael Ortiz and his wife Betty were honored on Thursday at 11 a.m. when the road that runs directly in front of the CLA building was named in their honor.
 
The campus community was invited to attend the event that honored CPP's fifth president. This marked the 13th time the Bronco Athletic Circle was renamed.
 
Attorney Emma Hilario was the most recent recipient of the accolade and she was in attendance to see the circle's newest sign get unveiled.
 
Under Ortiz's leadership, the university posted an increase in graduation rates, completed many significant building projects, improved student access to educational programs, and expanded its philanthropy efforts to include the largest cash gift in the history of the California State University system.
 
Also during his tenure, the university earned numerous citations for academic excellence, including being named as one of the best universities in the West, according to the 2015 rankings in U.S. News & World Report. Cal Poly Pomona also was listed as one of the 100 best values in higher education in the U.S., according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's 2015 rankings.
 
Ortiz and his wife, Betty, have also been tremendous supporters of Bronco athletics, having attended many games on campus while also traveling to postseason events across the country.
 
University President Dr. Soraya Coley and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Brian Swanson took part in the ceremony. There were also performances from the Children's Center and the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Cheer Squad.
 
The university began dedicating the circle in 1997 to support student-athletes and scholarships. To cap off a tremendously successful 2014-15 academic year, Cal Poly Pomona Intercollegiate Athletics won its first Commissioner's Cup. The award is given to the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) member institution with the highest aggregate ranking in eight of the CCAA's 12 championship sports offerings.