Haas Center honors 2024 student and staff awardees

On April 29, the Haas Center for Public Service was proud to recognize and celebrate award winners at its annual spring Student Service Awards luncheon. Convening in the Tresidder Student Union’s Oak Lounge, our students, faculty, staff, and friends came together to congratulate winners for four exciting awards and honors.

Katie Hanna Dickson, chair of the Haas Center’s National Advisory Board, closed the ceremony with words of appreciation to the award presenters and congratulations to all of our incredible students and members of the Haas Center community.

Tanner Christensen, ’24, MA ’24

Marion Brummell Kenworthy Award for Student Innovation in Public Service, Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Tanner is graduating with a master’s in communication media studies, a bachelor’s in psychology, and a minor in human rights. Throughout his academic career, he has been extensively involved with the Haas Center where he has been a Frosh Service Liaison, a member of the Haas Center’s National Advisory Board, a community engaged learning coordinator, a participant in the Public Service Leadership Program, and is currently the lead Peer Advisor. He is a staple of the Haas Center, connecting countless peers to public service programming. Next year he will be working at a nonprofit or government agency in New York City through the John Gardner Public Service Fellowship. 

Ryan Duncan, ’24, MA ’24

Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Ryan is a tribal member of the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He is pursuing his BA in Native American Studies with a minor in Education and an MA at the Stanford Graduate School of Education in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies. His commitment to community engagement began with tutoring at Preschool Counts as a freshman, which led to his role as an Education Partnerships Fellow, a position he continues to hold. His dedication to adapting to evolving needs during the pandemic has been unparalleled, notably as a tutor and summer fellow for Ravenswood Reads. Ryan is an active member of the Native American Cultural Center and co-chaired the Stanford Powwow in 2022. He has engaged in multiple Cardinal Courses, and pursued a summer Cardinal Quarter focused on language revitalization in Native American communities, reflecting his goal of preserving Cherokee and Chickasaw languages.

Enrique Flores, ’24, MA ’25

Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Enrique, a co-term student studying political science, human rights, and sociology, is dedicated to advocacy for immigrants and marginalized communities. Having first been a Cardinal Quarter Fellow at Immigration Equality and later a Peer Advisor, Enrique showed a deep understanding of root causes of inequality and a commitment to exploring these issues academically and through extracurricular activities. He has been a leader in Stanford Habla, and will be co-president of the group next year. Enrique’s inclusive leadership style and proactive approach have been evident in his role as co-vice chair of fellowships and stipends for Stanford in Government, where he has implemented innovative program changes and built a supportive community.

Cameron Lange, ’24

Marion Brummell Kenworthy Award for Student Innovation in Public Service, Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Cameron is a double major in Philosophy and Political Science with interests in politics and law. She has been involved with the student-led StanfordVotes group since her freshman year, and chaired the group in 2021-22, the year in which Stanford was presented with the Ballot Bowl by the California Secretary of State for being the university that registered the most California residents to vote. Cameron collaborated with multiple campus organizations to promote voter registration and turnout, and worked with the registrar’s office to prompt students to consider registering to vote when they enroll in courses. Cameron has also spent three summers doing full-time service work and serving as a Cardinal Quarter Peer Advisor. As a Resident Assistant in Columbae, Cameron showed exceptional empathy and leadership in facilitating difficult conversations with her residents about the conflict in the Middle East and fostering a safe space for them to express diverse viewpoints.

Carolina Nazario, ’24

Marion Brummell Kenworthy Award for Student Innovation in Public Service, Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Carolina is a senior majoring in sociology who seeks to continue promoting access to justice by becoming a civil rights lawyer. She is the community-engaged learning coordinator for LAW 809D: What’s Next? After Students for Fair Admissions, a law and policy lab course focused on reimagining college admissions following the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. She also works with the Legal Design Lab to understand how eviction legal services are currently being portrayed in social media and how we might improve digital services for those in contact with the legal system. Carolina was the Sophomore Service Liaison Coordinator in 2021-22 and facilitated discussions with students about the Principles of Ethical and Effective Service, the Pathways of Public Service and Civic Engagement, and how to plan service projects for fellow students. She has been a Haas Center Peer Advisor for the last two years, planning student events, advising many students on Cardinal Service opportunities, and doing outreach.

Emily Nichols, ’23

Marion Brummell Kenworthy Award for Student Innovation in Public Service

Emily is a senior majoring in African and African American Studies with a minor in Theater and Performance Studies. A vital leader and member of many service and advocacy groups since her beginnings at Stanford, she has been a student representative on the Haas Center’s National Advisory Board, a member of the Black@Stanford Anthology team, and active in the Stanford Black Gender Marginalized Collective, the Stanford Black Creators Company, and the Stanford Black Party Undergrad Reading Group. Emily has been deeply involved in student government, serving with the Associated Students of Stanford University as a Senate Associate, Senate Communications Director, and eventually Co-Chair of the 23rd Undergraduate Senate where she helped distribute over $200,000 in mutual aid funds at the start of the pandemic. She also founded the UberEats Program that provided financial support for first-generation and low-income students over winter break. She will be a Tom Ford Philanthropy Fellow this upcoming fall, and plans to start working on her JD/PhD in fall 2025.

Ella Norman, ’24

Walk the Talk Service Leadership Award

Ella is a senior studying Human Biology. Passionate about the intersection of health and environmental justice, her deep commitment to service spans across several Haas Center programs, including serving as a PCJ in the Bay research fellow and an Issue Area Coordinator for Environmental Sustainability. She is also part of the Community Engaged Scholars program, concluding a multi-year research project as part of her capstone experience. She has spearheaded a successful partnership between the student group Data and Mapping for Society and the community organization Nuestra Casa, resulting in an interactive map for East Palo Alto residents. Her exemplary performance led to her appointment as Lead Issue Area Coordinator, where she excels at guiding her peers and students interested in environmental sustainability. Beyond campus, Ella is an organizing member of the environmental justice festival Earthtones, and works with Rise South City on addressing air pollution impacts. Next year, she will be working as a Schneider fellow with the Natural Resources Defense Council's San Francisco office.

Alexis Wilson, MS ’22

Kennedy-Diamond Award for Excellence in Community Engaged Learning and Research

Alexis is a fifth year PhD candidate in Earth System Science at the Doerr School of Sustainability. She has devoted her academic career to developing community-engaged research grounded in her commitment to environmental and social justice, exemplifying the Haas Center’s Principles of Ethical and Effective Service. Her research addresses heavy metal contamination in urban garden soils, and she partnered with the Oakland Unified School District to assess and remediate contamination on their sites. In addition, she has written an article sharing strategies for effective scientist-community collaboration, adding valuable insights to the field. As a Graduate Fellow for Regional Engagement on Climate Change, Alexis builds bridges between campus and community partners, advancing climate justice initiatives. Dedicated to mentorship, she also guides both graduate and undergraduate students, nurturing the next generation of community-engaged scholars.