The IAC program completes its third year and looks ahead

The Issue Area Coordinators (IAC) Program completed its third year in 2022-23. There are six Issue Area Coordinators that each specialize in a particular area of interest: affordability, civic engagement, education, environment, health, and public interest technology. The objective of the coordinators is to serve as a point of contact for student groups across campus and connect them to opportunities both at Stanford and with local community organizations.

This year's cohort of IACs organized several learning events for peers and community organizations. They were able to distribute mini-grants to student groups, publish newsletters, connect student groups with community partners, and organize regular gatherings of student group leaders to increase collaboration.  As the program becomes stronger, it will aim to be one of the multiple pathways towards developing community-based models and place-based initiatives—a goal which the Community Engaged Learning and Research (CELR) team is also pursuing.  

Kristy Lobo, senior program director for public service leadership and community partnerships, and Luke Terra, associate director and director of community engaged learning, have worked together to increase staff capacity in supporting student activists and student organizers. Both the Cardinal Commitment and CELR teams have staff who have trained in using the curriculum created by community organizer and former Haas Distinguished Visitor Marshall Ganz. In the upcoming year, there will be an IAC who is trained in and focused on supporting students in this model of organizing and activism.  The teams are currently in the process of interviewing students.