"What Do You StandFor?": Discover Your Values, Explore Service
As the leaves turn and the Stanford campus buzzes with activity for the new academic year, the Haas Center for Public Service is once again launching its annual "What Do You StandFor?" campaign. Working with partners across the university, the Haas Center’s goal is to introduce students to the service programs available at Stanford and invite students to think about what’s important to them.
With the tagline "Exploring Values Through Service," the campaign continues to draw on Stanford's Cardinal Service efforts, offering students a diverse array of opportunities to engage with service programs, courses, and experiences through partnerships with both the campus and the broader community.
“What Do You StandFor?” plays on an anagram of Stanford as a way to invite students to reflect on their core values and discover ways to translate those values into meaningful service both during their time at Stanford and beyond.
Key Highlights and Activities
This year's campaign includes an exciting lineup of events, courses, and opportunities designed to engage students in service. It encourages them to step beyond their comfort zones and explore diverse avenues of service. Among the highlights is a pre-football game Fan Fest booth where community members can stop by and share their values, fostering meaningful conversations between Stanford and the local community.
A significant addition this year is the "What Do You StandFor?" reflection activity. This thought-provoking exercise is designed for use by student organizations, community centers, sports teams, workgroups, and others as a team-building exercise. It encourages participants to delve deep into their values, fostering bonds and a shared sense of purpose.
Diverse Events and Collaborations
The response to last year's campaign was heartening, with the community contributing videos, testimonials, stories, photos, and posts. Engaging in conversations about values and service experiences not only strengthened the sense of community but also sparked new connections and collaborations between individuals, their communities, and service organizations.
This year’s effort kicked off for staff at the “We Are Stanford” event in September. The materials and reflection activity will be incorporated into the Cardinal at Work Cares donation drive and care package assembly parties later in the fall. Other events include the Cardinal Service Fair at NSO, GOALIE, the Engineering Dean’s welcome event, the FestiFall student organizations fair, and Democracy Day. The campaign continues to forge partnerships with various groups across campus, adding more events and activities to broaden its reach.
A Call to Collaborate
While the campaign naturally focuses on engaging students, it is open to supporting efforts that showcase the exceptional work happening around campus, including research that advances the public good. Stanford is a hub of innovation and service, and there's a wealth of stories waiting to be shared.
There's also a digital presence through the Cardinal Service Instagram account. The invitation is extended to collaborate and share content or pick up posts for the main Stanford account, fostering a sense of unity and purpose across social media platforms.
The "What Do You StandFor?" campaign has the potential to become a university-wide endeavor, celebrating the incredible opportunities to engage in service at Stanford. It's an opportunity to lift up the good work, highlight shared values, and inspire a collective commitment to service and purpose.
Interested in joining the campaign? Contact Peggy Propp, director of strategic partnerships and alumni engagement.
