Advising
Unsure of the first step in your service journey? Questions about a service program? Advisors at the Haas Center are happy to help.
General Service Advising
It can be overwhelming to choose from the large number of service opportunities available at Stanford. At the Haas Center, we’re here to help you find opportunities that are a good fit for you!
Visit us on the first floor in the Bing Information and Resource Center (BIRC) for walk-in advising or schedule a time with a Haas Center Peer Advisor (scroll down). We also offer study breaks, workshops, and retreats throughout the year to help you build service skills, explore careers, and develop as a leader.
Cardinal Commitment advising
Need advice on declaring your commitment or help finding an organization to work with?
Contact Cardinal Commitment program staff
Cardinal Careers advising
Staff who specialize in Cardinal Careers advising are available to help you navigate your service career search or apply for a fellowship.
Haas Center Peer Advisors
The Haas Center Peer Advisors are current Stanford students who have participated in a variety of Stanford public service opportunities. The Peer Advisors are available to answer questions from students about Cardinal Service opportunities throughout campus and beyond. Feel free to reach out and ask them for advice on all things public service!
See also:
Makayla Abril Butters (she/her) is a senior majoring in english with a minor in human rights. Her love of service flourished at Stanford through the mentorship and community she found in Otero, the public service and civic engagement-themed dorm on campus. Through Otero, she engaged in service through various public service pathways, was active in campus service organizations, and took several Cardinal Courses. Through Cardinal Quarter, she worked with pro-se litigants who could not afford legal representation, learned how to prepare Domestic Violence Prevention Act paperwork, and supported survivors of gender-based violence in their time of need. Most recently, she worked with Kona Drug Court through the Liman Summer Fellowship in her hometown of Kailua-Kona Hawai’i. There, she supported probationers overcoming their substance use disorders. In her free time, she enjoys trying new baking recipes, journaling, hiking, and sipping on lavender lattes. Come see Makayla if you ever need a helping hand along your service journey or a friend to talk to!
Laura Gomezjurado Gonzalez (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence. At Stanford, she has been deeply involved in both research and public service. Her work spans across multiple domains, including AI-driven rural development in Colombia and the application of AI in healthcare, inspired by her own life experiences. Laura has contributed to cutting-edge AI research, co-engineering a low-bandwidth video conferencing platform and co-developing AI tools for COVID-19 screening and breast cancer detection. As a passionate advocate, Laura represents Colombia as a UN Women Youth Representative and has spoken at multiple international forums, including the UN General Assembly and the UN Status on Women. Outside of her academic and professional commitments, Laura enjoys dancing tango, arts, exploring new subjects, and spending time with her friends. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss AI, public service opportunities, or just connect over a shared passion for social impact!
Email Laura
Noune Kachichyan (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in political science, concentrating in justice and law as well as elections, representation, and governance, with a minor in classics and a notation in cultural rhetoric. She is pursuing a path to becoming a lawyer after Stanford. As a Cardinal Quarter fellow, she interned at Junior State of America (JSA), a nonpartisan nonprofit that promotes civic engagement and democratic values among youth. Through JSA, she collaborated with organizations like FIRE and the ACLU to support summer programs that empower students nationwide in areas like advocacy and free speech. Noune partners with Matriculate, a non-profit that provides advising to first-generation, low-income high school students through the college application process. She is also the co-head of the marketing committee for Stanford Women in Politics, a campus community that fosters dialogue and organizes events on political issues. When she’s not busy with her academic and public service commitments, Noune enjoys reading, spending time with friends, working out, and watching TV. Whether you’re interested in discussing service opportunities or just want to chat about life, feel free to reach out to Noune!
Abigail Maldonado (she/her) is a senior majoring in human biology with a concentration in child development through a social and neuro lens. Her interests in health, education, and youth have all been cultivated by public service opportunities at the Haas Center. She first engaged in Cardinal Service during her freshman year through Cardinal Courses. Through a community advocacy course, she partnered with a nonprofit organization that helps women who have experienced domestic violence and worked with the core team on social media outreach programs. That summer, she spent her Cardinal Quarter fellowship as a teacher to middle school students. Leading her own literacy and enrichment curriculum, she taught predominantly Hispanic students to help them achieve grade reading level and get closer to closing the literacy achievement gap. This past summer, she was a Community Service Work-Study fellow, where she volunteered in a nonprofit clinic that emphasizes accessible and quality healthcare to underserved communities in Los Angeles. In her free time, Abigail enjoys film photography, hiking, and visiting new cafes. Come visit Abigail if you need any help getting connected to service opportunities or want a new friend!
Dora Plascencia Macias (she/her) is a senior majoring in sociology with a minor in human rights and Spanish, which she hopes to use as a lawyer. Throughout her time at Stanford, she has been a Cardinal Quarter fellow, made Cardinal Commitments, and took many Cardinal Courses. This summer she conducted her own research examining Oregon court-certified interpreters for her honors thesis in sociology. Last summer she was a Cardinal Quarter fellow with the non-profit Columbia Gorge CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) from her home in Oregon, where she helped strengthen the Latine community outreach. She had the opportunity to see how this non-profit works within the legal system to provide children experiencing foster care with an adult who advocates solely for them and their wellbeing. Dora is also a Leadership, Organizing, Action (LOA) fellow where she gets to coach students on leadership challenges as well as public narrative. In her free time she enjoys going to the gym, hiking, and listening and dancing to Mexican banda music. Come see Dora if you have a question or just want to get to know each other!
Dylan Vergara (he/him) is a junior with a primary major in political science and a secondary major in American studies. Since his frosh year, Dylan has been immersed in Stanford’s public service opportunities as a resident at Otero and Frosh Service Liaison. Inspired by public service in the government, he was a Cardinal Quarter fellow on Capitol Hill in the summer of 2023, where he worked for Rep. Julia Brownley to fight for climate solutions and healthcare. In 2024, he was a Global Studies Fellow working for the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia. Dylan has also worked for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. He hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of law and policy. Outside of the Haas Center, Dylan is involved in Stanford in Government as the co-head of StanfordVotes and is a member of Stanford ACLU, the California Policy Collective, and the ASSU. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball, going to the beach, and watching new movies. Come see Dylan if you want to talk about anything service-related or make a new friend!