Mission & Service

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President's Letter

Dear Stanford Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to a new academic year! And a very special welcome to the families of the incoming Class of 2030. Congratulations on your student's remarkable achievement. Admission to Stanford reflects years of hard work, perseverance, and growth, and I hope you take a moment to celebrate not only this milestone, but also the beginning of an extraordinary new chapter for your entire family.

For many of you, the next few weeks will be filled with packing, planning, and preparing to say goodbye as your student begins life at Stanford. Whether this is your first child leaving home or your last, the emotions are often the same: pride, excitement, anticipation, a touch of anxiety, and perhaps a little sadness. One piece of advice from parents who have been there before: tuck a handwritten note into a suitcase or backpack. Months from now, your student may discover it when they need it most.

As you prepare to say goodbye, I invite you to say hello to us.

The Stanford Parents' Club Welcome Team will be on campus during New Student Orientation (NSO). Please stop by our Welcome Table in White Plaza at the Stanford Bookstore Patio on Tuesday, September 15 from 10 AM - 3 PM. We'd love to meet you, answer your questions, and welcome you personally to our community. For a completing listing of our club NSO events, please visit our Stanford Parents' Club NSO Events page.

Founded in 1924, the Stanford Parents' Club has spent more than a century connecting families, supporting students, and strengthening the Stanford community. Today, thousands of parents and guardians around the world are part of this vibrant network. Together, we create opportunities to learn, serve, volunteer, and build lasting friendships.

Throughout the year, there are many ways to get involved. Our Distinguished Speaker Series brings Stanford faculty and thought leaders directly to parents for engaging conversations. We host both virtual and in-person gatherings, including regional socials, Dish Walks, Jam Camps, and community events that bring families together. Parents also play an important role in supporting students through volunteer programs such as Bike Repair, the Career Closet, and providing holiday meals for students who remain on campus during Thanksgiving and Winter Break.

Whether you live five miles from campus or five thousand, there is a place for you here. The friendships and connections you make through the Stanford Parents' Club can become one of the most rewarding parts of your family's Stanford experience.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community. I look forward to meeting many of you in the coming months, whether on campus or online!

Warmly,

Usha Nesamoney
President, Stanford Parents' Club

President's Letter

Dear Stanford Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the Stanford Parents’ Club and the 2024-2025 school year at Stanford University. For those with students in the class of 2028, welcome to the Stanford family!

Following our centennial celebration last year, we are excited to continue building on our 100-year legacy. The Stanford Parents’ Club has over 10,000 members worldwide, including Stanford mothers, fathers, and guardians from over 50 countries. We have a strong culture of volunteerism and work in partnership with Stanford University to support Stanford families.

The Stanford Parents’ Club offers its members opportunities to learn, connect, and have fun. Our events and activities are separate from those of the students and take place on and off campus and online.

Join us to indulge your intellectual curiosities, connect with interesting new people, and experience Stanford in a unique way. We also look forward to welcoming new families who volunteer alongside experienced families, blending new ideas with cherished Stanford Parents’ Club traditions.

We look forward to seeing you on campus or on Zoom and welcoming you to the Farm and the Fam!

With warm regards,

Vijay Chowla

President, Stanford Parents’ Club

Mission

Engage Stanford parents and guardians in social, intellectual and philanthropic/volunteer activities. Also help parents stay informed of relevant Stanford information, balanced with the need for students to become independent.

Help Stanford support students’ health and well-being, working in collaboration with university departments. Also support student scholarships.

Support Stanford’s administration and mission. The club shall exist only so long as it meets the approval of Stanford administration.

Who We Are

Stanford Parents’ Club is a well-established (100 years old) nonprofit organization serving over 10,000 Stanford parents and guardians, worldwide. All Stanford parents and guardians are welcome to join. Membership is free of charge.

Stanford Parents’ Club is an independent 501c(3) organization, separate from Stanford University, and is run entirely by parent volunteers. Our purpose is to support Stanford families and Stanford University.

Stanford Parents’ Club is a kind, supportive and inclusive community. We look forward to extending a warm welcome to new members.

GO CARD!

Programs

We offer members opportunities to learn, connect and have fun as we build community together. Our most popular programs are these:

Monthly Distinguished Speaker Series - features Stanford faculty, live over Zoom
Moderated Online Communities – connects parents and helps answer their Stanford-related questions
Bay Area Socials during NSO, Family Weekend, and Admit Weekend (as well as throughout the year)
Zoom Welcomes, Q&A’s, Socials and Coffee Chats - engages members worldwide
Career Closet Giveaway - provides hundreds of students with free, gently-used professional attire from parents, staff, and alums
Volunteer Activities - engages hundreds of members, worldwide, to help support the Club, the University and Stanford families
Donations from Members - continues our 100-year tradition of supporting Stanford student scholarships and Stanford Parents’ Club

Impact

Stanford Parents’ Club Impact:

We engage 10,000 parents and guardians, worldwide, helping to build a warm and inclusive Stanford Community
Each year thousands of parents and guardians participate on our online communities.
We help answer their questions and build a more informed parent community.
We provide hundreds of volunteers annually to help welcome thousands of families to campus during major Stanford events. We help create a warm, fun and exciting experience for families and help them with wayfinding on campus.
We have provided over 281 student scholarships to date (2023-2024) creating opportunities for students to attend Stanford. We currently fund 3 scholarships annually, in perpetuity, from past donations and fundraisers.
For the past two years we have provided professional attire to hundreds of students annually, through the Career Closet Giveaway Program. This helps ready students for their job interviews, internships, and full-time employment, supports their success, reduces their stress and saves them money.
We help Stanford disseminate important information to parents quickly, through our platforms, newsletters, Distinguished Speaker Series and Coffee Chats. We also provide opportunities for parents to ask questions.
We support Stanford Admissions by helping answer prospective families’ questions on Cardinal Quad and help provide a warm and inviting welcome during Admit Week activities.
We help welcome and onboard new families to Stanford through Stanford Parents’ Club Welcome Zooms in summer. We also make welcome phone calls to new families, assisting Stanford Parent and Family Engagement.
Our work supports Stanford families, Stanford University and Stanford’s Mission.