2005 D.C./National Fellows
Jonathan Elkin - 2006 Public Policy, 2007 MA Education - Government Accountability Office
Jonathan calls himself a "bleeding heart altruist" who believes in the power of analytically-guided government to make a positive impact in people's lives. Jonathan has personal experience with government at a grassroots level. During the summer before the 2004 presidential election, he worked for the Democratic National Committee's fundraising office in Los Angeles, where he recruited and trained a staff of 60 canvassers. Discussing politics face-to-face with the diverse residents of his native city allowed him to "read the emotional pulse behind the latest opinion polls." Immersed in the excitement of the campaign, he took a leave of absence in the fall to work as a MoveOnPAC field organizer in Palm Beach, FL. Although disappointed by the results of the election, Jonathan remains passionate about policy issues, especially in the area of education. During the school year, he tutors for College Track, which helps prepare low-income and minority students from Oakland and East Palo Alto for college. On campus, he is co-organizer of the Middle East Issues dialogue group, which facilitates weekly dinners for Jews, Muslims, and others to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After completing the Stanford Teacher Education Program, Jonathan plans to teach high school social science for a few years before moving to administration or policy-making.
Mike Gradilla - 2007, History; Economics minor - Mexican Embassy
Mike feels that "everyone has a right to attain a decent standard of living, wherever in the world they may be." As a first-generation American, Mike has developed a sense of responsibility and desire to extend opportunities to underserved communities. Previously, he worked for Neighborhood Legal Services in Los Angeles, where he helped provide legal services to the county's poorest residents, many of whom are recent immigrants facing the same trials his parents experienced upon arriving in the US. The organization honored him with a certificate of appreciation for groundbreaking work as a summer law clerk. Mike also made a foray into the world of business by participating in a selective seminar on investment banking in New York City as a Credit Suisse First Boston Explorer. At Stanford, he researches the financial history of nineteenth-century Latin America for a Political Science professor and is an associate executive board member of the Stanford Pre-Law Society. Mike plans to attend law school and pursue a career at the junction of business, law, and public service.
Jennifer Haskell - 2007; Political Science - The Carter Center
In the wake of the Iraq War, Jennifer believes that "democracy has become the defining foreign policy issue of my generation." Watching the challenges of building a new Iraqi government piqued Jen's interest, and since then she has dedicated herself to learning more about democracy and comparative politics. At Stanford, she conducts research on developmental aid policies for Political Science Professor Stephen Krasner and organizes speaker events for the Society for International Affairs. Recently, a paper that she wrote on dominant party autocracy in Malaysia was published in the Stanford Journal of International Relations. Jen has also contributed to the political scene in the campus and local communities. As the Vice President for Action and Membership Director of the Stanford Democrats, she has volunteered for two political candidates in Palo Alto and motivates other students to get involved as well. In spring 2004, she organized a voter registration drive that registered over 100 new voters. Jen also recruits members and helps plan service projects for Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. She hopes to continue promoting democracy at the State Department or through academic research after graduation.
Aram Hur - 2007; Communication and English - Cable News Network
Aram feels that "a journalist's mission is to produce news accessible to its readers." Aram, who hails from Korea and speaks four languages, has experience tailoring her communication style to fit the needs of diverse populations. In previous summers, she has interned for the International Herald Tribune in Seoul and edited the English version of the Habitat for Humanity newsletter in Korea. From her arrival at Stanford, Aram has been involved with publications on campus. As Associate Editor of the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ), she translates academic language into copy understandable to the general student body. She is also a staff reporter for The Stanford Daily. In recognition of her talents, Aram was selected as a promising minority youth journalist by The Washington Post and participated in a workshop where she was mentored by Post reporters and conducted an individual reporting project on ethnic blogs. In the future, Aram plans to carry out more independent research at Stanford, studying the connection between anti-Americanism among South Korean youths and the differential reporting structures of Korea versus a global news network like CNN.
Jessika Lora - 2006, BS and MS Biological Sciences - US Trade Representative
Jessika grew up as a migrant farm worker, picking fruit alongside her parents, missing as much as four months of school each year. Yet she developed an inexhaustible work ethic and a passion for promoting community health. In high school, Jessika began working in an epidemiology lab to document mechanisms of pesticide exposure among farm workers. Since then, Jessika has continued to work at the intersection of science, health, and public service. She is currently a lab technician and supervisor in the Biology department and was a senior research assistant at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory last summer. Jessika is active with campus groups such as Unidas and the Stanford-Iraqi Student Exchange, as well as national organizations such as the American Public Health Association Student Assembly. She also continues to advise Jóvenes por la Salud (Youth for Health), an organization she co-founded in 1999 to educate Latino youth about the health professions. Through the Goldman Honors Program in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy, Jessika is now working on a thesis exploring the role of enforcement practices on pesticide exposure in Salinas County. She is considering an MPH/PhD or MPH/JD career path, but knows that her ultimate goal is to promote a healthy workforce through policy.
Maham Mela - 2006, Economics and International Relations - World Bank
Growing up in Pakistan, Maham saw firsthand the potential impact of international organizations, such as the World Bank, on individuals in developing countries. Since then, Maham has dedicated herself to learning more and taking action in the field of economic efficiency, especially as it affects disadvantaged populations. To that end, she is writing not one, but two honors theses: one concerns the effect of education on the productivity of women in rural Pakistan, while the other explores welfare economics in Egypt. Passionately pursuing this research, Maham has drawn from sources and experiences across the globe. She has interned with Bunyad Literacy Community Council, an NGO in Pakistan promoting social development in rural communities; the Department of Social Welfare in Pakistan; and the Pakistani-American Liaison Center in Washington, DC. To address some of the challenges that she has observed in these settings, Maham is working on establishing her own NGO in Pakistan and a counterpart at Stanford; their goal is to organize programs between NGOs and educational institutes. On campus, Maham conducts research in the School of Education, coordinates Student Initiated Courses, and is the president of Pakistanis at Stanford. She ultimately plans a career in economic and public policy at the national or international level.
Michael Nunez - 2006, Economics - Congressional Research Service - Income Support & Research Development
Recently, Mike's grandfather, a Social Security recipient, moved in with his family. While they were happily able to accommodate him, Michael couldn't help wonder what his grandfather would have done without a large, supportive family. Such nagging questions are daily fare for Michael, who hopes to become a journalist focused on economic and policy issues. He brings eclectic experience to his chosen career goal. At Stanford, Michael has gotten involved in politics by canvassing for Dem Swingers, a group that locates and registers students from swing states, and writing letters for Students Take Action Now for Darfur (STAND). He has also served as a research assistant in labs devoted to social and cognitive psychology. Currently, Michael speaks to student audiences about LGBT issues with Safe and Open Spaces at Stanford (SOSAS) and organizes social and political advocacy events for the Queer Straight Alliance. These endeavors are even more impressive in light of a visual impairment that leaves Michael nearly blind; however, as Professor Jay Bhattacharya points out, "this has not stopped him from accomplishing much at Stanford." Following his SIG fellowship, he hopes to write an honors thesis on a topic related to Social Security, Medicare, or other social insurance issues.
Maria Lizet Ocampo - 2006, Political Science; minor in Ethics in Society - National Labor Relations Board
Lizet has experience on both sides of the complex labor issues surrounding farm labor. As the daughter of farm workers and a former office employee for a large farm business, she has witnessed firsthand the effects and challenges of labor policies. Last year, Maria applied her nuanced understanding of labor issues as the coordinator of the Restaurant Workers Project at the Stanford Community Law Clinic. As the community contact with workers, she learned about unfair labor practices in Mountain View restaurants and worked to address the problems. Maria has also interned for the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), where she researched bills and lobbied Congress members. As a research assistant for Political Science Professor Luis Fraga at Stanford, Maria conducts interviews with state legislators nationwide. She has also led an Alternative Spring Break trip on educational issues in California and served as an Education and Youth Fellow at Stanford's Upward Bound summer program. Maria, who has studied abroad in Santiago and South Africa, aspires to one day be a lawyer and legislator, a career in which Professor Fraga believes she will excel: "I am fully confident in saying that she will be a major player in state and national politics within the next decade."
Jonathan Pearlstein - 2006, Science, Technology, and Society - American Public Health Association
The summer after his senior year of high school, Jonathan Pearlstein landed his first real job as a physical education instructor at some of the poorest schools in South Los Angeles. Although teaching kids to play frisbee might seem simple, Jonathan saw the complex factors - crime, pollution, diet, and the inner city basketball culture - that affected the children's fitness, illustrating that "public health is a multivariable, multifaceted system of interrelations." The question that drives Jonathan is: "why with all these variables is it always our most underserved populations that continue to get left behind?" Previously, he has explored this issue as an intern at the Center for Health and Technology at UC Davis, where he worked with satellite technology connecting doctors with rural communities. He has also been a counselor at Camp Kesem, which serves children with parents affected by cancer. Jonathan, who speaks Spanish, has studied abroad at Saint Louis University in Madrid and done community service in Costa Rica. At Stanford, he fences for the varsity team and plays in the Band. In the future, Jonathan hopes to pursue a dual MD/MPH degree and work together with doctors, patients, and policymakers to better use technology as a tool of connection and healing.
Alejandro Rivas - 2006, Human Biology - 2007, MA Sociology - Partnership for Public Service
Alex believes that there is a desperate need for young people to pursue public service as a career, because the "government needs new, effective ideas to address the issues facing society." Raised in a low-income household by immigrant parents, Alex found that the most pressing issue facing his community was social inequity based on class, race, gender, and immigration status. While studying at Stanford in Washington, Alex learned about the ways that government addresses such social problems through an internship with Rep. Hilda Solis, who represents his home district (32nd Congressional, Los Angeles). He has also studied inequity academically: As a research assistant in the Sociology department, Alex investigated whether health standards for immigrant farm workers in California were being followed. Last spring, he participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip and learned about legal issues in immigration through a service project. Alex has also served the Stanford community as a Bridge peer counselor and an ASSU Senate Associate. After college, he plans to attend law school and advocate for healthcare as a civil and human right.
Joseph Sexton - 2007, History - Congressional Research Service - Domestic Social Policy
"History reads like a blueprint for addressing today's challenges - challenges that I plan on confronting," says Joe. Joe's passion for addressing society's challenges through public service was ignited after undertaking a research project on land use policy in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, for which he investigated the complex political, economic, and environmental issues in his home state of Maryland. Since then, he has immersed himself in the political scene on campus. As treasurer and events director for the Stanford Democrats, Joe has helped plan voter registration drives and campus rallies promoting progressive issues, in addition to coordinating all fundraising for the group. He is also currently a senior staff writer for the Stanford Daily, where his articles on political events from Russo-American relations to the Iraqi constitution regularly appear on the front page. Outside the realm of politics, Joe, who has a working knowledge of Japanese and Italian, enjoys performing with the Stanford University Singers. Although he is uncertain of his particular career path, he knows that public service is part of his future.
Jonathan calls himself a "bleeding heart altruist" who believes in the power of analytically-guided government to make a positive impact in people's lives. Jonathan has personal experience with government at a grassroots level. During the summer before the 2004 presidential election, he worked for the Democratic National Committee's fundraising office in Los Angeles, where he recruited and trained a staff of 60 canvassers. Discussing politics face-to-face with the diverse residents of his native city allowed him to "read the emotional pulse behind the latest opinion polls." Immersed in the excitement of the campaign, he took a leave of absence in the fall to work as a MoveOnPAC field organizer in Palm Beach, FL. Although disappointed by the results of the election, Jonathan remains passionate about policy issues, especially in the area of education. During the school year, he tutors for College Track, which helps prepare low-income and minority students from Oakland and East Palo Alto for college. On campus, he is co-organizer of the Middle East Issues dialogue group, which facilitates weekly dinners for Jews, Muslims, and others to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After completing the Stanford Teacher Education Program, Jonathan plans to teach high school social science for a few years before moving to administration or policy-making.
Mike Gradilla - 2007, History; Economics minor - Mexican Embassy
Mike feels that "everyone has a right to attain a decent standard of living, wherever in the world they may be." As a first-generation American, Mike has developed a sense of responsibility and desire to extend opportunities to underserved communities. Previously, he worked for Neighborhood Legal Services in Los Angeles, where he helped provide legal services to the county's poorest residents, many of whom are recent immigrants facing the same trials his parents experienced upon arriving in the US. The organization honored him with a certificate of appreciation for groundbreaking work as a summer law clerk. Mike also made a foray into the world of business by participating in a selective seminar on investment banking in New York City as a Credit Suisse First Boston Explorer. At Stanford, he researches the financial history of nineteenth-century Latin America for a Political Science professor and is an associate executive board member of the Stanford Pre-Law Society. Mike plans to attend law school and pursue a career at the junction of business, law, and public service.
Jennifer Haskell - 2007; Political Science - The Carter Center
In the wake of the Iraq War, Jennifer believes that "democracy has become the defining foreign policy issue of my generation." Watching the challenges of building a new Iraqi government piqued Jen's interest, and since then she has dedicated herself to learning more about democracy and comparative politics. At Stanford, she conducts research on developmental aid policies for Political Science Professor Stephen Krasner and organizes speaker events for the Society for International Affairs. Recently, a paper that she wrote on dominant party autocracy in Malaysia was published in the Stanford Journal of International Relations. Jen has also contributed to the political scene in the campus and local communities. As the Vice President for Action and Membership Director of the Stanford Democrats, she has volunteered for two political candidates in Palo Alto and motivates other students to get involved as well. In spring 2004, she organized a voter registration drive that registered over 100 new voters. Jen also recruits members and helps plan service projects for Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. She hopes to continue promoting democracy at the State Department or through academic research after graduation.
Aram Hur - 2007; Communication and English - Cable News Network
Aram feels that "a journalist's mission is to produce news accessible to its readers." Aram, who hails from Korea and speaks four languages, has experience tailoring her communication style to fit the needs of diverse populations. In previous summers, she has interned for the International Herald Tribune in Seoul and edited the English version of the Habitat for Humanity newsletter in Korea. From her arrival at Stanford, Aram has been involved with publications on campus. As Associate Editor of the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ), she translates academic language into copy understandable to the general student body. She is also a staff reporter for The Stanford Daily. In recognition of her talents, Aram was selected as a promising minority youth journalist by The Washington Post and participated in a workshop where she was mentored by Post reporters and conducted an individual reporting project on ethnic blogs. In the future, Aram plans to carry out more independent research at Stanford, studying the connection between anti-Americanism among South Korean youths and the differential reporting structures of Korea versus a global news network like CNN.
Jessika Lora - 2006, BS and MS Biological Sciences - US Trade Representative
Jessika grew up as a migrant farm worker, picking fruit alongside her parents, missing as much as four months of school each year. Yet she developed an inexhaustible work ethic and a passion for promoting community health. In high school, Jessika began working in an epidemiology lab to document mechanisms of pesticide exposure among farm workers. Since then, Jessika has continued to work at the intersection of science, health, and public service. She is currently a lab technician and supervisor in the Biology department and was a senior research assistant at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory last summer. Jessika is active with campus groups such as Unidas and the Stanford-Iraqi Student Exchange, as well as national organizations such as the American Public Health Association Student Assembly. She also continues to advise Jóvenes por la Salud (Youth for Health), an organization she co-founded in 1999 to educate Latino youth about the health professions. Through the Goldman Honors Program in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy, Jessika is now working on a thesis exploring the role of enforcement practices on pesticide exposure in Salinas County. She is considering an MPH/PhD or MPH/JD career path, but knows that her ultimate goal is to promote a healthy workforce through policy.
Maham Mela - 2006, Economics and International Relations - World Bank
Growing up in Pakistan, Maham saw firsthand the potential impact of international organizations, such as the World Bank, on individuals in developing countries. Since then, Maham has dedicated herself to learning more and taking action in the field of economic efficiency, especially as it affects disadvantaged populations. To that end, she is writing not one, but two honors theses: one concerns the effect of education on the productivity of women in rural Pakistan, while the other explores welfare economics in Egypt. Passionately pursuing this research, Maham has drawn from sources and experiences across the globe. She has interned with Bunyad Literacy Community Council, an NGO in Pakistan promoting social development in rural communities; the Department of Social Welfare in Pakistan; and the Pakistani-American Liaison Center in Washington, DC. To address some of the challenges that she has observed in these settings, Maham is working on establishing her own NGO in Pakistan and a counterpart at Stanford; their goal is to organize programs between NGOs and educational institutes. On campus, Maham conducts research in the School of Education, coordinates Student Initiated Courses, and is the president of Pakistanis at Stanford. She ultimately plans a career in economic and public policy at the national or international level.
Michael Nunez - 2006, Economics - Congressional Research Service - Income Support & Research Development
Recently, Mike's grandfather, a Social Security recipient, moved in with his family. While they were happily able to accommodate him, Michael couldn't help wonder what his grandfather would have done without a large, supportive family. Such nagging questions are daily fare for Michael, who hopes to become a journalist focused on economic and policy issues. He brings eclectic experience to his chosen career goal. At Stanford, Michael has gotten involved in politics by canvassing for Dem Swingers, a group that locates and registers students from swing states, and writing letters for Students Take Action Now for Darfur (STAND). He has also served as a research assistant in labs devoted to social and cognitive psychology. Currently, Michael speaks to student audiences about LGBT issues with Safe and Open Spaces at Stanford (SOSAS) and organizes social and political advocacy events for the Queer Straight Alliance. These endeavors are even more impressive in light of a visual impairment that leaves Michael nearly blind; however, as Professor Jay Bhattacharya points out, "this has not stopped him from accomplishing much at Stanford." Following his SIG fellowship, he hopes to write an honors thesis on a topic related to Social Security, Medicare, or other social insurance issues.
Maria Lizet Ocampo - 2006, Political Science; minor in Ethics in Society - National Labor Relations Board
Lizet has experience on both sides of the complex labor issues surrounding farm labor. As the daughter of farm workers and a former office employee for a large farm business, she has witnessed firsthand the effects and challenges of labor policies. Last year, Maria applied her nuanced understanding of labor issues as the coordinator of the Restaurant Workers Project at the Stanford Community Law Clinic. As the community contact with workers, she learned about unfair labor practices in Mountain View restaurants and worked to address the problems. Maria has also interned for the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), where she researched bills and lobbied Congress members. As a research assistant for Political Science Professor Luis Fraga at Stanford, Maria conducts interviews with state legislators nationwide. She has also led an Alternative Spring Break trip on educational issues in California and served as an Education and Youth Fellow at Stanford's Upward Bound summer program. Maria, who has studied abroad in Santiago and South Africa, aspires to one day be a lawyer and legislator, a career in which Professor Fraga believes she will excel: "I am fully confident in saying that she will be a major player in state and national politics within the next decade."
Jonathan Pearlstein - 2006, Science, Technology, and Society - American Public Health Association
The summer after his senior year of high school, Jonathan Pearlstein landed his first real job as a physical education instructor at some of the poorest schools in South Los Angeles. Although teaching kids to play frisbee might seem simple, Jonathan saw the complex factors - crime, pollution, diet, and the inner city basketball culture - that affected the children's fitness, illustrating that "public health is a multivariable, multifaceted system of interrelations." The question that drives Jonathan is: "why with all these variables is it always our most underserved populations that continue to get left behind?" Previously, he has explored this issue as an intern at the Center for Health and Technology at UC Davis, where he worked with satellite technology connecting doctors with rural communities. He has also been a counselor at Camp Kesem, which serves children with parents affected by cancer. Jonathan, who speaks Spanish, has studied abroad at Saint Louis University in Madrid and done community service in Costa Rica. At Stanford, he fences for the varsity team and plays in the Band. In the future, Jonathan hopes to pursue a dual MD/MPH degree and work together with doctors, patients, and policymakers to better use technology as a tool of connection and healing.
Alejandro Rivas - 2006, Human Biology - 2007, MA Sociology - Partnership for Public Service
Alex believes that there is a desperate need for young people to pursue public service as a career, because the "government needs new, effective ideas to address the issues facing society." Raised in a low-income household by immigrant parents, Alex found that the most pressing issue facing his community was social inequity based on class, race, gender, and immigration status. While studying at Stanford in Washington, Alex learned about the ways that government addresses such social problems through an internship with Rep. Hilda Solis, who represents his home district (32nd Congressional, Los Angeles). He has also studied inequity academically: As a research assistant in the Sociology department, Alex investigated whether health standards for immigrant farm workers in California were being followed. Last spring, he participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip and learned about legal issues in immigration through a service project. Alex has also served the Stanford community as a Bridge peer counselor and an ASSU Senate Associate. After college, he plans to attend law school and advocate for healthcare as a civil and human right.
Joseph Sexton - 2007, History - Congressional Research Service - Domestic Social Policy
"History reads like a blueprint for addressing today's challenges - challenges that I plan on confronting," says Joe. Joe's passion for addressing society's challenges through public service was ignited after undertaking a research project on land use policy in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, for which he investigated the complex political, economic, and environmental issues in his home state of Maryland. Since then, he has immersed himself in the political scene on campus. As treasurer and events director for the Stanford Democrats, Joe has helped plan voter registration drives and campus rallies promoting progressive issues, in addition to coordinating all fundraising for the group. He is also currently a senior staff writer for the Stanford Daily, where his articles on political events from Russo-American relations to the Iraqi constitution regularly appear on the front page. Outside the realm of politics, Joe, who has a working knowledge of Japanese and Italian, enjoys performing with the Stanford University Singers. Although he is uncertain of his particular career path, he knows that public service is part of his future.