Meet Our Peer Advisors for
2011-2012

Why I'm majoring in Sociology: 

Apart from being a means of exploring almost every imaginable aspect of society, Sociology is an immensely flexible field.  As a student with an academic and emotional interest in animal rights (which isn’t a traditional or mainstream interest) that flexibility is very important to me.

What I like best about Sociology:

The skills obtained from all the critical analysis and writing, especially if you’re engaged in a thesis, are very valuable.

Favorite class / professor (and why):

One of my favorite classes was Education and Society (with Francisco Ramirez).  It made me reconsider the value of my own education and the complexities of the education system.

Career goal / Future plans:

I’m still exploring, but both law school and the non-profit arena are possibilities.

Other academic interests (majors, minors):Ethics in society minor

Extracurriculars:

I’m currently an intern serving on the board of directors for the Palo Alto Humane Society

Why I'm majoring in Sociology: 

I chose to major in Sociology because I knew that I wanted to study something that could be applied across different fields and that related to some of the current issues in society that I am most passionate about, which are youth in low-income communities and the access to higher education for traditionally marginalized groups.

What I like best about Sociology:

The field of Sociology and the courses I have taken thus far at Stanford, have helped to explain many of the unanswered questions I had growing up about what caused so many inequalities among different groups in a community, and how those differences continue to sustain themselves over time.

Favorite class / professor (and why):

One of the best classes I have taken at Stanford was “The Changing American Family” (with Michael Rosenfeld). The course covered a variety of different readings, and while I did not agree with all of them, they each brought up a different perspective on current issues about marriage, divorce rates, etc. that I was not aware of before.

Favorite book (and why):

Rain of Gold by Victor Villaseñor. Growing up, I was constantly frustrated with the fact that the public libraries in my neighborhood never had any good young adult novels by Latino authors. I finally came across this book in high school and fell in love with the love story of the two main characters and their experiences in coming to the United States.

Career goal / Future plans:

I plan to obtain a Master’s in Education. After that, I would like to work for a non-profit organization that does similar work to what I do now with my sorority, helping young Latinas gain access to resources and opportunities that will develop their leadership skills and increasing the college attendance rate for them as well.

Other academic interests (majors, minors): Minor in Education

Extracurriculars:

Member of Ballet Foklórico de Stanford;

Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. (President, Academic Chair and Community Service Chair);

Volunteer for Project Motivation

Something else you should know about me:

I love to dance!

Why I'm majoring in Sociology:

I am interested in studying societal forces and how they influence people's behaviors. I think that too often we only consider individual-level decisions and sociology helps us better understand society on all levels.

What I like best about Sociology:

I like that it is a small major and that students get a lot of personalized attention and support on projects

Favorite class / professor (and why):

Sociology of Gender with Professor Correll- I think this class should be required for all college students. It explains a lot about gender disparity in various fields and provides empirical support. This class proves that feminism shouldn't be a divisive topic but rather a cause for which everyone should fight.

Career goal / Future plans:

I want to go into something involving writing and food. I would also like to do something for the community, perhaps involving providing accessible food to under-serviced communities.

Other academic interests (majors, minors):

Italian minor

Extracurriculars:
I enjoy cooking, reading, traveling, studying Italian culture and language, and writing. I write food reviews for the Stanford Daily's Intermisison section.