Andrea Naomi Leiderman Fellowship (2025)
The Andrea Naomi Leiderman Fellowship, a Cardinal Quarter opportunity, supports undergraduate students conducting research related to low-income youth in California. The fellowship provides a base stipend of $7,00 for nine consecutive weeks of full-time service/research. Additional financial aid is available to students who qualify, as determined by the Financial Aid Office.
Leiderman Fellows contribute to ongoing research projects led by Stanford faculty as part of the research-practice partnership between the Graduate School of Education, the San Francisco Unified School District and Sequoia Union High School District. The Stanford-SFUSD and Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Research Practice Partnership unite research and practice to shape educational practices and policies that maximize educational experiences for all students. The Partnership matches researchers from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education with district leaders to solve key problems of practice. Together, they create research projects that directly inform the school district’s work to transform teaching and learning for San Francisco and/or Sequoia students.
There are over 30 ongoing research projects, including:
- Analyzing data on homeless students in San Francisco
- Revising tools used to assess English learner instruction
- Researching information on key policies related to college and career readiness
Prior to the interview process we will share the potential partnerships. You’ll be working with some of the best research teams and school district leaders from across the nation on pressing topics in education.
Eligibility:
For complete eligibility requirements, please review our program policies in its entirety.
Applicants must be:
- enrolled at Stanford for the winter and spring quarters of this academic year (2024-25);
- be in good academic standing and not on suspension; and
- currently enrolled as a sophomore, or junior (from all academic disciplines), or a senior who will be returning for a co-term program during the following academic year
Graduating seniors are only eligible for Round 2 opportunities if funding is available after the February deadline, and the Round 2 deadline may be in early April. Students who have begun their coterm programs are not eligible to apply. Priority will be given to students who have completed fewer than two previous Cardinal Quarter opportunities.
Requirements:
Selected Andrea Naomi Leiderman are expected to begin service no later than July 7, 2025. All fellows are required to work with their community partners at least 35 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks at their placements. Fellows are encouraged to work on-site with their host organization but may do hybrid work, and have a designated full-time professional staff member on-site as their supervisor/mentor. Please review the complete program policies for additional requirements. Other commitments include the following:
Spring Quarter
- Complete and online program orientation
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service in-person workshop or worksheet.
- Identify and meet with an on-campus mentor at least once.
- Design a personal learning plan and share the learning plan with the site supervisor and on-campus mentor.
- Complete all required pre-orientation forms.
Summer Quarter
- Submit a brief preliminary report
- Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.
Fall Quarter
- Meet with on-campus mentor at least once
- For project-based fellows, apply to present at the Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Public Service (SURPS)
- Participate in outreach activities to share the experience and help publicize the program
Selection Process:
For those who seek assistance, advising is available through the Haas Center to help students develop their applications. Please reach out to a Cardinal Quarter Peer Advisor or email cardinalquarter@stanford.edu for an advising appointment with program staff. Or reach out to Paitra Houts, Director of Community Engaged Learning - Education (paitra@stanford.edu) to learn more about the fellowship.
Students are strongly encouraged to discuss ideas for placements with program staff well before the application deadline to identify appropriate/relevant opportunities and prepare effective application materials. Developing a suitable fellowship placement takes time, so it is important to start the application process early and consult with professors, advisors, and community partners regularly.
This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application, references, and interview demonstrate
- an integration of the fellowship experience with the applicant’s academic, personal and/or career goals
- prior demonstrated interest or involvement in the subject area, including related coursework
- a compelling match between applicant’s skills and interests and an organization’s work and needs
- strong potential for the fellowship experience to deepen a candidate’s understanding of an identified community issue or challenge
- Applicants whose application demonstrates a structural understanding of social and racial inequalities as they are reproduced through schooling, will be privileged.
Complete applications are screened, finalists interviewed, and fellows selected by a committee with the intention to award fellowships within six weeks of the application deadline. Applicants must respond promptly (within 48 hours) via email to a fellowship offer, or the offer will be rescinded. Once an applicant accepts a fellowship offer, the student should promptly notify all other Stanford and non-Stanford programs to which they have applied that they have accepted another offer and to withdraw their candidacy.
