Programs

Our programming serves to bring together our students and the larger campus community as well as provide space for intellectual engagement, community, and wellbeing. We focus on the holistic development of our students into young leaders and scholars. Our passionate students always bring fresh ideas and work tirelessly to make our programming a success.

Our programs are centered around our five core pillars as listed below:

Academic / Intellectual

We are fortunate at Stanford to have so many bright and talented faculty, students, staff, and alumni in our community. The Black Community Services Center is a place for students to delve into their passions and broaden their world view. Our programs foster engaging discussion as well as collaborative peer learning. We acknowledge that much of our students' learning happens outside of the classroom whether informally with each other or other members of our community. We are thankful to be a place where this kind of intellectual engagement thrives.

Our students are always working on ways to enhance and continue our initiatives. The following are just some of the programs dedicated to students intellectual development:

The Ernest Houston Johnson Scholars program (EHJS) which creates avenues for black freshmen to develop mentorships relationships with upperclassmen and faculty
Intellectual roundtables which invite guest speakers to the Black Community Services Center for intimate discussions with students
Our annual Academic and Community Awards as well as our Black Grad Ceremony highlight the achievements of our students and showcase the excellence in our community

Alumni Engagement

The black community at Stanford extends far beyond those who are currently on campus. Our alumni are essential members of our community and it remains true that the Black Community Services Center is the gathering place and heart of our community. Our programs create avenues for alumni to develop mentorship relationships with current students, connect with fellow alumni across the years, and to maintain their own connection to Stanford.

We are fortunate to have a great working relationship with the Stanford National Black Alumni Association (SNBAA) to continue to bring creative ways for alumni engagement. Some of the ways alumni connect with current students include:

Workshops with alumni including our Sidney Dillard Financial Savviness Series which aims to increase financial literacy and teach students important financial management skills
Alumni mixers where current students can develop mentorship relationships and seek career advice
Reunion Homecoming activities include our Black Alumni Tailgate and Old School After Party, open to all members of the community

Community Building

One of our strongest assets at the Black Community Services Center is our amazing community. As the heart of the community, we provide opportunities for us all to come together, relax, and let our hair down. We explore new and creative ways to build our community each quarter. We aim to make this center an inclusive place for everyone whether it's their first time stopping by or they're a regular.

Community is key here at the Black Community Services Center. It is impossible to list all the countless ways we come together but here's a snapshot of our programming:

Movie screenings such as a special pre-screening of The Photograph, starring our very own alum Issa Rae
Art showcases to highlight the various talents of our community
Our annual Diaspora Block Party at the beginning of the year with food trucks, games, and music

Leadership Development

Our students go on to become major leaders in countless fields. The Black Community Services Center develops their leadership skills and prepares them for life after Stanford. We also support more than twenty black volunteer student organizations (BVSOs) on campus and provide guidance to their executive teams and membership to help them reach their organization's goals.

We view leadership development as essential to our role and responsibility to the Stanford black community. Some of the ways it's fostered include:

Quarterly strategy meetings with BVSO leadership
Assisting BVSOs with their annual large-scale events such as the Black Student Union's High School Conference
Developing the strengths and talents of our student staff members

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Between juggling classes, extracurriculars, jobs, and more, students can become very stressed and even burned out. We work to ensure our students are taking care of themselves and each other first and foremost. We promote a culture of health, including physical, emotional, and spiritual health, at the Black Community Services Center and actively assist students in finding balance.

Some of our favorite ways to let students take a break from their responsibilities include: