2015 Orientation Coordinators
Orientation Coordinators (OCs) are the Stanford student staff in Undergraduate Advising and Research who serve on the Approaching Stanford team. We are dedicating our summer to help incoming students prepare for Stanford and to plan New Student Orientation (NSO). Get to know our team this year by watching our OC Team 2015 intro video!
Jackie Choucair, '17
Role: Approaching Stanford Coordinator
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Major: Management Science and Engineering (MS&E)
Favorite escape on campus: The Business School (GSB)
Best Freshman Class: Self Theories with world-renowed Professor Carol Dweck (intro-seminar)
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Spontaneous adventures on weekends outside of the Stanford bubble
Patrick Crowley, '18
Role: Logistics Coordinator
Hometown: Bakersfield, CA
Major: Undeclared
Favorite escape on campus: Roble Field on sunny afternoons
Best Freshman Class: History 1B
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Attending Big Game at Cal
Alex Enrique, '18
Role: Major Events Coordinator
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Major: Public Policy
Favorite escape on campus: Coupa Cafe in the Engineering Quad
Best Freshman Class: Intro to Anthropology
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Going to San Francisco with my friends!
Rosie La Puma, '17
Role: Communities Coordinator and Videographer
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Major: International Relations
Favorite escape on campus: Whisper Circle next to Memorial Church
Best Freshman Class: English 65N: Contemporary Female Fiction Authors with Elizabeth Tallent (ditto on the introsems)
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Playing with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra in Bing
Selby Sturzenegger, '18
Role: Volunteer Coordinator
Hometown: Hillsborough, CA
Major: Undeclared
Favorite escape on campus: Lake Lag at sunrise or sunset
Best Freshman Class: The Most Rational People in the World with James Holland Jones (Intro Sems are the best)
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Traveling to UCLA vs. Stanford football game with Axe Committee
Nico Lozano-Landinez, '18
Role: Communities Coordinator and Videographer
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Major: Mechanical Engineering / Computer Science
Favorite escape on campus: The steps coming out of Green library looking towards the main quad
Best Freshman Class: ENGR40M - An Intro to Making: What is Electrical Engineering?
Most Fun Freshman Year Experience: Ski trip
Dean of Freshmen
Rob Urstein
Rob Urstein was appointed Stanford’s Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Dean of Freshmen, and Director of Undergraduate Advising and Research (UAR) in 2012. As a part of the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Rob works with a committed team of caring professionals to welcome, connect, and support all Stanford students so they can get the most out of their educations. UAR is broadly responsible for the transition of new students to Stanford; academic advising; undergraduate research opportunities; and academic policy and progress.
Rob has more than twenty years of professional experience teaching, advising, and coaching high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students. Prior to his appointment in 2012, Rob spent eight years as Assistant Dean at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he still teaches first year MBA students, and ten years teaching and coaching in an independent high school. In 2000-01 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Oslo, Norway. Rob earned his undergraduate degree in History and Literature, and his MA and PhD in American Studies. He has been at Stanford since 2004.
New and Continuing Student Programs Team
DeVonna Jessie
DeVonna S. Jessie is the Program Coordinator supporting both Approaching Stanford and New Student Orientation. She has worked in Undergraduate Advising and Research at Stanford for the past seven years. In 2013, DeVonna earned her Master’s degree in Education Counseling & Student Personnel at San Jose State University and her Bachelor’s degree in 2009 from the University of Phoenix where she studied Psychology. Her passion is to help at-risk minority youth turn their lives around because they deserve the opportunity to succeed in life. Away from Stanford, DeVonna likes to spend time with her loved ones and travel to places she's never been.
Sarah McShea
Sarah S. McShea is the Program Manager for Approaching Stanford. Sarah is responsible for communications to the incoming freshmen class and new transfers including the publication of the Approaching Stanford Handbook, managing the Approaching Stanford website, email newsletters and our social media platform, Stanford InYourClass. She is passionate about supporting students in their transition to Stanford and in making sure students from all backgrounds feel included and at home. Sarah has worked in the field of Education since 2005 and has worked at Stanford in student services and program management since 2009. Sarah earned her Bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkeley in Sociology and her Master’s degree from San Francisco State University in Education with a concentration in equity and social justice.
Anna Stone
Anna Stone, Assistant Director of New Student Programs, is responsible for developing and executing New Student Orientation and supervising the student OCs. Throughout the academic year Anna advises the Frosh Council, the leadership group of the freshman class made up of elected representatives from each freshman residence. Frosh Council plans quarterly events and activities, builds class community and identity, and communicates information throughout the freshman class. She also serves as a Pre-Major Advisor for freshman and sophomore students. Anna completed her Bachelor’s degree in Geography at UCLA, then continued on to the Stanford Graduate School of Education and earned a Master’s degree in Education, focusing her coursework on higher education and student affairs. Away from The Farm, Anna is usually down the road at another farm, riding and taking care of her two horses.
Edith Wu-Nguyen
Edith Wu-Nguyen is an Associate Dean in Undergraduate Advising and Research where she oversees the preparation and welcome of new freshmen and transfers to Stanford through the Approaching Stanford process and New Student Orientation. She is also the Resident Fellow (RF) for the Oak Creek Apartments, where she has supported students for the past six years in this off-campus residence for upperclass students. Edith earned her Master’s degree in 2003 from the Harvard School of Public Health and her Bachelor’s degree in 1999 from Stanford where she studied Human Biology and Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Prior to returning to Stanford in 2006, she worked in community development programs in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
