Cardinal Commitment
What’s your passion? Is there an issue or an organization that really speaks to you?
You can make and sustain a significant service commitment as part of your Stanford experience.
What is a Cardinal Commitment?
Cardinal Commitment is a program that supports and recognizes students’ sustained public service of three or more quarters to a community, organization, or issue.
The program offers advising, funding, connection to the community, training, and opportunities to reflect—all you need to improve your sustained public service.
Join a community with purpose
You may already be part of a student organization or volunteering with a community partner – go you! Now might be a good time to make a long-term commitment. Pledge to stick with it for three quarters or more by declaring your Cardinal Commitment.
Declare your Commitment
Not already working with a student org or community partner? There are over a hundred student organizations doing service work at Stanford. Get started by browsing the opportunities on this website. Use the filters to find opportunities in areas you’re interested in.
Browse opportunities
The program has three different types of Cardinal Commitment to better match your public service goals: Engagement, Leadership, and Impact.
Learn more
How to Make a Cardinal Commitment
There are three steps to making a Cardinal Commitment:
- Declare your Commitment.
Create a personal mission statement that guides your work. Incorporate your public service goals and outcomes into your mission statement. Use this mission statement to officially “Declare” your Cardinal Commitment, which starts the process. - Engage in service work.
Work with your community or issue for at least three quarters, while continually reflecting on your mission statement. Use the Principles of Ethical and Effective Service to guide you, contact us when you need support. - Certify completion.
After at least three quarters, you can conclude your Cardinal Commitment by Certifying. You will be allowed to certify at the end of your Commitment, where you will provide a concise reflection on your experiences.
When did you declare your Cardinal Commitment?
• On or before December 31, 2020: Certify here
• After January 1, 2021: You will certify your completion in SOLO where you made your Commitment. You will receive an invitation to return to your Commitment record in SOLO to certify. Your first invitation will be sent three quarters after you declared and every quarter thereafter until you certify.
Mission Statements
When declaring your Cardinal Commitment, you'll describe your goals or commitments in a mission statement of 100 words or less. Here are some examples:
I am committed to providing health care in underserved areas as a means of making the world a better, more equitable place and inspiring others to do the same.
- Shannon Richardson, '20
I am committed to proliferating the spirit of public service across my dorm community and encouraging others in my dorm to seek out their own public service opportunities.
- Oluremi Akindele, '21
I am committed to providing educational mentorship to help younger students uncover unrealized opportunities.
- Jacob Pressman, '20
Featured Commitment Organizations
Advising
Need more information? Get started by meeting with Cardinal Commitment program staff to discuss your public service interests, get advice on finding an organization to work with, and learn about declaring and certifying a Cardinal Commitment.
E-mail cardinalcommitment@stanford.edu to set up an advising appointment.
Resources
Resources for students pursuing a Cardinal Commitment and Cardinal Commitment partner organizations are provided through the Haas Center for Public Service.