Graduate Student Partners in Escondido Village

The days are gone when graduate students were mainly male and if they did have families their wives probably weren't career-minded. As the graduate community becomes more diverse, many talented couples have a tougher and tougher time combining their diverse academic, career and personal goals into one family. Often couples consider themselves lucky if they get to live on the same continent.

Moving to Stanford for the sake of your loved one's studies is a courageous and self-giving act, which often goes uncredited in a world whose expectation is that you should "look after number one". Many newcomers will be applying for jobs in the Bay Area and face completely different challenges from the high-profile round of courses, assignments and term-papers. These pages are designed to be a useful first-port-of-call for such couples, to connect you with the places where help is at hand.

There is a separate page for J2-visa holders who might be applying for work permits at the moment.

Use of Stanford Facilities - Courtesy Cards

Partners can use all Stanford's sporting, library and cultural facilities - from Olympic swimming pools to internationally renowned speakers - with a Stanford Courtesy Card. You get this from the Stanford Card Office at Tresidder Union - to apply you need a copy of the application form available at the website above, your (the spouse's) passport or identification, the Stanford student's ID card, proof of occupancy at the same address (such as a lease or a joint bank account or utility bill addressed to both) and a $20 fee.

Stanford Athletics Tickets

Partners with a Stanford Courtesy Card are also eligible for discounted tickets to attend Stanford Athletics events. The All-Axess Pass (good to get you into any athletic event on campus, including basketball and football games), is offered to partners at a discounted rate.

The Bechtel Center

Stanford's International Center provides many activities and services for Stanford partners and families, from cultural events to free English classes. They will also help J-2 visa holders with the process of applying for a Work Permit. A good place to start is the page for Spouses, Partners and Families. Whether you're looking for a job, learning English or thinking of applying to colleges and universities yourself, there should be something here to offer.

The Career Development Center

The CDC is open to you, as are many of its services. You can find out about local employers and general career guidance, where to post your resume, careers events, etc. Some on-line services require a SUnetid to sign up.

Partners can also get a free interview with a careers advisor. The only thing you can't do is apply via the Cardinal Recruitment program - but I found that this catered more for those considering where in the states to start a career in a year's time, rather than where to get a job near Stanford as soon as possible.

Plea for Feedback

This page is thus far very incomplete - it is based mainly on one or two people's experiences with a few comments from other folk.

If it hasn't helped you, then please email the webmaster to say why not, and what information we should have had, so that we can be sure to help someone in your place in the future.

We are hoping to gradually collect information and experiences from you, the graduate community, about which local resources have been particularly useful, which companies have been friendly to applications from foreigners, and so on. With more information like this - a good contact here, a success story there - the non-student residents can begin to feel less like isolated individuals marking time but an active and dynamic group with a lot to contribute living and working throughout the Bay Area.

Last modified Sun, 19 Sep, 2010 at 12:31