Student spotlight: Chloe Stoddard

Chloe Stoddard graduated this year with a degree in international relations and a minor in human rights.

As an international relations major, she wrote an honors thesis examining the use of sexual and gender-based violence during the Spanish Civil War and the Franco dictatorship, and the pathways to justice for impacted individuals and communities. Her capstone thesis for her minor in human rights focused on “Understanding State-Sanctioned Discrimination and Violence Against the LBGTQ+ Community in the Global North.”

During her time at Stanford, she was involved in several organizations dedicated to advancing gender equity. She co-founded Stanford Women in Law, the Stanford Women’s March, and the Student Advisory Board on Sexual Violence Prevention and Response. She also chaired the Survivor Support Services and Restorative Justice subcommittees, advocating for enhanced support services for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC survivors. In addition, she served as ASSU co-director of Community Responsibility and as a Cardinal Service peer advisor.

“There are so many human rights-centered activities I took part in that have shaped who I am now and the goals I hope to achieve in the future,” she said. “All of these roles were used to advance gender justice on campus and beyond.”

In recognition of her exceptional contributions to undergraduate education and the quality of student life at Stanford, Chloe was awarded the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education. She was commended for “her dedication to multi-faceted and interwoven approaches to activism, resulting in changes to sexual harassment and assault education curriculum and more comprehensive sexual violence response training for residential staff members.”

Chloe strongly encourages other Stanford students to study human rights. “You will not regret it. No matter what field you plan to go into, a foundational understanding of human rights will make you a more ethical professional,” she shared. “Also, find your people in the human rights community. The human rights community at Stanford is made up of some of the most welcoming, intelligent, and empathetic people I have ever met. Cherish them and build relationships with them while you enjoy your four years at Stanford.”

Chloe was awarded a 2021 John Gardner Public Service Fellowship, which is given to six graduating seniors for a ten-month public service placement under the mentorship of a senior figure in a government or non-profit agency. Through the fellowship, she will begin her career in intersectional gender justice policy and advocacy. Congratulations Chloe!

Please join us in congratulating the class of 2020! As the academic year draws to a close, we are highlighting students graduating from across our 14 programs. Click here to view more student spotlights.