Stanford Haas Center 20th Anniversary Alumni Survey
1. Stanford Haas Center
20th Anniversary Alumni Survey
Preliminary Executive Summary
Report authors:
Katie Stokes-Guinan
’00 (Human Biology; ’08, MA, Education)
Rebecca London
Director, Research and Evaluation
The John Gardner Center for
Youth and Their Communities
Haas Center for Public Service
Stanford University
March 2008
2. 2
Stanford Haas Center 20th
Anniversary Alumni Survey
Preliminary Executive Summary
A note about contributors:
Since the survey was first conceptualized in 2004, a number of Haas Center staff members and alumni
have played a role in developing the survey, collecting data, and analyzing it to get it to the point it is
today. This report would not have been possible without the work and ideas of: Suzanne Abel, Associate
Director for External Relations and Jackie Schmidt-Posner, Haas Center Interim Managing Director, who
steered the project from its inception; and Thomas Carlson, Charisse Domingo, Megan Swezey Fogarty,
Greg Freed, Elise Miller, Julia Nelson, Damali Robertson, Lara Siu, Nicole Taylor, and Julie Wilson.
Haas Center for Public Service
Stanford University
March 2008
3. 3
Background on the Stanford Haas Center 20th
Anniversary Alumni Survey
In preparation for the Haas Center's 20th anniversary in 2004-05, the Haas Center embarked on a
major effort to research and record the names and program involvement of all Stanford Haas
alumni. After completing extensive historical research to “reconstitute” our alumni population
and creating a student involvement database for future tracking, we found ourselves wanting to
learn more: who were our alumni and what difference had the Haas Center made in inspiring
them to a lifelong commitment to public service? Out of this, the Alumni Survey was born.
The project’s goal was to better understand how Stanford students’ public service experiences
influence their lives after graduation. An online survey was sent to 7,198 alumni in April 2006.
A total of 1,565 alumni responded, of whom 1,432 (21.8 percent) completed the entire survey.
For this report, we analyzed data from the 1,421 alumni who graduated since 1985, when the
Haas Center opened. The survey contained 25 questions in the following categories: basic
demographics, public service activities as a Stanford student, career and education choices since
Stanford, postgraduate public service involvement, and impact of public service involvement on
values and choices. The following report reinforces the importance of ongoing campus efforts to
engage undergraduates in public service and provides new impetus and focus to the Haas
Center's emerging postgraduate and alumni program.
Executive Summary
The majority of survey respondents reported having participated in multiple types of service
activities during their time at Stanford. The survey explored the motivations and obstacles that
alumni experienced in getting involved in service both during their time at Stanford and in their
post-graduation lives. Not surprisingly, alumni reported facing more obstacles to getting
involved in service post-graduation, particularly due to work and family demands. However, the
data indicate that the time alumni spent engaged in service at Stanford helped them to think
critically about their motivations for involvement and the ways they choose to continue in their
adult lives.
The results from the Alumni Survey indicate that participation in public service while at Stanford
is related to a number of positive outcomes for Haas alumni. Employed survey respondents were
almost evenly split among the non-profit, public, and private sectors. Notably, Haas alumni were
much more likely than the general public to be employed in the non-profit or public sectors and
much less likely to be employed in the private sector.
Respondents also reported that participating in service at Stanford had positive effects on their
adult lives, in terms of factors such as their commitment to social change, knowledge of issues,
civic engagement, career path, educational choices, and leadership ability. However, results
varied based on the types of service in which Stanford Haas alumni participated. Specifically,
service activities that required more intense involvement and higher levels of interaction with
Haas staff led to higher scores on an index of public service effects. Holding a leadership role
was also seen to enhance the impact of the service experience.
4. 4
Haas Center Alumni Characteristics
As is shown in Table 1, the majority of alumni who responded to the survey were female
(69.1%). Respondents were ethnically diverse, with 47.6% of respondents indicating they were
White, 20.9% reporting they were Asian or Pacific Islander, 10.2% Latino, and 7.5%
Black/African American. Nearly 7% of respondents reported being multiethnic.1
Although the
sample included alumni who had been active in the Haas Center since its founding, there is
heavy representation among respondents who are more recent graduates. In all, 0.2% of
respondents had not yet graduated, 6.2% graduated between 2005 and 2006, 35.3% graduated
between 2000 and 2004, 27.0% graduated between 1995 and 1999, 22.0% graduated between
1990 and 1994, and 9.1% graduated between 1985 and 1989.
Alumni Service Activities
Alumni participated in a wide variety of service activities during their time at Stanford. Table 2
reports the types of activities in which respondents participated. The most common activities
included participation in student organizations – such as Stanford in Government, Alternative
Spring Break, United Students for Veterans Health, and Society of Black Engineers and
Scientists (59.7%) – and Haas Center community programs – such as EPASA, Upward Bound,
YCMAD, Ravenswood Reads, Science in Service, peer advising, and student staff (53.3%).
Fewer respondents participated in the more intensive service activities, including 22.4% who had
a fellowship or internship, 19.0% who participated in a service-learning course, 12.9% who
participated in community service work study, and 11.3% who conducted research for
community benefit. Very few respondents had taken part in Stanford in Washington (less than
1%), a program in which students take courses and intern for one quarter in a government or
community organization in Washington, D.C. In addition to their Haas service activities,
students also participated in other Stanford service activities (0.9%), and a substantial percentage
participated in service outside of Stanford (26.0%).
The majority of Haas alumni reported engaging in more than one type of service during their
years at Stanford, and this was particularly the case for more recent graduates. This is likely
related to the increasing number of service activities that have become available to students in
more recent years. As is shown in Figure 1, 36.8% of respondents reported engaging in just one
type of service, 32.8% reported engaging in two types of service, 17.7% reported engaging in
three types of service, 7.8% reported engaging in four types of service, and 4.8% reported
engaging in five or more types of service. In addition, as is shown in Figure 2, slightly more
than half of the alumni (53.0%) indicated that they had held a leadership role while engaged in
service at Stanford.
Why Alumni Become Involved in Service
Given their high level of service activity, Haas alumni are clearly motivated to engage in service,
and this carries through from their Stanford years to the present. Table 3 reports survey
1
The gender and ethnicity of survey respondents is similar to the gender and ethnicity of the survey population,
indicating that the survey sample does not differ systematically from the survey population on these variables.
5. 5
respondents’ reasons for becoming involved with service at Stanford and why they remain active
today. The majority of respondents reported they felt drawn to service because they wanted to
“do my part” both during their time at Stanford (82.2%) and post-Stanford (79.2%). Influencing
what happens in the community was also a top motivator for being involved, with 57.2%
reporting this as a reason during their Stanford years and 72.7% reporting this as a reason post-
Stanford. Respondents indicated, however, that addressing a specific issue that mattered to them
was more of a motivating factor during their time at Stanford (37.9%) than in their post-Stanford
lives (25.9%). More than a quarter of respondents (27.3% while at Stanford, 25.1% post-
Stanford) reported being motivated to participate in service by someone they admired. A desire
to change laws or policies became an even more important motivator over time, with 24.3% of
respondents reporting this influenced them while at Stanford and 49.0% reporting this as an
influence post-Stanford.
Three motivators that were rarely cited as reasons for becoming involved in service at Stanford
became much more important factors post-Stanford: feeling good about themselves (1.5% at
Stanford and 54.7% post-Stanford), as an expression of their faith (1.0% at Stanford and 17.2%
post-Stanford), and to further their career (0.3% at Stanford and 25.7% post-Stanford).
Importantly, alumni became more thoughtful about their service motivations after they left
Stanford. Respondents listed a total of 3,440 motivations for their involvement in service at
Stanford, an average of 2.4 factors per respondent. Post-Stanford, this increased to a total of
5,036 motivations, or 3.5 motivating factors per respondent. It appears that Haas alumni do not
leave behind their desire to be involved in service activities when they leave Stanford campus.
Rather, their time in service at Stanford helps them to think critically about their motivations for
being involved and the ways they chose to do so in their adult lives.
Obstacles to Involvement in Service
Haas alumni also reported on the obstacles they faced to getting involved in service both as
Stanford students and in their post-graduation adult lives, as reported in Table 4. While at
Stanford, respondents reported that “school work” was the number one obstacle to getting
involved (19.1%) and that transportation barriers were also an obstacle (18.2%). Interestingly,
more than one-third of respondents (35.2%) stated that they did not face any obstacles to getting
involved with service during their time at Stanford.
Post-graduation, respondents tended to face more obstacles, the foremost of which was work
(54.7%), followed by family obligations (27.7%). Notably, 24.0% stated that they had not faced
any obstacles to getting engaged in public service post-graduation.
Respondents reported far fewer obstacles for participation in service than motivations for service
activities. In total, respondents mentioned 916 obstacles for getting involved in service at
Stanford – or 0.6 obstacles per person – and a total of 1,984 obstacles for getting involved post-
graduation –1.4 obstacles per person. The number of obstacles reported more than doubled and
appears to be mostly attributable to increases in work and family demands in their post-Stanford
lives, which is to be expected.
6. 6
What is the Post-Graduation Employment Picture for Stanford Haas Alumni?
After understanding respondents’ motivations for service, we asked them about their current
employment and whether their service at Stanford affected their job choices today. Two-thirds of
respondents were employed full-time at the time of the survey and an additional 7.0% were
employed part-time. Of those not working full- or part-time, 19.2% were in school, 2.6% were
out of the labor force, 0.8% were unemployed, and 4.1% indicated some other employment
status.
As is shown in Figure 3, among respondents who were employed, Haas alumni were far more
likely to be in the non-profit sector than workers nationwide (34.1% compared to 6.0%).
Employed alumni were also much more likely to be working in the public sector than workers
nationwide (30.5% compared to 14.0%) and consequently much less likely to be in the private
sector (35.4% compared to 80.0%).2
Most respondents characterized their jobs as socially relevant to a degree. Figure 4 reports that
43.8% of respondents indicated that their jobs were completely socially relevant, another 26.7%
indicated that their jobs were very socially relevant, and 19.8% indicated that their jobs were
somewhat socially relevant. Only 9.7% stated that their jobs had no social relevance. However,
as shown in Figure 5, Stanford Haas alumni employed in the non-profit and public sectors rated
the social relevance of their jobs higher (3.41 and 3.47 out of 4, respectively) than those
employed in the for-profit sector (2.33).
How Does Public Service Participation at Stanford Relate to Post-Stanford Outcomes?
In an attempt to better understand how service at Stanford affects students in their adult lives, the
survey asked respondents to rate the influence of their public service experience on a range of
factors, including: their commitment to social change, knowledge of an issue, civic engagement,
career path, educational choices, and leadership ability. Respondents rated the influence of
public service on each of these factors on a scale of 1-4, where 1 indicated that public service
had no influence, 2 indicated that it had a little influence, 3 indicated that it had some influence,
and 4 indicated that it had a lot of influence. Figure 6 shows the percentage of alumni who rated
each of the six factors as either a 3 or 4 on the 4-point scale. The factor that respondents were
most likely to indicate “had been influenced somewhat” or “a lot” by their public service
experience was their knowledge of an issue (71.9%), followed by their commitment to social
change (69.7%), leadership ability (67.7%), civic engagement (62.6%), career path (61.0%), and
educational choices (57.5%).
In order to understand which aspects of service at Stanford affect these post-Stanford
experiences–and which Haas alumni are most likely to experience them – we undertook a
regression analysis. The regression analysis allows us to tease apart the effect of each experience
or characteristic separately, while holding others constant. Because public service and other
variables are likely to influence each factor in similar ways, we created a composite public
service effects index score for each person based on how they scored each of the individual
2
National employment data taken from the 2007 Annual Demographic Survey of the Current Population Survey.
7. 7
factors influenced by public service. Each time a respondent rated one of the factors as either a 3
or 4, he or she received one point on the public service effects index. Therefore, each respondent
received an index score ranging from 0 to 6, with 0 indicating that public service had not
influenced any of the factors somewhat or a lot, and 6 indicating that all six factors had been
influenced somewhat or a lot by their public service experience. As is shown in Figure 7, 33.8%
of respondents received a public service effects index score of 6, 16.0% received an index score
of 5, 13.2% received an index score of 4, 9.4% received an index score of 3, 9.2% received an
index score of 2, 8.2% received an index score of 1, and 10.2% received an index score of 0. The
overall average index score was 3.9.
Figure 8 reports the results of the regression analysis, focusing on how different types of service
activities affected the post-graduation public service effects index. For ease of explanation and
because some service activities engaged only very few respondents, we grouped some activities
together. The findings indicate that participation in certain service activities had more lasting
effects than others. For instance, undertaking a fellowship, Stanford in Washington, a research
project, or taking a service-learning course were all associated with higher scores on the public
service effects index than participation in other activities.3
If alumni participated in these
activities, in addition to the other activities in which they engaged, they scored a 4.4 or 4.5 on the
index. This is likely due to the intensity of these public service activities and the concomitant
level of interaction with Haas staff. In contrast, participating in lower intensity activities – such
as participation in a student organization or being part of another Haas program that was not as
intensive – had comparably smaller effects on the public effects index (although still positive).
An important predictor of the effects of public service on post-Stanford outcomes was whether
the respondent participated in the activity as a leader. As Figure 9 reports, those with leadership
positions in their activity had much higher scores on the public service index than those who did
not (4.5 compared to 3.3).
Figure 10 reports the effects of different service activities on self-reported social relevance of job
held at the time of the survey. Overall, 70% of respondents reported that their job was very or
completely socially relevant. Again, having a fellowship or Stanford in Washington, a research
project, or taking service-learning course – among the most intensive Haas service activities –
are associated with higher reports of social relevance on the respondents’ current job. Unlike the
prior findings, holding a leadership role was not a factor in reports of social relevance of
employment.
These findings point to the important effects of public service at Stanford on graduates’ adult
lives. However, it is important to note that many of the characteristics that draw Stanford
students to service would also draw them to service in their adult lives – family commitment to
social change, concern for the environment, and so forth. In fact, 60.7% of Stanford Haas
alumni reported having stronger or much stronger levels of public service involvement than their
peers at Stanford, and 60% reported being more civically engaged than their peers post-
graduation. Because of the co-relational nature of the data, we are unable to conclude that service
at Stanford caused these effects, but it is clear that some service activities are more effective than
3
Note that many respondents participated in more than one activity, and the results reported here take this into
account.
8. 8
others at helping students remain civically engaged after they leave Stanford. In addition, for
students who are inclined toward service, providing support to nurture and grow that inclination
constitutes a critical investment in developing a cadre of highly educated and skilled adults who
take responsibility and leadership in their communities.
Conclusion
The results from the Haas Center 20th
Anniversary Alumni Survey indicate that participation in
public service while at Stanford is related to a number of positive outcomes for Haas alumni.
Respondents reported that participating in service at Stanford positively affected their
commitment to social change, knowledge of issues, civic engagement, career path, educational
choices, and leadership ability. Holding a leadership role in one’s service activities was related to
higher scores on a composite index of public service effects. Similarly, participation in public
service activities that required more intense involvement and higher levels of interaction with
Haas staff also led to higher scores on the public service effects index.
The majority of respondents were employed either full- or part-time, and were almost evenly
split among the non-profit, public, and private sectors. Notably, Stanford Haas alumni were
much more likely than the general public to be employed in the non-profit or public sectors and
much less likely to be employed in the private sector than the general public. Respondents
employed in the non-profit and public sectors were more likely than respondents in the private
sector to report that their jobs were socially relevant.
Finally, although Haas alumni report an increasing number of obstacles to participation in
service after leaving Stanford due primarily to increasing work and family demands, they also
report an increasing number of motivations for engaging in service. The data indicate that Haas
alumni do not leave their desire to be involved in service activities behind when they leave
Stanford campus. Rather, their time in service at Stanford helps them to think critically about
their motivations for involvement and the ways they choose to do so in their adult lives.
9. 9
Table 1. Demographic characteristics of Haas alumni
Gender Number Percentage
Male 435 30.6
Female 982 69.1
Transgender 1 0.1
No information 3 0.2
Total 1,421 100
Ethnicity Number Percentage
White 677 47.6
Asian / Pacific Islander 297 20.9
Hispanic / Latino 145 10.2
Black / African American 106 7.5
Native American 9 0.6
Other 53 3.7
Multiethnic 98 6.9
No information 36 2.5
Total 1,421 100
Year of graduation Number Percentage
1985-1989 130 9.1
1990-1994 312 22.0
1995-1999 383 27.0
2000-2004 502 35.3
2005-2006 88 6.2
Not yet graduated 3 0.2
No information 3 0.2
Total 1,421 100
10. 10
Table 2. Types of service in which Haas alumni participated
Type of service Definition Number Percentage
S Student organizations with
service focus: Stanford in
Government, Alternative
spring break, United Stu-
dents for Veterans Health,
Society of Black En-
gineers and Scientists, etc.
Student-led organizations that provide
an array of service opportunities at
local, state, national, and international
levels.
849 59.7
Haas Center community
programs: EPASA,
Ravenswood Reads,
Upward Bound, Science in
Service, etc.
Staff-run programs for local K-12
students that involve Stanford
students as leaders, tutors, mentors
and teachers.
758 53.3
Service outside Stanford Individually-initiated service in
community organizations.
369 26.0
Fellowship or internship:
African Service, Donald
Kennedy, John Gardner,
Stanford in Government,
Philanthropy, etc.
Undergraduate (summer) and
postgraduate (year long) placements,
both domestic and international, that
match fellows with public service
organizations and communities.
318 22.4
Service-learning course Academic courses with an integrated
service component; includes
reflection on service as course
requirement.
270 19.0
Community service work-
study
Program that allows work-study
eligible students to earn their wages in
non-profit and government
organizations.
183 12.9
Research/scholarship for
community benefit
Student honors theses and
independent research projects with a
connection to social issues and/or
community organizations.
160 11.3
Other Stanford service Service opportunities at Stanford not
previously named.
13 0.9
Stanford in Washington One quarter academic program in
Washington DC that includes a four
days per week internship in
government or community
organizations.
5 0.4
Total 2,925
Notes:
(1) Total is greater than the number of respondents because some respondents reported more than one motivation for
service.
(2) Percent calculated out of total number of survey respondents, 1,421.
11. 11
Figure 1. Number of service types in which Haas alumni participated
1
36.8%
2
32.8%
3
17.7% 4
7.8%
5 or more
4.8%
Figure 2. Percentage of Haas alumni who participated in leadership
roles
53.0
46.9
0 20 40 60 80
No leadership
role
Leadership role
Percent
12. 12
Table 3. Motivation for service participation as Stanford students and post-
graduation
At Stanford Post-Stanford
Motivation for service Number Percentage Number Percentage
Want to do my part 1,168 82.2 1,125 79.2
Influence what happens in the
community
813 57.2 1,033 72.7
Address an issue that matters
to me
538 37.9 368 25.9
Inspired by someone I admire 388 27.3 356 25.1
Want to change laws or
policies
345 24.3 696 49.0
Makes me feel good about
myself
21 1.5 777 54.7
Expression of my faith 14 1.0 245 17.2
Further my career 4 0.3 365 25.7
Other 149 10.5 71 5.0
Total 3,440 5,036
Notes:
(1) Total is greater than the number of respondents because some respondents reported more than one motivation for
service.
(2) Percent calculated out of total number of survey respondents, 1,421.
13. 13
Table 4. Obstacles to engagement in public service for Stanford
Haas alumni while at Stanford and post-graduation
At Stanford Post-Stanford
Obstacles to engagement in
public service
# % # %
Academics 271 19.1 -- --
Transportation 258 18.2 62 4.4
Lack of information 112 7.9 -- --
Athletics 66 4.6 -- --
Work 22 1.5 777 54.7
Not educated on issues -- -- 185 13.0
Hard to set limits -- -- 135 9.5
Don’t believe can make a
difference
-- -- 78 5.5
Not interested -- -- 39 2.7
Family 26 1.8 393 27.7
Health 26 1.8 34 2.4
None 500 35.2 341 24.0
Other 135 9.5 281 19.8
Total 1,416 2,325
Notes:
(1) The total for obstacles to service is less than the number of respondents because not all
respondents reported an obstacle to service.
(2) The total for motivations for service is greater than the number of respondents because some
respondents reported more than one motivation for service.
(3) Percent calculated out of total number of survey respondents, 1,421.
14. 14
Figure 3. Current sector of employment for Haas alumni compared to
a national sample
35.4
30.5
34.1
80.0
14.0
6.0
0 50 100
Private
Public
Non-
profit
Percent
National sample
Stanford Haas
Alumni
Figure 4. Social relevance of current job for Haas alumni
9.7
19.8
26.7
43.8
0 10 20 30 40 50
Not relevant
Somewhat
relevant
Very
relevant
Completely
relevant
Percent
15. 15
Figure 5. Self-reported social relevance of job by job sector
2.33
3.47
3.41
0 1 2 3 4
Private
Public
Non-profit
Social relevance of job on a scale of 1-4
Figure 6. Percentage of Haas alumni responding that public service
had influenced “somewhat” or “a lot” the following factors
67.7
57.5
61.0
62.6
71.9
69.7
0 20 40 60 80 100
Leadership ability
Educational choices
Career path
Civic engagement
Knowledge of an
issue
Commitment to
social change
Percent
16. 16
Figure 7. Percentage of Haas alumni with scores between 0 and 6 on
public service effects index
10.2
8.2
9.2
9.4
13.2
16.0
33.8
0 10 20 30 40
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Numberoffactorswithscoresof3or4
Percent
Figure 8. Effects of type of service activity on post-college experiences using
regression adjusted means
4.2
4.0
4.1
4.4
4.5
4.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Other Non-Haas Service
Student Organization
Other Haas Programs and CSWS
Service Learning Course
Research
Fellowship or SIW
Score on Public Service Effects Index (0 - 6)
17. 17
Figure 9. Effects of leadership role in public service on post-college experiences
using regression adjusted means
3.3
4.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No Leadership
Leadership
Score on Public Service Effects Index (0 - 6)
Figure 10. Effects of type of service activity on social relevance of post-college
job using regression adjusted means
0.75
0.70
0.72
0.79
0.82
0.76
0 1
Other Non-Haas Service
Student Organization
Other Haas Programs and CSWS
Service Learning Course
Research
Fellowship or SIW
Current or Last Job is Socially Relevant
