Hammarskjöld, the “house with the large front porch and tall columns,” is Stanford’s international-themed co-op. Located at 592 Alvarado Row, it is one of the smallest of the co-ops, with 33 total residents, including student leaders.
More About Hammarskjöld
Hammarskjöld opened as the International Co-Op in the academic year 1973-1974, and is named after Dag Hammarskjöld, a former Secretary General of the United Nations. The plan for the house was initiated by several international students, in coordination with the Bechtel International Center, as a place to nurture their differences and explore their own experiences.
The theme of “International Understanding” is very important at Hammarskjöld. All residents agree to present a community project at some point during the year, and applicants are asked to submit possible ideas for community projects. This means that we have all the normal social events a row house would have (Special Dinner, room-warming, etc.), and each resident also gets to throw an international community project, which can be anything from watching a Bollywood movie, to throwing a Chinese New Year Party, to cooking a traditional Thai dinner.
Like many of the other co-ops, Hamm has a history of involvement in a range of social justice causes, both domestic and international. During student protests against Stanford’s investment in the apartheid South African government, Hammarskjöld was a vital meeting place for community organizers. Today, residents bond over a shared experience with international issues, participating in Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Hindi/Urdu, Korean, and other language dinner tables and reflecting on recent international events.
About the Hammarskjöld Theme
The theme of “International Understanding” is very important at Hammarskjöld.
To ensure a transparent selection process, we’ve included our evaluation criteria below. We developed this criteria with the input of Hammarskjöld’s current residents to ensure continuity in house culture. Please be authentic in your answers to the essay questions—our goal in publishing our evaluation criteria is only to make the application process transparent and help you understand whether you’d be a good fit for Hamm. We will evaluate applicants on:
- Enthusiasm about co-op life: We’re seeking residents who are eager to contribute to the house’s operations and community.
- International life: Hamm is an international-themed co-op; we’re looking for international students and those with an interest in international cultures and affairs.
- Curiosity and excitement to learn from others: Every moment at Hamm—from dinner on Tuesday to clean shift on Sunday—is a learning experience. We’re building a community that will share with and learn from one another.
- Accountability/Commitment: Living in a co-op is rewarding but requires work! We seek applicants who are responsible for their actions and will support the house.
If you’d like to learn more about Hamm, feel free to reach out or come by the house. We encourage you to attend our open house, Co-op Crawl, or DM us on Instagram
If assigned to Hammarskjöld you must:
- Coordinate one community project for house residents during the school year.
- Lead one house dinner per quarter as Head Cook.
- Complete a three-hour cook shift or two-hour cleaning shift once a week.
- Complete a two-hour cleaning shift once every two weeks.
Meet Your Local ResEd Staff
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Community Coordinator -
Resident Director
Residential & Dining Enterprises
For more information about your residence, visit the Residential & Dining Enterprises website.