2012-2013 Courses | How To Get Involved | Awards Won | Satz Lecture

History of the Hope House Scholars Program

Since spring quarter of 2001, Stanford faculty, staff and students have been engaged in a unique project in Redwood City. Each quarter, two Stanford faculty members offer a course in the humanities to the residents of Hope House, a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility for women who were recently incarcerated. Focusing on such themes as ethics, social justice, and moral responsibility, the women of Hope House engage in college-level course work as part of their rehabilitation and recovery. This is a collaborative effort between the Program in Ethics in Society and Stanford Continuing Studies.

Upon successful completion of the course, each Hope House resident receives a certificate from Stanford Continuing Studies that verifies two units of credit earned. Along with Continuing Studies, these units are recognized by Canada College and are entirely transferable to other educational institutions. In addition to the units, Stanford Continuing Studies awards each graduate with a voucher to take one continuing studies course in the future, free of charge (estimated value $350 each). Every quarter, approximately 16 women complete the Stanford class.

Stanford Hope House Scholars proceeds with the following convictions.

- First, a liberal arts education ought not be the sole province of the wealthy and well-educated. We believe that study of the liberal arts will contribute substantially to the intellectual growth and personal enrichment of course participants, and will help equip them for fuller participation in the educational, economic and political life of our society. To receive a liberal education is to learn about freedom, and becoming free; this is the democratic birthright of all Americans.

- Second, the program exists to support the vocational and educational aspirations of the students. By exploring together some of the greatest works produced in the humanistic disciplines, we aim to sharpen their analytical and conceptual skills and abilities at written and oral expression; and to provide support for their personal and academic aspirations for higher education.

Utilizing Stanford's greatest resources - our faculty and students - we offer unique opportunities for the residents of Hope House. By challenging their minds, we offer a non-traditional avenue for the women to deal with their addiction, recovery, incarceration, freedom, and reunification with their children.

The pursuit of higher education is currently an unattainable goal for the majority of the population that this program serves. "Educational opportunities" for the addicted and incarcerated community usually refer to job skills or GED courses. While those are clearly important, we also know the limits that this type of education alone imposes on individuals. It is evident in terms of employment opportunities and income level. In addition, the less tangible impacts that a limited education has cannot go unnoticed. Issues of self-esteem, confidence, critical thinking skills and abstract problem-solving are but a few. Stanford seeks to do what Stanford does best - offer a challenging, liberal education to a non-traditional group of students who would otherwise not have this opportunity.

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Getting Involved

We're always interested in meeting Stanford faculty, graduate students and undergraduates that want to get involved.

Faculty: Faculty are usually selected in the Spring for the following academic year and while classes are generally team taught, we're open to talking about other options. For a list of faculty that have already taught in the Program and the classes that have been taught, click here.

Grad Students: In August 2012, we're piloting a program with two PhD students teaching a four-week summer course at Hope House and hope to offer this opportunity again in the Summer of 2013.

Undergraduates: Generally, we have four undergraduate writing tutors per quarter and we give preference to students that can commit to more than one quarter.

If what you've read so far peaks your interest, email Joan Berry for more information.

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2012-2013 Courses

More information about the upcoming courses will be posted shortly.

Fall 2012
"The Environmental Imagination: Finding Our Way Back into the World"
Charlie Junkerman (Continuing Studies)

Winter 2013
Leslie Hill (Drama)
Helen Paris (Drama)

Spring 2013
Katja Zelljadt (Associate Director, Stanford Humanities Center)
Mira Wasserman (Visiting Scholar)

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Roland Prize Awarded to Rob Reich and Debra Satz (2010)

Debra Satz and Rob Reich, who founded the Hope House Scholars Program, shared the 2010 Miriam Aaron Roland Volunteer Service Prize. This award, given by the Haas Center for Public Service, is given to faculty who make significant contributions through public service and encourage their students to do the same. Read more.


Stanford's Community Partnership Awarded to Hope House (2008)

In 2004, Stanford’s Office of Public Affairs created the Community Partnership Awards. These annual awards serve to “recognize individuals and programs that have formed successful community partnerships between Stanford and its neighbors.” This year, we are pleased to report that Ethics in Society’s partnership with Hope House has been chosen as one of four recipients of this award. According to Jean McGown, Director of Community Relations, “The Scholar’s Program partnership has been selected for its initiative, leadership, and involvement in a collaborative project that promotes the vitality and well-being of our mid-peninsula community."

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Debra Satz' Lecture About The Hope House Scholars Program

Center Director Debra Satz gave the "2009 Miriam and Peter E. Haas Centennial Professorship Lecture on Public Service and the University." In her talk, entitled Riches for the Poor, Satz speaks about our Hope House Scholars Program. Hear Satz' talk on YouTube.