With approximately 150 more undergraduates enrolled in the frosh class compared to the previous year, the class of 2029 is the largest admitted class at Stanford.
Before starting the new school year, students from the class of 2029 shared the goals they have for their undergraduate years.
Some are looking forward to diving into Stanford’s academic and extracurricular opportunities, while others are eager to use their time on campus to launch new initiatives and make an impact beyond the University.
Hania Ijaz ’29, from Pakistan, finds Stanford to be the perfect intersection between impressive college-level sports and innovative engineering facilities. While pursuing an engineering degree, she is looking to gain valuable hands-on experience by working on individual projects as well.
Ijaz is the founder of Girls Who Build, a nonprofit that offers seminars and practical sessions focused on presenting different fields and careers in engineering to girls from Pakistan. This helped her be one of 100 winners selected by Rise for the World, which will cover her full tuition at Stanford.
Ijaz believes that high school students who are aiming to find their path should “research as much as possible on your own… Research what works for you and what you can do well and take them to the next level,” she shared in an interview with The Daily.
Ronak Vyas ’29 grew up in the state of Georgia, and as a student with various affinities, he plans to pursue a double major in political science and physics, while also considering law school.
Vyas was attracted to Stanford’s vibrant student collective, promising area, vast campus and distinguished academics, which he explored when visiting the University in person.
On top of traveling across the globe, one of Vyas’ long-term goals is to run for president of the United States. As his high school’s student body president, where he represented over 2000 students, he “always tried to make decisions based at least in part on what [the voters] wanted done,” he said in an interview with The Daily.
Bianca Maria Ivan ’29, from Romania, plans on pursuing a double major to focus on both social science and STEM fields. She believes Stanford’s quarter system approach, as well as its entrepreneurial spirit, will help her find the best fit for her.
Before committing to Stanford, an alumna Ivan met through her application interview “spoke with so much love about the University that it made me realize I want to be a part of it,” she said.
As the former president of Romania’s National Student Council and a member of UNICEF’s Global Girl Leaders Advisory Group, Ivan is passionate about advocacy and civic engagement. She aims to take on similar responsibilities at Stanford, such as working in public administration, to help create a better educational climate.
Kaito Kanazawa ’29, from Japan, plans to major in management science and engineering (MS&E) at Stanford, combining his natural affinity for numbers with a passion for technology. Drawn to both problem-solving and innovation, he believes Stanford’s interdisciplinary approach is the perfect fit for his interests.
Stanford had long been his dream school, not only because of its academic reputation and beautiful weather, but also because of its unique program that merges science, business and engineering. He’s especially excited by the fact that Stanford “nurtures a collaborative environment,” he told The Daily.
Kaito founded CS Kids, an initiative that organizes high school volunteers to teach STEM classes to middle schoolers. The project aligns with Kaito’s broader goal of expanding STEM opportunities for students in Japan and around the world, sharing that he “pursued a passion for his own sake rather than for the sake of college.”
Olivia Kao ’29, from California, is planning to major in political science and possibly minor in American studies or communications, hoping to blend her academic interests with her love for journalism and storytelling. Long-term, she envisions a career in the news industry, specializing in American politics and culture. Stanford’s immersive opportunities, such as the Stanford in Washington (SIW) program, make her especially excited for what lies ahead.
Kao chose Stanford for its unmatched academic flexibility and the genuine sense of community she felt from the start. “Everyone was so welcoming and supportive, and I truly felt like I was wanted at Stanford — like they believed that I had something valuable to contribute,” she wrote in an email to The Daily.