Dear GSE Alumni,

This month, I’ve thought a lot about connection, staring at a heart-shaped box of chocolates and wondering if a sugar crash in the afternoon is inevitable. At its fundamental core, February’s flood of paper hearts and chocolate truffles is a simple idea: people want to feel connected to one another. It’s the same idea that grounds alumni relations, and recently, it led me to reflect on how AI is changing the ways we connect, learn, and stay in community.

Earlier this month, GSE faculty and alumni were among the premier experts leading the Stanford Accelerator for Learning’s AI+Education Summit. Among them was Daniel L. Schwartz, the I. James Quillen Dean and the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Educational Technology at the GSE, connecting the dots of how AI can ultimately help people help other people.

Over the past decade, that’s precisely what Dean Schwartz has done: connected the dots to help our school, our students, and our alumni. He made the GSE’s long-held dream of a new academic home a reality; he masterminded the Stanford Accelerator for Learning to help connect research and practice; and instituted alumni relations within the GSE to better serve our alumni. Under his leadership, the school is at the forefront, examining the transformative powers and challenges of AI in education, and our alumni are the drivers.

It was announced in the Stanford Report that Dean Schwartz will be stepping down as dean this summer. He will continue leading the Stanford Accelerator for Learning as it researches and scales innovative solutions including AI across the broad continuum of learners. I want to offer my appreciation to Dean Schwartz for his unwavering support of our alumni community and the immense value he has placed on a deeper connection with the GSE. I look forward to continuing to build on this foundation as we circulate an alumni interest survey this fall to better understand the needs of our growing alumni community.

The GSE will be on the road these next few months, and we hope to see you if you are in the LA, San Diego, or Washington, D.C., area. If you are an LDTer, the LDT Energizer is happening next month on campus. Don’t miss this opportunity to be in a room filled with Learning, Design, and Technology alumni and students connecting, creating, and catalyzing new ideas together! If you are a POLS alum, I urge you to fill out the survey below for opportunities to connect.

Best regards,
Marly

Each month, we’re shaking things up with a fun challenge where your attention to detail, knowledge, and competitive spirit can win you exclusive GSE swag! Whether it's trivia, puzzles, or scavenger hunts, this is your chance to snag some awesome prizes. Get ready to play, have fun, and make a game-changing move! Don't miss out—it's the ultimate way to wrap up the newsletter each month.