Meet the Team
*This page will be updated for 2026 Approaching Stanford by May 1.
About Approaching Stanford &
New Student Orientation
The Approaching Stanford/New Student Orientation team is made up of both student and professional staff, all within the office of Academic Advising. The Approaching Stanford program is required for all new undergraduate students. It is the process that will guide you in your preparation for Stanford.
Beginning in May for first-years and June for transfers, new students will receive weekly communications with information that will help transition you to the Farm. In the months leading up to the fall, you will learn more about academics and course enrollment, housing assignments, health requirements, student communities, opportunities, and resources. The information provided will culminate in your attendance at New Student Orientation (NSO), which will run in the days leading up to the start of Autumn Quarter.
2025 Orientation Coordinators
Orientation Coordinators (OCs) are the Stanford student staff in Academic Advising who serve on the Approaching Stanford/New Student Orientation team. The OCs dedicate their summer to help incoming students prepare for Stanford and to plan New Student Orientation (NSO). Meet the team and follow @approachingstanford on Instagram!
Malik Adi (he/him) | Class of 2028
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Major / Academic focus: Human Biology & Philosophy
Favorite class taken so far: CHEM 33 (Structure and Reactivity of Carbon-Based Molecules)
Favorite spot on campus: Palm Drive — the palm trees, Memorial Church, the Oval, and the Dish all in one iconic view.
One piece of advice for incoming students: You’re extraordinarily unique, there is no one like you, Stanford was made for you.
Jack Cowan (he/him) | Class of 2027
Hometown: Rome, Georgia
Major / Academic focus: Psychology
Favorite class taken so far: PSYCH 70 (Self and Society: Introduction to Social Psychology)
Favorite spot on campus: The courtyard of Toyon; I love playing guitar there with friends!
One piece of advice for incoming students: Get on a first-name basis with everyone you can, especially the folks in your dorm; it may feel awkward at first, but it’s worth it!
Bryan Gonzalez (he/him) | Class of 2027
Hometown: West Frankfort, Illinois
Major / Academic focus: English & Education (minor)
Favorite class taken so far: EDUC 256 (Psychological and Educational Resilience Among Children and Youth)
Favorite spot on campus: Lake Lagunita — I love going on walks around the lake to de-stress, surround myself with nature, listen to music, and debrief with friends while drinking coffee (iced of course!).
One piece of advice for incoming students: Don’t be intimidated by the professors! They are really excited to meet new students and talk to them, so go to those office hours and become besties with your professor!
Malaika Onyia (she/her) | Class of 2028
Hometown: Gardena, California
Major / Academic focus: Political Science & Communications
Favorite class taken so far: POLISCI 141 (Political Economy of Development)
Favorite spot on campus: Huang Basement — the perfect place to be alone whether I’m locking in, watching a movie, or crying.
One piece of advice for incoming students: Force yourself to try new things — put yourself in the spaces you said never would; college is about growth.
Canon Pham (she/her) | Class of 2027
Hometown: Hacienda Heights, California
Major / Academic focus: Data Science & Social Systems
Favorite class taken so far: DATASCI 154 (Solving Social Problems with Data)
Favorite spot on campus: CoDa (Computing & Data Science Building) 4th floor terrace — Data Science + fresh air, what’s not to like!
One piece of advice for incoming students: Be unapologetically you and don’t hesitate to try new things as long as they interest you — you are going to pave your unique path here and grow in so many ways.
Sophia Younge (she/her) | Class of 2027
Hometown: Lausanne, Switzerland
Major / Academic Focus: International Relations
Favorite class taken so far: POLISCI 131L (Modern Political Thought- Machiavelli to Marx and Mill)
Favorite spot on campus: The Round Room after Dr. Robert Huw Morgan’s biweekly organ performances! (Come on Wednesdays at 12:15!!)
One piece of advice for incoming students: Be courageous and reach out to other frosh even when you’ve just met them (once)!
Professional Staff
Diana Suedbeck (she/her), Assistant Director of New Student Programs, is responsible for implementing the Approaching Stanford program, which provides support to first-year and transfer students as they transition to life at Stanford. Being one of the first points of contact for these incoming students, Diana is focused on making sure they feel well-equipped to begin their academic experience at the university. Receiving her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, Diana's passion for higher education grew as she coached women's lacrosse for her alma mater.
Edith Wu-Nguyen (she/her), Associate Dean for First Year Experience in Academic Advising, oversees the First Year Experience team that prepares, welcomes, and transitions new first-year students and transfers to Stanford through the Approaching Stanford process, New Student Orientation, and Frosh 101 and Transfer 101. She is also the Resident Fellow (RF) for Okada House, the undergraduate Asian American ethnic theme dorm located in Wilbur Hall. Edith earned her Master’s degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and her Bachelor’s degree from Stanford where she studied Human Biology and Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Prior to returning to Stanford in 2006, she worked in community-based programs in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, including Head Start/Early Head Start, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, and Public Allies-Silicon Valley.