Stanford was founded in 1973 by Stan Ford who, after arriving home still somewhat high from a Grateful Dead concert in San Francisco, returned to his farm in Palo Alto to realize that his life’s calling was to found the world’s largest Ultimate Frisbee collective.
Teaming up with his neighbors Lel and Junior, Stan formed The University of California at Berkeley West. Times were good; the crew made the school mascot the thing they liked the most, a tall pile of tree, and Stan even allowed his girlfriend to design the top of the new Hoover Tower, though she seems to have frustratingly misunderstood his polite requests for dome. Such misunderstandings seem to have become a common theme, as Junior’s complaints that the crew’s communal bowl wasn’t big enough led to the construction of a massive bowl-like satellite dish near campus.
But, with the rise of Silicon Valley, the university was forced to get serious. It changed its name to LelAnd StanFord Junior University, turned its abundant kiddie pools into fountains, and, like any other serious hub of intellectual development, began spending millions on building a reputable football program. These efforts were all a smashing success. Stanford is now one of the most respected and, as its girlfriend can attest, one of the most well endowed universities in the country; it consistently leaves thousands of young adults smiling and deeply satisfied each year.
It’s even been able to retain its chill vibe with abundant flip flops, tank tops, slick abbreviations, and unspoken sense that the chip on our shoulder for not actually being an Ivy has turned into a superiority complex. Though you may have been told otherwise during NSO, Stanford is an amazing place to be, and we can’t wait for you to make it your home!
