Peer Advising

The Political Science peer advisors are current majors who are passionate about the program and available to advise prospective and current students. They have all taken very different paths within the major and each can talk about courses, the declaration process, picking a major advisor, and other opportunities within the department and the University. Peer advisors are available via email, and they hold frequent office hours and events throughout the year. They are very willing to help!

 

2023-2024 Peer Advisors

Amira Dehmani

adehmani [at] stanford.edu (adehmani[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Amira (she/her) is from Columbus, Ohio majoring in Political Science and pursuing a coterminal master’s degree in Sociology. Her academic interests are primarily in Civil Rights and the carceral system, and she hopes to attend law school in the future to work on sentencing reform and prison abolition. At Stanford, she is a Frosh Resident Assistant and interning at the Stanford Center for Racial Justice. She also served as the Chair of the 24th ASSU Undergraduate Senate. In her free time, she loves to try out different coffee spots around campus, binge-watch shows (Scandal is her obsession right now), discuss pop-culture events, and bake.

Jessica Lee

jlee2024 [at] stanford.edu (jlee2024[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Jessica (she/her) is a senior majoring in Political Science (tracks: 1. Justice and Law, 2. International Relations) who is also pursuing a Master’s in Sustainability Science and Practice, and minors in Spanish and Music. She is interested, broadly speaking, in political theory, human rights, and in issues relating to climate change. On campus, Jessica is an undergraduate fellow at the Stanford Constitutional Law Center, and writing an Honors Thesis under the McCoy Center for Ethics in Society. Last summer, she received the Arthur Liman Public Interest Law Fellowship through Yale Law School, and was able to work at the San Mateo Superior Court’s Legal Self Help Center. Previously, she was a research intern at International Crisis Group’s Latin America and Future of Conflict programs through the support of Stanford in Government. As a part of a youth-led campaign she helped create and develop, she spent the summer before that advocating for the creation of a Climate Crisis Commission at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the past, she has worked as a research assistant for the Political Psychology Research Group as well as for Professor Francis Fukuyama through the Freeman Spogli Institute. She has also spent the spring quarter of her junior year studying abroad at Oxford, where she completed a tutorial in law (jurisprudence). Outside of academics, Jessica loves classical music (she plays the cello!) and literature. Jessica is eager to chat and answer any questions you may have about anything related to Political Science, internships, or the Oxford study abroad program, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Connor Begovich

cbegovic [at] stanford.edu (cbegovic[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Connor (he/him) is a senior (transfer student) majoring in Political Science with a primary track in Elections, Representation, and Governance and a secondary track in International Relations. He enjoys exploring the intersection of law, business, and government and will attend law school after he graduates from Stanford. Connor is currently the Co-President of the Stanford Pre-Law Society and holds positions in other law-oriented organizations on campus, including Stanford Law School’s Constitutional Law Center and Stanford Undergraduate Law Review. He is also a member of the Hoover Institution’s National Security Affairs mentorship program. Connor has a passion for exploring diverse prospective career paths within the legal field and has previously completed internships in a private equity firm’s Portfolio Analytics and Legal & Compliance departments, at the San Diego Public Defender’s Office, and at a law firm that specializes in complex class-action and securities litigation. Outside of school and work, he loves playing and watching golf and tennis, competing in intramural volleyball, and is a huge Stanford sports fan (and member of the Axe Committee). Feel free to reach out to Connor about anything, including questions about the Political Science Department, his work experience, or how to get involved with Stanford’s pre-law community.

Karen Cho

karencho [at] stanford.edu (karencho[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Karen (she/her) is a senior majoring in Political Science (with tracks in Justice and Law and Political Economy and Development) and coterming in Public Policy. She is interested in the intersection of economics, politics, and the rule of law and in transitional justice issues in post-conflict states. She has previously interned at the White House in the Office of the Vice President, at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, The Netherlands, and at the U.S. Department of State. On campus, she served as the Vice President of Membership for the Stanford Debate Society and as a student researcher for the Afghan Policy Practicum at Stanford Law School. In her free time, she loves to play the violin, to explore new cities, and to dive into novels. She is happy to connect with anyone hoping to chat more about political science and to learn about the opportunities that exist for them at Stanford!

Shahil Pal 

shahilpal [at] stanford.edu (shahilpal[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Shahil (he/him) is a senior studying Political Science focusing on the Elections, Representation, and Governance and Justice & Law tracks. He migrated from the Fiji Islands and now lives in Sacramento, California. He is interested in the intersection between the U.S. criminal justice system and democracy. He has previously interned at the ACLU SoCal, U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C., and The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. At Stanford, he is a T.A. for ENGR 103 (Public Speaking), Research Assistant for Prof. Jon Krosnick, and studied Law at BOSP Oxford. Outside of school, he is a music lover (R&B, hip-hop, J. Cole!), basketball fan, and foodie. He is excited to chat with you about the major, internship opportunities—and food recommendations :)

Rachel Homayonfar

rhomay [at] stanford.edu (rhomay[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Rachel is a senior majoring in Political Science with a primary track in International Relations and a secondary track in Elections, Representation, and Governance. She is passionate about social justice and highly interested in foreign policy and international security. During her time as a student, Rachel has held internship positions in County Supervisor and Assemblyman offices, and has also interned at CESTA here at Stanford. Outside of school and work, she enjoys traveling, watching vintage films, and spending time with friends. Rachel is happy to chat about almost anything regarding Political Science or Stanford in general, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Kate Tully

ktully03 [at] stanford.edu (ktully03[at]stanford[dot]edu)

 

Kate Tully (She/Her) is a Junior from Sacramento, California studying political science with tracks in Elections, Representation and Governance, and International Relations. She is interested in foreign policy, authoritarian regimes and failed/failing states. On campus, Kate is an intern for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Hoover Institution, and conducts research on geopolitics for Professor Stephen Kotkin. She has interned at the U.S. Department of State and is currently interning for the U.S. Department of Defense. In her free time, Kate enjoys reading, improving her French, and playing Geoguessr. She is happy to connect with anyone interested in political science or international current events!

Anna Perronne

annaperr [at] stanford.edu (annaperr[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Anna (she/her) is a junior majoring in Political Science with a primary track in Elections, Representation, and Governance and a secondary track in Justice and Law. She is broadly interested in the intersection of identity and society, particularly how racialized ideologies and hierarchies within the U.S. shape or limit the ways that politics and policy impact certain identity communities. Anna’s interest and passion for pursuing social justice from a multicultural standpoint led her to spend a summer working with a local human rights organization in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to promote and protect women’s rights, especially as they relate to domestic violence, and she continued her studies of policy and human rights while abroad in Santiago, Chile. On campus, Anna is an editor for Embodied, the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department journal, and can be found playing ultimate frisbee, sewing a new outfit, or baking cookies at Antoine’s Cookie Shop. She is excited to answer any questions and talk about anything related to Political Science at Stanford!

Nilou Davis

nmdavis [at] stanford.edu (nmdavis[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Nilou (she/her) is a junior majoring in Political Science (with tracks in Political Economy of Development and Data Science) and History. Nilou’s academic interests lie at the intersection of theories of state formation, post-conflict and refugee governance, and institutional design. With the support of the Human Rights Department, Nilou spent the last summer working in Jakarta at a judicial transparency NGO, focusing on legal research and developing advocacy strategies for legal reform in the Supreme Court of Indonesia. The summer following freshman year, Nilou had the opportunity to intern at Stanford’s Immigration Policy Lab (IPL), conducting research on refugee and asylum law. On campus, Nilou is involved with the Cardinal Policy Group, Stanford Debate Society, Stanford ACLU, Herodotus History Journal, and she works as a research assistant in the Political Science and Human Rights departments. Outside of class, Nilou loves to read, hike, and go to art galleries. Come talk to Nilou about any questions you may have related to wanting to pursue academia, working law or policy jobs in the summer, or the best pastry rotations at CoHo!

 

Ethan McAvoy

ethanmc [at] stanford.edu (ethanmc[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Ethan (he/him) received his bachelor's in Political Science with a primary track in Justice and Law and a secondary track in Political Economy and Development, as well as a minor in History, and he is now pursuing a coterminal master's degree in Sociology. In the Department, he specialized in political theory and political philosophy with a particular interest in social contract theory. Ethan wrote his honors thesis on Housing Affordability and Homeownership Among Young Americans in the Ethics in Society Program. After finishing his coterm, he plans to attend law school and work as a labor attorney.

Susan Lee

nslee01 [at] stanford.edu (nslee01[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Susan (she/her) is a senior majoring in Political Science with tracks in Elections, Representation, and Governance and International Relations. Her primary interest is in deliberative democracy, a field she started out in as a practitioner of deliberative citizen forums. Since transferring to Stanford (from Amherst College), she has grown more interested in comparative governance and development. She is completing her thesis under the Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law on the implementation of citizen consultations in Singapore. Susan is originally from Seoul, Korea, but has also lived in Washington and Massachussetts. She is more than happy to chat about anything, from tips on transfer credit petitioning to navigating off-campus employment as an international student.

Elijah Buenarte

buenarte [at] stanford.edu (buenarte[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Elijah (he/him) is a senior at Stanford University with a double major in Philosophy and Political Science (Justice and Law primary track & Data Science secondary track). His academic pursuits span from political philosophy to contemporary issues within the United States, where he holds a particular fascination with social contract theory and justice. On campus, Elijah actively contributes as a research assistant for Dr. Jefferson, where he navigates the intricate landscape of racial politics in America. Beyond this, he's a member of the Political Science Honors program, where he's embarked on a research journey of his own. Presently, he is dedicating his efforts into a thesis focused on the politics surrounding light rail construction in underprivileged communities. His commitment to research extended into the summer of 2023, where he made significant strides in both the Summer Research College and Bing Honors College. As much as he is a scholar, he also embodies leadership and enthusiasm as the captain of Stanford Cheer. He also is a previous member of a dance and a cappella groups, but do not ask him to sing or dance! Whether the topic is related to political science or not, Elijah is always ready to engage in a meaningful conversation. 

Lila Mack

lilamack [at] stanford.edu (lilamack[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Lila is a senior majoring in Political Science, with a primary track in Political Economy and Development and a secondary track in Data Science. She has always been curious about a range of social science questions, especially those that address the challenge of creating positive, systems-level change. Last year she spent several months doing research at Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia following field work for her honors thesis on Colombia and Peru’s policies towards people displaced by the Venezuelan crisis. For the past few years she has worked part time as a grant writer for a small nonprofit called Nuestra Comunidad, which is focused on making California’s emergency response systems and social services more accessible to immigrant and Spanish-speaking communities. Her hobbies include perusing maps and infographics, hiking, and contemporary dance.