Thomas Schnaubelt

Bio

Tom Schnaubelt joined CDDRL in August 2022 and serves as a Lecturer and Senior Advisor on Civic Education at the Deliberative Democracy Lab. Prior to joining CDDRL, Tom served as Executive Director of the Haas Center for Public Service (2009-2022) and was the Associate Vice Provost for Education. Tom also served as a Resident Fellow in Branner Hall from 2010-2022 and oversaw the development and implementation of a living-learning community focused on public service and civic engagement. In 2015, Tom coordinated the launch of Cardinal Service, a university wide effort to elevate and expand public service as a distinctive feature of the Stanford experience, and he has launched and led several national initiatives focused on democratic engagement and social change education.

Prior to coming to Stanford in 2009, Tom served as the Dean for Community Engagement and Civic Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was the founding Executive Director of Wisconsin Campus Compact. Tom began his career as the first service-learning coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi. During his eight years in Mississippi, Tom coordinated statewide academic-community partnerships, including several large AmeriCorps programs focused on educational equity and environmental sustainability, and launched the Mississippi Center for Community and Civic Engagement.

Tom’s personal vision is to connect people with themselves, each other, and the earth in ways that contribute to the common good and build a more perfect union. His work in higher education focuses on democratic engagement, place-based and experiential learning that fosters civic identity, and fostering the capacity to engage constructively across differences. He has extensive experience creating university-community partnerships and his experiences span geographic, disciplinary, and institutional boundaries. Tom received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan, and Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Academic Appointments

• Lecturer, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law

Professional Education

• Certificate, Harvard University, Management and Leadership in Education (2007)
• PhD, University of Mississippi, Education (2001)
• MA, University of Michigan, Education (1995)
• BS, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Physics (1990)

Service, Volunteer and Community Work

• Board Member, Thrive Alliance: The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County

  Location

  San Mateo, CA

• Volunteer Coach, Palo Alto Girls Softball

  Location

  Palo Alto, CA

• Board Member, Peninsula Healthcare Connection (4/1/2017)

  Location

  Palo Alto, California