Spotlight On: Cole Shiflett

How far will Cole Shiflett go to get friends and family around the table for community and conversation? How about roasting a whole pig? Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that this associate dean in Residential Education recently accepted a new assignment advancing neighborhood engagement, which means leading a team of students and professionals to help community councils plan and promote all kinds of events and programs for students.

What education and experience do you bring to this work? 

I started at Stanford about a year and a half after graduating from Yale. I have been at Stanford ever since, with a brief break to work at a startup. While working at Stanford, I got my MBA from the California College of the Arts. I have worked in Residential Education the entire time.

Tell us about your family.

I am a wife and a new mother — I have a 10-month-old son.

Do you have any pets?

We have a dog and two chickens — one is named Chatty Cathy and the other is Guinan after the Star Trek character. My dog’s name is Lola.

What are your hobbies?

I am a big gardener, camper, and hiker, and I love to cook and bake.

What is one program you think all students should check out?

At the Arrillaga Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, you can rent – very cheaply for students – tents and backpacks and other gear for a weekend camping trip. One of the barriers to getting outside is investing in the equipment. The center makes it very easy!

Tell us about a good memory from the neighborhoods.

My favorite memories are of sharing meals with students – in a self-op, a co-op, or a dining hall. What is consistent is the joy of breaking bread with the students.

What are some of your favorite spots in the neighborhoods?

In Neighborhood S, my favorite thing is the mural on the side of Okada. It shows the history of the Asian American diaspora. It’s extremely beautiful and educational. One of the things I really love about Neighborhood A is Columbae, a co-op on the Lower Row. You might not expect it to be a co-op because it has these big Greek columns. It has an amazing social justice and social action focus.

What is an unexpected thing you have learned about Stanford?

There is a wall on campus that’s magnetic, near the Mechanical Engineering lab. If you get close to it, anything that responds to a magnet will pull toward the wall.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently at Stanford?

I had a showdown with the ground squirrels that hang out outside the sliding glass door to my office. I was on a Zoom call and a squirrel was scratching at the door. I was waving my hands, trying to get it to go somewhere else, and it did not care. The squirrels have no fear of me.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I am not quite expert status but maybe advanced status at whole pig roasting. It’s one of my favorite things to do for a special occasion large group meal.