The Stanford Bicycle Project
The story of the Stanford Bicycle Project begins with the Stanford campus. 8000 acres large and mostly flat, Stanford is huge on bike commuting. For students without bikes, however, it can be up to a 30 minute walk between classes. This can become a real obstacle that impacts time management and academics.
SBP, started in 2015, aims to fill this transportation gap by repairing and donating old bicycles to students in need. I joined SBP in 2016 as a freshman, hoping to learn basic mechanic skills while also giving back to the community.
In 2019, I've moved from a basic mechanic position to become the first female President of SBP. In the transition, I've learned a lot about the management of a large club. There's planning events, budgeting for bicycle supplies, recruiting new members, and working with other club officers.
Our goals at SBP are 3-fold:
1) Repair old, impounded bikes and donate them to first-generation, low-income students on campus.
2) Hold free repair sessions for anyone with maintenance problems, teaching them mechanic skills in the process.
3) Teach bicycle skills and safety to children at the Boys and Girls Club of Menlo Park.
In just four years, we've been able to donate over 100 bikes and save first-generation, low-income students an estimated $45,000 on bikes and bike repairs. I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish in the club and happy to give back to the community.
Values:
Service • Collaboration • Endless Learning
Service • Collaboration • Endless Learning