Maija Cruz ('12)
About
Through a variety of roles, Maija has worked at Stanford since graduating (‘12, Psychology), and now coaches both graduate and undergraduate students through the Well-Being at Stanford team. Her work is focused on supporting students affiliated with the Community Centers and Ethnic Theme Houses. Through every role, Maija has remained energized around supporting and improving the student experience at Stanford. As a FLI and non-traditional student, Maija often felt ‘othered’ in many spaces, so she is thrilled to serve students who might be feeling that, too. She’s especially passionate about decolonizing and indigenizing processes and spaces to be more inclusive to a broader student need. As Lecturer, Maija is proud to have co-created Wellness 141: Flourishing While BIPOC: Reclaiming Our Ways of Wellness, an independently funded course created to meet the emotional and unique intellectual needs of BIPOC students. Aside from coaching and teaching, Maija runs her own private coaching practice and frequently shares her expertise through workshops and speaking engagements.
Education
AA, Milwaukee Area Technical College; BA in Psychology, Focus in Mind, Culture and Society, Stanford University; Co-Active Training Institute Coaching Certification (expected completion 2021)
Professional Interests
Decolonizing mental health and Indigenizing mindsets and processes; active Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion education and implementation; dismantling social barriers to mental health support and resources
Personal Interests
Seeking out Indigenous representation in literature, media, and art, particularly interested in themes of Indigenous futurism; consuming documentaries and true crime media; reading at least 3-4 books at a time to accommodate any given mood; long-distance care of my mom and quadriplegic aunt; sharing my day-to-day life nurturing relationships and experiences with my husband, my chosen family, and our dog, Potato.