Campus Life
Location
Columbia, Mo., the home of Stephens College,
well deserves the designation Collegetown, U.S.A. Twenty-six thousand
students are enrolled in the three higher education institutions in
this small city, which is devoted to meeting the needs of students.
Columbia is only 126 miles west of St. Louis and 125 miles east of Kansas
City on Interstate 70. There is regular bus service from both metropolitan
areas and airline service through Columbia Regional Airport, with connecting
flights available in international airports located in St. Louis and
Kansas City.
Student
Life
Stephens has a long history of commitment
to the total development of the student, and a planned, residential
education is an essential component of that development. By living,
dining and studying together, students discover how to develop cooperative
relationships with peers and build community. With the help of professional
staff and faculty advisers, students learn how to function independently,
to develop their own set of values, to manage emotions and to gain a
sense of identity. Research also shows that students living in residence
halls generally achieve better academically than commuters.
Stephens provides students with many opportunities, in and out of the
classroom, to make responsible choices and to become involved in policy-making
areas which directly affect their lives. In return, Stephens expects
students to take their responsibilities seriously and to uphold the
standards and regulations set forth by the appropriate governing boards
of the College.
Rights
and Responsibilities
In addition to taking full advantage
of the educational opportunities available to her, each student has
the responsibility to conduct herself in a manner that is best for her
own welfare and that of the entire College community. Students are responsible
for the policies stated in the catalog and Within the Ivy (student
handbook). Both may be accessed through the Stephens College Web site
www.stephens.edu.
On-Campus
Living and Food Service Requirements
Students enrolled in the residential
program at Stephens are required to live in on-campus housing throughout
their enrollment and participate in the College's food service plan.
Day students are students who reside with their spouse, parent or legal
guardian, or are Columbia-area residents not legally dependent on another
person, who have lived in the community for one full year or more. All
students living off campus are required to pay fees which include the
charge for a specific number of meals on campus per semester in the
college dining service.
Academic Resource
Center
The ARC is an individualized tutoring
center that provides free assistance to all Stephens College students
who want to improve their academic skills. The goal of the center is
to assist those students who desire additional help beyond that provided
by course instructors.
Broadcasting
Activities
Stephens students receive hands-on experience
in the production of programming for KWWC-FM, the 1,250-watt radio station
owned and operated by the College, and in Studio A, a full-size television
studio.
Counseling
Services
Students' academic, career and personal
counseling needs are met by a variety of services and programs at Stephens
College. These programs are designed to assist students as they move
toward self-reliance and self-confidence, and student life members are
available to help identify a student's talents and potential.
Psychological services provided by Stephens College include conducting
intake interviews and assessments, making referrals to appropriate psychological
resources, providing psychotherapy for students, and providing consultation
with college personnel regarding student concerns. Additional services
may be negotiated for a fee.
Career
Services
Stephens Career Services assists students
with all phases of career planning from choosing majors and identifying
career possibilities to gaining career-related experiences and securing
employment or entrance to graduate school. The Career Services staff
work extensively with students one-on-one to address individual needs,
as well as in groups through special programs and presentations on such
topics as interviewing, résumé writing and job-search strategies.
Career Services also works cooperatively with academic programs to help
students plan and prepare for internship opportunities.
Career Services maintains an extensive library of resources including
employer directories, company literature, graduate school information,
résumé sample books, a computerized career information system
and much more. The office also maintains a database consisting of more
than 500 alumnae career consultants from whom students may gain valuable
career and employment information.
Employment opportunities can be found in Career Services for permanent,
part-time and summer positions. Career Services also assists students
with on-campus work study positions.
Cultural
Events
The vast array of cultural experience
available to students on campus includes theatre productions, chamber
music concerts, exhibits in the Davis Art Gallery, jazz, ballet, comedy
and musical productions, numerous lectures, discussions and presentations
by on-campus and outside experts.
Disabled
Student Services
Mobility-impaired students may contact
the vice president for student services to receive an accessibility
map of the campus and other information concerning access to campus
buildings and grounds. Individual orientation to the campus is available
through the vice president for student services.
Mobility-impaired students should contact the vice president for academic
affairs concerning accessibility of scheduled classrooms. Once officially
notified, the vice president for academic affairs will make every effort
to schedule classes in locations that accommodate limited mobility.
Residents who have a physical disability that requires special accommodations
should contact the director of residence life for room assignments that
best meet their needs.
Health
Services
The Stephens Health Services program
is designed to help students gain the knowledge they need to make responsible
decisions about optimal health. The director of health services, who
is also a certified nurse practitioner, coordinates the delivery of
health education and medical services. She sees students by appointment
at the health clinic for lifestyle changes, illnesses and injuries and
may refer students to a consulting physician. There is an extra fee
for using a consulting physician.
For emergency and/or specialized medical care, students are referred
to Columbia physicians or hospitals where all medical and surgical sub-specialties
are available. All costs are the responsibility of the student and her
family. In Missouri, anyone 18 or older may contract for their own health
care. Students should be aware of medical insurance coverage under their
family's policy. Specific information on student health insurance is
available in the Office of the Vice President for Student Services.
When a student is admitted to Stephens, she receives a health information
form which must be completed and returned to Health Services prior to
her arrival on campus. A student must furnish the report of her medical
history, present health status and evidence of recent immunizations
prior to confirming fall preregistration.
Office of
Student Leadership and Campus Programming
The Campus Programming office promotes
and sponsors student activities and events, and provides advice and
support for student organizations and campus-wide activities.
The director and staff are committed to developing student leadership
and involvement through innovative and developmental programs. The office
encourages service, volunteerism and active participation throughout
the student body.
Residence
Life
The director of residence life and graduate
residents, all of whom are professionals in the student life area, work
closely with student staff members, assist in the development of hall
programs and provide opportunities for individual and group development
that contribute to the quality of life for students living in the residence
halls.
Resident assistants (RAs) and resident directors (RDs) living in the
halls are students who serve as peer support persons, providing resource
information and referrals. They assist students in adjusting to college
life and its demands. RAs and RDs are responsible for creating and maintaining
a sense of community in the residence halls.
Residential hall living complements students' academic endeavors through
the connections they make with their roommate, hallmates and staff.
The staff encourages students to take advantage of the many opportunities
for involvement. These opportunities are designed to challenge a student
as she learns and grows throughout her college years.
Students invited to be a part of the Honors House Plan, which is a specialized living and learning environment, will be living in a designated area in Pillsbury Hall. Tower Hall is reserved for upper-class students only.
Student Government
Association, Hall Councils
Students' responsibilities in campus and
hall government are twofold: to become involved in policy-making by
making suggestions and problems known to elected representatives; and
to uphold the rules and regulations made by the same representatives.
Every student is automatically a member of the Student Government Association
(SGA). SGA has executive and legislative powers to govern student activities
and to develop and maintain group living standards. Students who are
elected to SGA committees gain experience in planning, administering
and communicating cultural, social and recreational activities and in
dealing with academic, residential and community problems. Students
are also elected to serve as class officers for each of the four classes.
These officers work within the SGA guidelines as well as serve as leaders
for their classmates.
Each residence hall has its own elected council that provides ideas
and support for campus-wide concerns through SGA. Hall councils also
coordinate recreational, social and cultural activities within the hall.
Student Organizations
Many growth and leadership opportunities
are available to students through the following organizations. Honoraries
include Alpha Lambda Delta, national freshman honorary; Alpha Epsilon
Rho, television, radio; Beta Beta Beta, science; Pi Phi Rho, retailing,
fashion, business; Phi Alpha Delta, pre-law; Sigma Beta Delta, business,
management, administration; Sigma Tau Delta, English; Dimensions Company,
dance; Psi Chi, psychology; and Mortar Board, national senior honor
society. Other organizations include Martin Luther King Jr. Student
Union; Sigma Sigma Sigma and Kappa Delta social sororities; Panhellenic
Council; Prince of Wales Club, equestrian riding; Catholic Student Association;
Stephens Christian Fellowship; Mikreh "Happening", Model United Nations;
Public Relations Student Society of America; Habitat for Humanity; Psychology
Club; Ambassador Association; Students Looking at Teaching and Education;
Stephens College Republicans; Stephens Feminist Organization; Student
Government Association; Students in Free Enterprise; The French Society;
Young Democrats Club; Warehouse Theatre Company; Mudshark Club; Ten
Ideals; and Human United Educated Sistahs.
Student
Publications
Students may become involved in the production
of the student newspaper, Stephens Life, by enrolling in a mass
communication practicum course for credit. Harbinger, a magazine
of original literary, photographic and graphic works, is also produced
by students.
The
Campus
The buildings on the Stephens campus
bridge the modern and historic eras.
Historic Senior Hall, the oldest
building on campus (1841) and one of the oldest structures in Columbia,
is included in the National Register of Historic Places and houses the
music and dance programs.
The James Madison Wood Quadrangle is the Stephens learning
center. Included are the Hugh Stephens Resources Library, classrooms,
multipurpose areas, office-seminar space, a teaching auditorium, a lecture
theater, listening rooms, television and radio studios, FM broadcast
facilities, newsroom, computer labs, laboratories, galleries, art studios—bringing
together traditional learning aids and modern technology.
The Hugh Stephens Resources Library is the central
building of the Quadrangle. It is an open, informal space housing a
variety of resources and offering students and staff comfortable study
areas and computer access to enhance a pleasant, independent learning
and research experience. The Library also offers other spaces to facilitate
academic and business meetings, such as the Penthouse and other meeting
rooms. The Albert Schweitzer Collection area is a quiet nook tucked
away in a corner of the Library—perfect as a quiet place for individual
study or reflection.
The library
collection includes more than 120,000 volumes with new materials added
at the rate of approximately 1,000 each year. There is also a very good
reference collection with professional staff who work with students
and faculty to provide individual or group instruction concerning the
various library resources as needed. The Library subscribes to several
large databases with access to approximately 10,000 full-text and abstract
versions of numerous journals. Other media include audio and videotapes,
DVDs and journals on microform. The Education/Children's Resource Collection
is also housed in the Library.
The library is home to the College's Student Success Center, two computer
labs (Mac and PC) and a G5 Mac lab for digital film editing -- all creating
a "one-stop shop" meeting tudents' learning, tutoring and
technology needs.
Access to the
Library's collection is through the on-line public catalog, Arthur.
Stephens College is a member of the Arthur cluster of the MOBIUS consortium
and so has access to the collections of the other 58 member academic
libraries in Missouri. Students can view the online catalogs of other
member libraries, borrow books directly online or review their own list
of checked out materials and renew items themselves if so desired. Arthur
is available at http://arthur.missouri.edu/
.
Helis Communication Center, KWWC-FM and the
Patricia Barry Television Studio serve as laboratories for students
in television and radio production, broadcast and print journalism,
and public relations courses.
Lewis James and Nellie Stratton Davis Art Gallery exhibits
works of selected artists, with a special emphasis on women artists.
The Catherine Webb Art Studios provide class and studio space for drawing,
painting, computer and digital design, ceramics and printmaking. These
studios also support fashion design classes.
Special facilities of the visual arts area include a large, gas-fired
reduction kiln; two electric kilns; Macintosh computers; printers; and
scanners. Each computer is equipped with CD-ROM drive and a Zip disk
external backup system.
E.S. Pillsbury Science Center houses science and mathematics
faculty offices. Classrooms and laboratories are set up for individual
projects and class experiments.
Ellis Learning, the foreign language lab/student center,
provides audio tape players for drill in foreign languages and a dubbing
service for individual tapes.
Louise Dudley Hall contains classrooms with audiovisual
equipment for courses in English, art history, social studies, business,
psychology, and computer technology. Special facilities in Louise Dudley
Hall include a large art history collection of 35,000 slides, records,
CDs and videos. This specialized library is used as a teaching aid in
art, art history classes.
Windsor Auditorium, a teaching auditorium seating 300,
is also used for recitals and guest lectures.
Charters Lecture Theatre, with seating for 128, is
used for lectures and films. The adjacent Arena Classroom is used for
teaching, lecturing, conferences, exhibitions, audiovisual presentations
and special theatre arts productions.
Firestone Baars Chapel, designed by Eero Saarinen,
is acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind
in the United States. It is used for a variety of worship services and
campus activities as well as for individual worship, meditation and
weddings.
Stamper Commons features self-service dining facilities
for all students, faculty and staff and separate lounge areas on four
levels. There is also the College post office, the bookstore (known
as the Bookshelf), the Office of Student Leadership and Campus Programming,
Health Services, Office of Vice President of Student Services, Office
of Residence Life and the spacious Windsor Lounge.
The John and Mary Silverthorne Arena is equipped for
NAIA basketball and volleyball.
Other recreational facilities include tennis courts, an indoor pool
and billiard tables located at several locations across campus.
Macklanburg Playhouse adjoins the Performing Arts Department
production shop and the student-run Warehouse Theatre. The playhouse
seats 350 and includes a state-of-the-art computerized lighting control
system, sound system and modern rigging equipment. Some unique features
are a fully trapped stage floor; 8-foot-by-32-foot flexible apron deck;
dimmer per circuit lighting distribution; and an independent intercom
system. The building houses faculty offices, a rehearsal hall, an art
gallery and a box office.
Built
in 1938, Lela Raney Wood Hall and
its famed ballroom reopened in April 2006. In addition to the restored
Kimball Ballroom, it also houses an area for Fashion and the Costume
Research Library. LRW is also the main administrative building on campus,
housing the offices of the president, admissions, alumnae, financial
aid, accounting, registrar and marketing.
The Visitors Center, a four-story building, houses
the Office of Continung and Graduate Education and Conferencing and
provides rooms for guests of the College. The building also contains
the Macklanburg Gallery, which exhibits the Berman Collection
and works of art by Albert and Arland Christ-Janer.
Other
Buildings
Classrooms, studios for fashion design, dance,
music and drama, and student publication offices are located in several
traditional and modern buildings; administrative offices are centered
principally in Hickman Hall.
Also on campus are the experimental arena-type Warehouse Theatre
with seating for about 300; the Johnson Plant Laboratory (greenhouse);
and the Audrey Webb Child Study Center, with the Stephens
College Children's School. Stephens Stables, including indoor
and outdoor arenas, paddocks and rings, and two stable blocks, are close
to the main campus. The indoor arena, renovated in 1999, furnishes all-weather
accommodations for riding instruction and horse shows.
Department
Instructional Resources
Department collections—materials that are
the working tools of a department—are housed in the various academic
departments and supplement the collections of the Hugh Stephens Resources
Library. They include the Department of Art's collection of more than
5,000 color and black-and-white slides and 1,000 mounted prints; and
the Art History Program's collection of more than 35,000 art history
color slides and special collection of art reproductions.
Studio and practice instruments available to music students include
grand pianos, studio spinets, a two-manual neoclassic Aeolian-Skinner
pipe organ and a Rutkowski and Robinette two-manual harpsichord.
Special facilities of the Department of Mass Communication in the Helis
Communication Center include KWWC-FM, a 1,250-watt radio station; a
fully equipped television studio; and a newsroom with desktop-publishing
equipment.
The Department of Fashion boasts the Historical Costume Collection
of more than 12,000 garments and accessories of European and American
origin. The collection spans the years from 1750 to the present. Fully
equipped drawing and design studios are available for student use.
For a closer look at campus, visit our Campus
Tour.
