In the Loop, an E-newsletter from Stephens College

After an enjoyable week at home with family and friends for Thanksgiving break, students have returned to campus to finish out the semester...

Annie Potts visits campus
Stephens College alumna and Emmy-nominated actress Annie Potts is back on campus to rehearse for her role as "Desiree" in "A Little Night Music" with theatre students and faculty. She will return home to Los Angeles on Dec. 14.
While on campus, Annie has lent her expertise to students in acting seminars and participated in a variety of campus events. Her visit has gained the interest of media in Columbia and St. Louis. A St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter followed Annie around for a day and published a recent article titled "Hanging out with Annie Potts."
Annie also has spent time reading to the children in the Stephens College Children's School, where education majors gain professional experience beginning their first year of study. (Pictured left, Annie reads "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" on Nov. 13 in the Children's School).
Annie, formerly of Lifetime’s "Any Day Now" and CBS’s "Designing Women," received a bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre at Stephens College. The BFA is a three-year, two-summer program.
Visit http://www.stephens.edu/news/stephensevents/special/main/anniepotts.php for more on Annie’s visit and career.

Graduates honored at reception
December 2003 graduates were recognized at the December Graduation Reception on Dec. 7 in Historic Senior Hall. The Velvetones, our student vocal jazz ensemble, performed; President Wendy Libby addressed the graduates; and refreshments were served after the ceremony.
Be sure to check back soon for photos.

Stephens offers specialty license plate
You or your parents can soon declare your support for Stephens by purchasing a Stephens College specialty license plate. By doing so, you will become an advertisement-in-motion for Stephens. In addition, the donation benefits Stephens students (a specialty plate includes your $25 -- or $50 if you elect a biennial registration -- donation, with proceeds going toward endowed student scholarships).
If your vehicle registration isn’t up for renewal just yet, you can still request a plate: the DMV will pro-rate the registration fee – depending on the overlap of the existing registration and specialty plate registration – which isn’t paid until the plate is ready to be picked up.
Before production of a Stephens license plate can begin, and before plates become available to applicants, 100 applications like yours are needed. We plan to offer a plate in the next few months.
Applications can be obtained through your local Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. You may also contact Amy Gipson for an application and more information.

Midnight breakfast to be held
Before final examinations begin Dec. 15, students will be served breakfast by faculty and staff during Midnight Breakfast, a biannual event that is a popular stress-reliever for students. Highlights will include “Fat White Boy” as the dee-jay, karaoke and a pie-in-the-face contest.
(Photo from a previous year's Midnight Breakfast.)

Stephens freshman recognized for community service
Freshman Amy Diaz recently was honored as one of 10 Missouri youth to receive the Governors Youth Leadership Award. She was recognized for her outstanding community service at the 2003 Missouri Community Betterment Awards in Columbia. In her hometown community of Butler, Mo., Amy has volunteered at youth centers, served at community betterment dinners, organized senior citizen proms, and distributed holiday cards at nursing homes.
Now a freshman Business and Fashion Marketing and Management major at Stephens, Diaz is secretary of the Stephens College ambassadors and a member of the Innovative Fashion Association, the Stars basketball team, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the modeling group.
Visit Campus Life to learn more about activities and organizations at Stephens.

Fashion student benefits from internship
Courtney Nelson, a senior fashion marketing management major at Stephens College, had the unique opportunity to complete her required internship (nearly every academic major at Stephens requires students to complete an internship in their field of interest) by helping to organize the fashion department exhibit "For Better, For Worse: The Dress, The Woman, The Life" at Stephens College. The exhibit, which featured wedding attire from the late 1800s to present, ended in mid-November.
Under the supervision of fashion professor Monica McMurry, Courtney researched the history of the wedding dress (which resulted in a 25-page paper), cared for and steamed garments and fitted gowns to dress forms. After graduating in May, Courtney plans to work in a museum doing costume exhibits as well as researching and writing for scholarly journals and magazines.
(Photo credit: Sara Gettys, Columbia Missourian)

"House Wars" designer started at Stephens
Nicole Facciuto, who works as an interior designer in New York City, has landed her "dream job" as a designer on USA Network’s "House Wars," the ultimate home makeover show. The show was a competition between four families to create their ultimate dream home. Each family was assigned a designer to assist with the project; Nicole’s team, the Andersons, finished second.
As a 1997 theatre arts graduate, Nicole says, "Stephens gave me a wonderful foundation on which to build my career. My years at Stephens were always filled with support from my teachers and dearest friends."

Theatre students performing with Annie Potts
The production of "A Little Night Music," starring Annie Potts as "Desiree," began last week. The play schedule concludes Dec. 10-13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Macklanburg Playhouse. The Broadway masterpiece by Stephen Sondheim is a romantic, achingly beautiful musical that deals with the universal subject of love in all its wondrous, humorous and ironic transformations.

A Victorian Christmas celebration
Students are hosting an authentic recreation of a Victorian Christmas celebration this week in Historic Senior Hall. "A Dickens Victorian Christmas" is hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickens and features holiday music, period dance, refreshments and frivolity.

Senior dance students perform
Senior dance students will reflect on their personal dance experiences through choreography in "Senior Dance Showcase." Performances are Dec. 12-13 in the Warehouse Theatre, our student-run theatre.
Visit Performing Arts.

Davis Art Gallery features local radio station
The Davis Art Gallery is offering a look into the past of KOPN-89.5 FM, a community radio station, through Dec. 12. The "KOPN-A Thirty-Year Retrospective" exhibit is featuring KOPN memorabilia, including vintage radios, artwork, recordings and photos.
Visit Fine Arts.

Basketball, swimming seasons underway
The Stars basketball and swimming teams have begun their seasons.
Visit Athletics for more information on our NCAA Division III sports teams.

If the below dates don’t fit your busy schedule, you may also schedule an individual visit day by contacting the Admission office two weeks in advance. Visit Preview Days for more information, dates and an online registration form.