Just for Parents
Your
daughter is about to embark on a remarkable journey, and where she’ll
spend the next few years of her life is an important decision. As
a parent, you are your daughter’s strongest supporter. Your
daughter trusts your opinion and values your perspective.
She will choose her own path.
The
all-female college environment allows young women to develop the
courage, intellect and confidence
to step into challenging roles and leadership positions in a changing
society. They gain the specific skills and knowledge of their
chosen
career field, while building a solid foundation for life through
liberal arts education. At Stephens, your daughter will strengthen
her writing,
critical thinking, creativity and communication skills. She will
also benefit from internships, research opportunities and other
experiences.
She will develop as an independent thinker, setting her course
for success.
It was yesterday (actually more than 1,500 yesterdays) when Laura was contemplating the type of college she would like to attend. Coming from a high school with almost 4,000 students, Laura decided she did not want to attend a populous college of undergraduates. She wanted to attend a smaller college where she would be a name and not just a number. Laura was hoping to find a faculty that would not only take an interest in her latest test scores, but also her goals and desires. However, I felt that Laura was going to miss out on “college life” by attending a college with a predominance of women. It was Laura’s choice, and I had to accept the fact that Stephens would probably never field a competitive football team. As it turns out, Laura’s goal of attending a school “where everybody knows your name,” worked out beyond our initial trepidation. Laura’s instructors came to know her name, her goals, her weaknesses, what motivates her, and they have a shared interest in her success. Columbia, Missouri, is the home of three colleges, which gave Laura the “college experience.” She made friends at the University of Missouri, both female and male (to her delight and contributing to my neurosis). Much to my surprise, she actually developed an interest in basketball and football. Laura learned that she could depend on the staff and the president of the college (even President Libby knows Laura by name) and alumnae who care about the school and the student body. Laura’s biggest supporters are her fellow students and friends. Her fellow students have been the pillars of Stephens and have supported Laura through the highs and especially the lows of college life. Stephens College allows each student to achieve her goals and beyond to excel now and in the future. Solomon Eisenbaum Laura is now the assistant catering director for ARAMARK Higher Education at Arizona State University. |
She will be a part of an outstanding, active
learning environment.
Our professors will ask a lot of your daughter, but she can expect
a lot in return. In small classes led by experienced and credentialed
faculty, she will receive the one-on-one attention you would expect
of a college with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Furthermore,
your daughter will have access to 24-hour computer labs, a wireless
Internet connection anywhere on campus, multimedia classrooms and
technology specific to her major area of study. Hands-on experiences,
internships, study abroad, research projects and presentations,
and many other opportunities make Stephens a worthwhile investment
in your daughter’s future.
She will explore opportunities beyond the
classroom.
Internships and Service Projects
Your daughter will have the opportunity to utilize her talents in
the workplace even before graduation. Not only do internships shine
on a résumé, but they also allow a student to get
a head start on the competition and gain valuable experience in
her field of study.
Stephens’ supportive alumnae, more than 30,000 strong across
the nation, are more than willing to help open a door for a fellow
Stephens woman with potential and enthusiasm. Alumnae have assisted
students in landing internships at locations like America Online,
Inc., in Washington, D.C., Escada in New York City, and DeLovely
Farm, Inc., in Rockport, Indiana, a top American Saddlebred training
facility.
Stephens' extensive network of alumnae is an invaluable resource for graduates starting their own careers. View the alumnae map to see where Stephens alumnae are located throughout the country.
Study Abroad
Through numerous study abroad options, students have the chance
to explore the world and different cultures. Students may attend
one of our sister colleges in Japan or Ehwa Woman’s University
in Korea, study design or business during a semester abroad in Paris,
spend the summer at the London College of Fashion, or elect another
program that meets their interests.
Broadening her horizons isn’t something your daughter will
just talk about at Stephens – she will actually do it.
She will find a home away from home.
Campus Life
Our six residence halls offer all the conveniences of on-campus living
for students throughout their years at Stephens. Single rooms are
the norm and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Special
floors are devoted to national sorority members and to students bringing
a pet from home. Kitchens, laundry facilities, computer labs, wireless
Internet connections and comfortable hall lobbies for movie nights
are just a few of the amenities. A key-card entry system for each
hall, outdoor campus phones and security escorts create a safe campus
environment. Apartment-style living is also available. All halls are
in close proximity to classrooms, faculty offices and the student
commons.
Athletics
Stephens offers women NAIA competition in volleyball, basketball,
softball, cross country, tennis and swimming. Athletic scholarships
are available. Stephens emphasizes the development of the scholar-athlete,
with academic success taking top priority.
Clubs and Organizations
Students follow their interests and become involved in existing campus
groups or start their own. Among Stephens’ more than 40 clubs
and organizations are the Student Government Association, Martin Luther
King Jr. Student Union, Mortar Board National Honor Society, and Public
Relations Student Society of America.
Academic Resource Center
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) offers a variety of student-support
services as well as a comfortable computer-equipped study area.
ARC
staff members provide writing assistance (e.g. on mechanics, organization,
development) for essays and other assignments. They also help
students
develop strong study skills and research skills. Faculty may refer
students to the ARC for extra assistance; the ARC staff works
with
the faculty, keeping them informed as to students’ progress.
Tutoring in specific subjects is available.
Counseling and Health Services
Stephens offers treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, allergy
services, women’s health exams and referrals to physicians,
health care agencies and paraprofessionals. A counseling professional
is also available.
Career Services
Through the Career Services Center, your daughter can explore opportunities
for internships, future jobs and graduate school. Whatever she decides
to pursue beyond Stephens, the academic and career counselors will
provide one-on-one support. They also maintain a database of alumnae,
providing students with valuable contacts, career advice and employment.
Career Services also assists with on-campus work study positions as
well as permanent, part-time and summer employment.
Columbia, Missouri
Noted for its eateries, galleries, specialty shops, cycling/nature
trails and parks, Columbia has all the benefits of a lively college
town. Columbia prides itself on being a safe and progressive community;
its major industries are education, healthcare and insurance. Stephens
and two neighboring coeducational colleges round out Columbia’s
population of approximately 90,000 residents. Downtown Columbia, the
football stadium and a myriad of music, theatre and art venues become
popular gathering places for college students. Columbia Regional Airport
is 15 minutes from campus, and Mo-Express offers shuttle service to
Kansas City and St. Louis just two hours away.
 |
“There’s no greater feeling in the arts than being a member of a company, one of the band, part of a team of artists who work together, support each other, encourage each other and inspire each other. That’s what I see Stephens students experience. There’s cutting-edge technology available here, but there’s a very old-fashioned belief in community. The teachers bring a tremendous sense of personal loyalty to their students. They get to know them as individuals. They cheer them on here at school, and beyond, as they move into professional lives. At Stephens we give our students the skills they need to succeed in dance, theatre, film, music and our other majors, but we also give them the support they need to succeed as human beings out in the world. I don’t think there’s anywhere like it in America.” Ken LaZebnik, Distinguished Professor of Film, School of Performing Arts |
She will follow in the footsteps of female
leaders.
Stephens Alumnae
At Stephens, your daughter will find mentors and helping hands in
the Stephens women who graduated before her. Whether it’s
pointing a student toward the right contacts or providing a position
in her own office or business, Stephens alumnae — like Emily
Reynolds, Secretary of the U.S. Senate, or Ying Li, a designer for
a top New York fashion company — give students the opportunity
to obtain real work experience in their fields of interest. In recent
years, alumnae have found careers as a senior trend forecaster for
Cotton, Inc., as director of corporate events for America Online,
and as the accessories editor for Lucky Magazine.
See where Stephens alumnae are today. View the alumnae map.
The Women’s College Advantage
Studies have found that, by attending women’s colleges, women:
Are more successful in careers; that is, they tend to hold higher
positions, are happier and earn more money.
Constitute more than 20% of women in Congress
and 30% of a Business Week list of rising women stars in
Corporate America, yet only represent 2% of all female college graduates.
Have more opportunities to hold leadership positions and are able
to observe women functioning in top jobs (at women’s colleges,
90% of the presidents and 55% of the faculty are female).
Report greater satisfaction than their coed counterparts with their
college experience in almost all measures – academically,
developmentally and personally.
Develop measurably higher levels of self-esteem than other achieving
women in coeducational institutions. After two years in coeducational
institutions, women have been shown to have lower levels of self-esteem
than when they entered college.
(source: Women’s College Coalition)
| “Single-sex colleges
show a pattern of effects...that is almost uniformly positive...students
become more academically involved, interact with faculty frequently,
show increases in intellectual self-esteem, and are more satis?ed
with practically all aspects of the college experience compared
with their counterparts in coeducational institutions... Women’s
colleges increase the chances that women will obtain positions
of leadership, complete the baccalaureate degree, and aspire
to higher degrees.” -Leading student life authority Alexander Astin in his analysis of college environments, Four Critical Years |
She will
benefit from your investment.
Value
As a parent, you are concerned about the value of your daughter’s
education. Your daughter’s college experience is truly an
investment in her future, and we believe that an investment in Stephens
is a wise choice. Earning a solid degree from an established institution,
working with outstanding faculty, embracing leadership opportunities
and gaining marketable experience will transform your daughter’s
potential into success.
Financial Aid
Academic, performance and athletic scholarships as well as grants,
campus employment and need-based aid are all significant portions
of a student’s financial aid package. Stephens’ financial
aid counselors will work with you to explore the various sources
of financial aid and build the best financial plan to meet your
family’s needs. All that your daughter needs to do is apply
for admission.
She will forever be a part of the Stephens
tradition.
Founded in 1833, Stephens is the second-oldest
women’s college in the nation. A few generations ago the options
for women were limited, but today your daughter has the freedom to
choose her own way. Stephens will support her in reaching her goals.
Stephens College is a conscientious community that continues to grow
and touch lives. We put our resources into updating campus facilities,
renovating historic landmarks on our campus, supporting the Columbia
community and enhancing our academic and extracurricular offerings
to the benefit of our students.
It is our intent to create a lasting legacy for young women. Representative
of our values-driven culture since 1921, our Ten Ideals have
become a tireless standard for the College, as the Stephens family
is made up of generations of women who exemplify the Ten Ideals
in their everyday lives.
In choosing Stephens, your daughter will become a part of this legacy
and receive an education for a lifetime.
 |
In her first two years at Stephens, Kristin Parran has immersed herself in college life. In addition to serving as vice president of the Student Government Association, Kristin is the public relations representative for the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, a resident assistant in Roblee Hall, and a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Modeling Group. Earlier this year, Kristin received recognition for her work in the community with the 2007 Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Outstanding Service. And as a freshman, she was inducted into the national honorary Alpha Lambda Delta. After she graduates from Stephens, Kristin plans to pursue an M.B.A. and find a way to blend her two passions: broadcasting and public relations. Her involvement in Inroads, an organization that places talented minority youth in business and industry, led her to be named the 2006 Inroads Freshman Intern of the Year. Says her parents, Rod and Debra, “Each semester Kristin returns home a more productive, independent, strong woman. We are confident that when she graduates, she will be fully ready to take on the world and begin an amazing career.”
Kristin Parran ’09 |
Our Mission
Historically committed to meeting the changing
needs of women, Stephens College engages students in an innovative
educational experience focused on pre-professional fields and the
performing arts and grounded in the liberal arts. Graduates of Stephens
are career-ready women of distinction, connected through a supportive
network of alumnae across the world, confident in themselves, and
inspired by our tradition of the Ten Ideals as core values
that enrich women’s lives.
Ten Ideals
Inherent in the culture at Stephens College is the tradition of the Ten Ideals, which originated in 1921. Each year, 10 students whose activities represent the overall ideals of Stephens College are selected as personifications of individual Ideals.
The Ten Ideals are:
- Respect
- Courage
- Independence
- Support
- Sensitivity
- Responsibility
- Belief
- Creativity
- Intelligence
- Leadership
