Best wishes to our alumnae and friends for a joyous holiday season and a New Year filled with exciting new challenges and continued success!

Faculty Excellence

The ideals of Stephens College are evident in our faculty who consistently demonstrate professional leadership and academic excellence.

We commend Dr. Mark Thompson, Assistant Professor, Historical Studies, for sharing his expertise at the 40th annual conference of The Western Society for French History (WSFH) in Banff, Canada in October 2012. Dr. Thompson presented a paper titled, “We must rid ourselves of Indochina: France, European Integration and the End of the Indochina War” as part of a panel focused on the decolonization of the French empire.

Since coming to Stephens in 2008, Dr. Thompson has held the Sara Jane Johnson ’56 Professorship in history. He previously taught at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and the University of Toronto. Dr. Thompson’s teaching experience includes globalization, world history, decolonization and 19th and 20th century international relations history. He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in History at the University of Toronto, and a B.A. in Classics and History at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

We also congratulate Tina Ehrhardt '10 MSL, Director, Graduate Business Programs and Assistant Professor. She was recently named President-Elect of the Human Resources Association of Central Missouri and was selected as a Board Member for the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge. Her leadership was further recognized when she gave a peer-reviewed presentation earlier this year for the United States Distance Learning Association. Her presentation was titled “Onboard! Moving From Orienting to Us to Onboarding For You.”

Student Success

We are excited to announce that Karina Palencia ’15 and Madison Moore ’14 will soon embark on global adventures, studying abroad to fulfill their goals of personal growth, cultural awareness, career development and of course, sightseeing. While exploring different parts of the world, Karina and Madison will blog about their experiences, so everyone at Stephens can share in their journey.

Karina chose Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea as her destination. Through a new friend, Kylie Dakyeong Seong, a Korean exchange student at Stephens, Karina was introduced to Korea’s unique culture, language and music. “I grew up in a Hispanic household and have been exposed to both Latin and Western cultures,” Karina explains. “Studying the Korean language and taking fashion courses at Konkuk will be entirely different than anything I have experienced. I believe that appreciating cultural differences is essential to being a good global citizen, particularly in this fast-paced world where technological advancements are altering the way people live and interact.”

We are also proud to announce that Karina received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship as well as the Freeman Award for Study in Asia to support her study abroad. Congratulations, Karina!

Madison shares this perspective and looks forward to a “life-changing experience” in Florence, Italy. As a Fashion Marketing and Management major, attending the Florence University of the Arts (FUA) is a natural fit for achieving her career goals. According to Madison, studying at FUA will give her a different viewpoint of the industry and an excellent advantage in the business world. Besides immersing herself in Italian culture, she looks forward to experiencing a new form of autonomy that will strengthen her independence and deepen her self-awareness as she navigates an unfamiliar environment.

Academic Innovation

Dr. Susan Bartel, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Organizational Leadership and Strategic Communication (SOLSC) is proud to announce three new degree programs available in Fall 2013 that will transform Stephens’ undergraduate business and marketing programs. According to Dean Bartel, these new academic offerings “creatively meet the changing needs of students interested in broad strategic communications such as marketing, public relations, graphic and digital design, advertising and event planning.”

In addition to the following degree programs, undergraduates can minor in Event Planning (a current, popular offering) or a new minor in Small Business Ownership:

• Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication: Integrated Marketing
• Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication: Design
• Bachelor of Science in Event and Convention Management (three-year program)

Strategic Communication graduates will be well prepared for positions as strategists, account executives, graphic designers, content creators and writers in a variety of corporate, non-profit, governmental and academic environments. Also worth noting is that Stephens’ three-year degree program in Event and Convention Management includes practical, hands-on experience that quickly prepares graduates for one of the fastest-growing, non-technical careers available.

According to Dean Bartel, “We are proud to offer these exciting new options for young women that build on our strengths and prepare students for in-demand careers. If you know anyone who would benefit from these new undergraduate programs, please send them to the Office of Admissions.”

Our amazing alumnae are always involved in new and exciting adventures. You can read more about some of their recent accomplishments in our Class Notes. We also invite you to check out Chapter Notes for events and happenings with our alumnae chapters around the country.

Finally, we encourage you to submit your news for inclusion in our Class Notes or future issue of [from] Stephens. We want to hear from you!