Stephens College: News and Events-For the Media

Media Kit

Historic Timeline
Administrative Biographies
Notable Alumnae

For a history of Stephens and general facts and figures about the College, please visit About Stephens.

Historic Timeline: Stephens College Changing the World

1833
Columbia Female Baptist Academy is established. Lucy Wales is appointed as the school’s preceptress. At that time, Columbia, Mo., is a frontier town with nine stores, two taverns, four grogshops and one Presbyterian meeting house. Andrew Jackson is the seventh president of the United States, which has a population of 10 million.

1837
The Academy receives its charter and construction begins on its first building.

1855
The first train crosses the Mississippi River at Rock Island, Ill., and comes through Columbia dropping off Stephens College students.

1856
Columbia Female Baptist College is established. Eight acres of land and a brick residence are purchased to form what is today the nucleus of the 200-acre campus.

1857
The College’s charter is secured.

1870
Columbia Female Baptist College is transferred to the Missouri Baptist General Association, and its name is changed to Stephens College in honor of James L. Stephens, a dry goods store owner from Columbia, Mo., who endowed it with $20,000.

1900
Stephens creates three academic departments: music, art and commercial (shorthand and typing).

1905
Stephens College becomes a junior college as associate in arts degrees are awarded for the first time.

1910
The College’s Board of Curators abandons the practice of leasing the College to the president and assumes management directly.

1912
James Madison Wood is appointed president of Stephens College and remains at the helm for 35 years. The College adds four academic departments: science, dramatic science, expression and Christian service for women.

1920
Director of Research Werrett Charters, Ph.D., begins conducting studies on women’s education to scientifically adapt the College’s curriculum to meet the specific needs of the students. His findings later lead to a revision in the curriculum based on seven areas, including humanities, social problems, philosophy of living, communications, physical health and mental health.

1933
Stephens College holds its centennial celebration. Approximately 5,000 women have graduated from the College.

1937
“First Lady of the American Theatre” Maude Adams is appointed professor of drama at Stephens College.

1944
Under the sponsorship of 12 of the nation’s leading airlines, Stephens College institutes the first course of study ever offered for the training of women in commercial aviation.

1950
Construction begins on the Firestone Baars Chapel, designed by architect Eero Saarinen. Having just designed the U.S. Embassy in London, Saarinen soon will begin work on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

1955
Stephens offers first-year students a lecture course titled “Ideas and Living Today,” which is taught by master teachers via closed-circuit television.

1960
The College creates the Searcy House Plan, a unique living/learning community designed for freshmen, which later becomes a nationally recognized educational model.

1968
Making the transition to a four-year college, Stephens receives full accreditation for awarding bachelor degrees.

1970
A new plan is proposed for undergraduate work that leads to the establishment of the University Without Walls.

1977
Historic Senior Hall, the original building in which the College was housed and its only residence hall until 1918, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

1983
Patsy H. Sampson is elected as the first woman president of Stephens College.

Stephens College celebrates its 150th year.

1994
Dr. Marcia S. Kierscht is inaugurated as the 22nd president of Stephens College.

1995
Stephens College embarks on the Stephens for the New Millennium Plan. The Plan emphasizes five goals: developing competitive and marketable academic programs that address the changing roles of women; right-sizing campus properties and facilities; improving technology; building a diverse community on campus; and enhancing fund raising.

Drawing on its experiences with the successful Searcy House Plan, the College creates the Prunty Science House Plan, a living/learning community for students interested in the study of mathematics, science and technology.

1996
Stephens hosts the only 1996 U.S. showing of “Toward a Peaceful World Free Of Nuclear Weapons,” an educational exhibit from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Museums.

1997
Stephens introduces its first graduate programs, offering degrees for men and women through the School of Graduate and Continuing Education. The online Master of Business Administration Program incorporates three emphasis areas: management, entrepreneurial studies and clinical information systems management. The Master of Education in Counseling Program responds to national trends and needs at the elementary and secondary levels. Stephens College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

Stephens College launches its first comprehensive capital campaign, The Campaign for Stephens: It’s Her Turn, to raise $35 million. Campaign priorities include improving and renovating campus facilities, funding new academic equipment and technology, and increasing endowment. The capstone project is the restoration of Lela Raney Wood Hall, built in 1938. The campaign launched June 1, 1997, and concludes May 31, 2004.

1998
Stephens breaks ground on the creation of a new basketball/volleyball facility, the John and Mary Silverthorne Arena. The construction coincides with the announcement that Stephens is adding basketball — to existing programs in soccer, volleyball and tennis — as its fifth NCAA Division III sport.

2001
The Carnegie Foundation reclassifies Stephens from Baccalaureate College-General to Baccalaureate College-Liberal Arts, noting that the College offers at least 50 percent of its degrees in the liberal arts.

Stephens College receives its largest gift in College history, $5 million, from 1929 alumna Evalyn King Joachim.

2002
Reflecting the Carnegie Foundation’s 2001 reclassification, U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” shows that Stephens joined the ranks of the best national liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Stephens alumna Gretchen Bush Kimball and husband William donate $2.5 million to Stephens, the largest donation in College history. Called the Kimball Challenge, the gift will match dollar-for-dollar donations and gifts up to $2.5 million to renovate Lela Raney Wood Hall. With its expected completion in Spring 2004, LRW will serve as a central location for student and administrative offices and also house the College’s renowned Historical Costume Collection.

2003
Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., becomes the 23rd president of Stephens College on July 1.

2009
Dianne Lynch, Ph.D., becomes the 24th president of Stephens College on June 2.

Administrative Biographies

President
Dianne Lynch, Ph.D. became the 24th president of Stephens College on June 2, 2009. She is the fourth woman to become president of the four-year private college for women. Stephens College remains deeply rooted in the tradition of innovation upon which it was founded in 1833, continuing to educate outstanding women leaders.

Before her appointment at Stephens, Dr. Lynch served as dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., since 2004. The Park School of Communications has approximately 1,400 students and 60 full-time faculty.

Dr. Lynch is a member of the national accrediting council for schools of journalism and mass communication (ACEJMC); a member of the national Journalism Advisory Council of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; and a former Fulbright Senior Specialist in new media technologies and learning.

Prior to becoming dean at Ithaca College in 2004, Dr. Lynch was a faculty member and chair of the Department of Journalism at Saint Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont, a private liberal arts college of approximately 1,800 students. In that capacity, she won local, regional and national awards for teaching, including recognition in 1999 as the national Journalism Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Lynch was the founding executive director of the national Online News Association. In that capacity, she was the editorial director of the first national study of the credibility of online news. She wrote a biweekly column about women and technology, “Wired Women,” for ABCNews.com from 2000 to 2003, and a weekly column on new media ethics for the Christian Science Monitor from 1998 to 2002.

She earned her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying feminist history in journalism, and her Ph.D. in Art History and Communications from McGill University in Montreal, where she studied feminist theory and social identity development. Dr. Lynch’s research focuses on the learning styles and knowledge production of “digital natives,” children who grow up in virtual environments.

Dr. Lynch is a member of the Board of Trustees of WSKG, a public broadcasting station serving 21 counties in New York and Pennsylvania.

She is married to Philip Coleman. They have four children: Andrew, 28; Amelia, 25; Nicholas, 23; and Annie, 11; two dogs, Madison and Addy; and two cats, Willie and Bella.

Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs
Nancy Cornwell, Vice President for Academic Affairs, is responsible for enhancing the quality and curriculum of academic programs, developing the College’s assessment process and continuing the academic renaissance of Stephens. She is serving Stephens College for the 2011-2012 academic year during a one-year sabbatical leave of absence from Ithaca College, where she chaired the department of television-radio in the Park School of Communications.

She earned a Ph.D. in Media Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an M.S. in Telecommunications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, and a B.S. in Psychology from St. Lawrence University. Her scholarly work explores the tensions between First Amendment rights and competing individual rights and social values.

Vice President for Enrollment Management
Chris Collier, Vice President for Enrollment Management, oversees the Undergraduate Admissions Office and the Office of Student Financial Aid. He joined Stephens in 2004.

While at Stephens, Collier has served as Interim Dean of Enrollment Management, Director of Admissions, Assistant Director of Admissions, Admissions Counselor and Head Softball Coach. He earned a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Vice President for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer
Lindi Overton, Vice President for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer, oversees the Accounting office, Facilities, Human Resources, Auxiliary Services and Dining Services. She joined Stephens in March 2011.

She most recently served as Vice President of College Services at Clatsop Community College in Astoria, Oregon. She also was Associate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Columbia College in Columbia, Mo., from 1985 to 1998. Lindi has a B.A. in English from Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Mo. She earned a Masters of Accountancy degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her Ph.D. in Education from St. Louis University. She also holds a CPA license in the State of Oregon.

Vice President for Innovation and New Initiatives
As Vice President for Innovation & New Initiatives, Suzanne Sharp, works with President Lynch to review, plan, and launch new initiatives campus-wide, including new programs, partnerships and other opportunities. She joined Stephens in 2004 as Dean of the Division of Graduate & Continuing Studies (a position she still holds), which has four programs: an online-based M.B.A., an online-based Master in Strategic Leadership, an M.Ed. in Counseling, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. The undergraduate adult program includes Health Information Administration, the first distance learning program for this field in the United States.

Prior to joining Stephens in 2004, Sharp worked as an education facilitator for Synergy@work and Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance, specializing in experiential learning for teams and performance improvement. She has worked with other local institutions, including Westminster College and the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is certified to teach the Edward de Bono courses Six Thinking Hats, Focus on Facilitation and Lateral Thinking. She is also qualified to administer and interpret the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Sharp is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Missouri in educational leadership and policy analysis. She earned a B.S. in Communications from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and an M.S. in Student Personnel Administration from Central Missouri State University.

Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations
Amy Gipson, Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations, oversees publications, media, web development and a variety of special events and other projects at the College. She joined the Stephens staff in 1995.

Gipson earned a B.J. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Vice President of Philanthropy
Shannon Blankenship Walls '93 serves as interim vice president of philanthropy at Stephens. She joined the Stephens staff in 1995 and has held various positions within the office including campaign director for the $40 million Smart, Strong, Savvy...Stephens campaign and director of alumnae relations. She also has served as the director of major gifts at the University of New England and director of lifelong learning at the Mizzou Alumni Association.

She has a B.F.A. in theatrical design from Stephens College. She spent five summers at the College's Okoboji Summer Theatre -- two as a student and three as resident scenic designer.

Vice President for Student Services
Deborah Duren was promoted from dean of students and director of athletics to vice president for student services in January 2004. Duren has worked in numerous capacities since her arrival at Stephens in 1984.

She worked in her previous positions of dean of students and director of athletics since 1994 and 1993, respectively. Duren served as coordinator of advising (1989-1994); physical education instructor (1986-1996); teacher education instructor (1989-1995); and instructor at the Audrey Webb Children’s School (1987-1994). She also has served as head volleyball coach at various times, including this year. Before Stephens, Duren worked as the head volleyball and softball coach at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1974-1980.

She earned a B.S. in Education from Southwest Missouri State University in 1973 and a M.Ed. in physical education and athletic administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1990.

Notable Alumnae

From Broadway to the White House, graduates are carrying the Stephens College name across the world, pursing exciting careers and consistently earning coveted awards. The following are just a few of the remarkable women who form the Stephens College alumnae network.

JEANE KIRKPATRICK, the United States' first female ambassador to the United Nations. She passed away in December 2006.
PAULA ZAHN, news anchor. She has hosted CNN's "Paula Zahn NOW," co-hosted “CBS This Morning” and anchored for the Fox News Channel and“CBS Evening News Saturday Edition.”
MARY MEL FRENCH, former chief of protocol for the United States.
ANNIE POTTS, actress on the Lifetime Network's “Any Day Now.” Other credits include television's “Over the Top,” “Dangerous Minds,” “Designing Women” and “Love and War,” and the films “Pretty in Pink,” “Ghostbusters” and “Crimes of Passion.”
GEORGE ANN HARDING, retired senior vice president and general counsel for the Minute Maid Division of Coca-Cola.
PATRICIA BARRY, Five-time Emmy-nominated actress of stage and screen, and founding member of Women In Film. Her credits include the musical “Mame,” daytime television's “Loving,” “Days of Our Lives” and “Guiding Light,” and numerous film appearances, including “American Gigolo” and “Sea of Love.” She has appeared in more than 800 television programs.
TONI VERSTANDIG, former deputy assistant secretary of state. She is now a senior policy adviser at the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.
JENNIFER TILLY, Oscar-nominee for the Woody Allen film “Bullets Over Broadway,” with roles in the films “Liar, Liar,” “The Getaway,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and “Bound.”
TOMIMA EDMARK, entrepreneur, inventor and author. After earning the coveted Golden Circle Award as an IBM marketing representative, Edmark began the multimillion-dollar TopsyTail Company.
ALANNA NASH, a feature writer for Entertainment Weekly, USA Weekend and The New York Times. Her books include “Golden Girl: The Jessica Savitch Story,” “Behind Closed Doors: Talking with the Legends of Country Music” and “Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia.”
ANNE-LOUISE WALLACE, free-lance stage manager whose credits include “The Cosby Show,” “The Today Show,” “Donahue,” “Saturday Night Live” and the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.
JUDITH DOYEN TAYLOR, owner of Judy Taylor Casting in Los Angeles. Casting for “Free Willy” and Disney television.