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, swimming 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.
Administrative Biographies
President Wendy B. Libby
Dr. Wendy B. Libby became the 23rd president of Stephens College on July 1, 2003. She is the third 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. Libby
served as vice president for business affairs and chief financial
officer at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., since 1995. As
a member of the senior management team at Furman and its sole female
vice president, Dr. Libby was instrumental in developing the university’s
vision for the future and directing the creation of the first campus
master plan since the late 1950s.
Prior to Furman, Dr. Libby was the chief finance and business officer
at Westbrook College, a private liberal arts college in Portland,
Maine from 1989-95. She served as special assistant to the president/senior
human resources officer at the University of Hartford in Connecticut
from 1987 to 1989. While at the University of Connecticut Health
Center in Farmington, she was the assistant hospital director of
The John Dempsey Hospital and special assistant to the associate
executive director from 1985 to 1987. Dr. Libby was the administrative
manager of the College of Education and administrative associate
of the Office of Finance at The Ohio State University in Columbus
from 1984 to 1985. From 1979 to 1984, she served as the director
of administrative operations for the College of Architecture, Art
and Planning, and the director of administration for the Public
Management Program of the Johnson Graduate School of Management
at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Dr. Libby earned her Ph.D. in Educational Administration
from the University of Connecticut in 1994, her M.B.A. from the
Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University in 1977
and her B.S. in Biology from Cornell in 1972.
Dr. Libby is a member of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Association
of College and University Business Officers, as well as a member
of the southern and national associations of that organization,
and a member of the Society for College and University Planning.
She also is a board member of the Greenville Literacy Association
and chair of its fundraising committee, and a founding board member
of the Caribbean Institute of Technology and the Tuition Plan Consortium.
She is married to Dr. Richard Libby, a former
college president. They have two sons, Glenn and wife Ginger, and
Gregg and wife Lori; and four grandchildren.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Rex Stevens
Dr. Rex Stevens became the vice president for academic
affairs and dean of the faculty in 2004. He is responsible for recruiting,
developing and evaluating the faculty, and for maintaining and enhancing
the quality of academic programs and the curriculum.
Dr. Stevens has more than 30 years of experience in higher education.
He previously served as vice president for academic affairs at Point
Park College in Pittsburgh, Pa. (1998-2003) and at Western New England
College in Springfield, Mass. (1988-98). He also served in numerous
capacities at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., where he began his
career in 1972 as a faculty member in the philosophy department
(1972-88) and later worked as executive assistant to the president
(1981-83), provost (1983-87) and director of the Mercer University
Engineering Research Center (1986-88).
Dr. Stevens earned a B.A. in philosophy and history and an M.A.
in philosophy from Wichita State University and a Ph.D. in philosophy
from Washington University in St. Louis.
Vice President for Finance
Tim Klocko
After serving as the College’s controller since October 2001,
Tim Klocko became the vice president for finance
in June 2002.
Prior to Stephens, Klocko worked at Grand View College in Iowa as
controller for three years and as a business administration professor
for eight years.
He received a B.S. in accounting and finance and an M.B.A. with
an accounting emphasis, both from Northwest Missouri State University.
Vice President for Operations and Facilities
Douglas Lange
Douglas Lange, Vice President
for Operations and Facilities, oversees the Department of Operation
and Facilities. He previously served as the director of Facilities
Services at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., where he directed
and managed all aspects of the facility construction, maintenance
and operations, and coordinated the facility assessment and master
planning efforts. He also previously served as the director of the
physical plant at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas,
and director of plant operations at Cumberland County Schools in
Fayetteville, N.C.
Lange served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves for more than
20 years. He retired in April 2004 as a colonel in the Army Reserves
following recent tours of duty in Afghanistan and Kosovo.
Lange earned a B.S. from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A.
from Angelo State University.
Dean of Enrollment Services David E.
Adams
David E. Adams, Dean
of Enrollment Services, oversee the admission and financial aid
offices at the College; he joined the Stephens staff in June 2005.
Adams previously marketed training programs as a consultant for
Synergy, a division of Missouri Employers Mutual, and as a project
manager at the University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri Training
Institute. He also has worked in a variety of human resources positions,
including assistant vice president of human resources for Angelica
Corporation in St. Louis.
He earned a B.S. from Central Missouri State University.
Vice President for Student Services
Deborah Duren
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.
Vice President for Marketing
and Public Relations Amy Gipson
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 for Development and Alumnae Relations Carol Julian
Carol Julian serves as vice
president for development and alumnae relations at Stephens.
Prior to her appointment at Stephens in August 2002, Ms. Julian
served as vice president for institutional advancement at Point
Park College in Pittsburgh since August 1997. She also served as
a director in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at Murray
State University in Murray, Ky., and directed gift planning and
scholarship programs at the Murray State University Foundation.
She has a B.A. in political science from Marshall University in
Huntington, W.Va., and a Master of Public Administration degree
from Murray State University.
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.
