Starring Stephens

Stephens alumna Jennie Runk has been making news for being normal.

Well, actually, she’s not that normal. She’s absolutely beautiful. But she is a normal size.

And then a big-named swimsuit company had the audacity to put her in a bikini and use her photos in its campaign without even labeling it as anything other than “beachwear.”

Here are the headlines:

“H&M break new ground by using size 12 model”

“H&M quietly debuts ‘Beachwear’ collection using plus-size model”

“H&M’s new Beachwear collection has groundbreaking approach to swimwear for curvy girls” (warning: click on that one and a “Weight Watchers” ad pops up.)

Amidst all the media attention, Jennie—who was a model before she attended Stephens, where she earned a creative writing degree in 2011—decided to share her own thoughts. She wrote this commentary for BBC News Magazine. Jennie writes:

“I had no idea that my H&M beachwear campaign would receive so much publicity. I’m the quiet type who reads books, plays video games, and might be a little too obsessed with her cat.

So, suddenly having a large amount of publicity was an awkward surprise at first. I found it strange that people made such a fuss about how my body looks in a bikini, since I don’t usually give it much thought.

When my Facebook fan page gained about 2,000 new likes in 24 hours, I decided to use the attention as an opportunity to make the world a little nicer by promoting confidence. I’ve since been receiving lots of messages from fans, expressing gratitude.

Some even told me that my confidence has inspired them to try on a bikini for the first time in years. This is exactly the kind of thing I’ve always wanted to accomplish, showing women that it’s OK to be confident even if you’re not the popular notion of ‘perfect.’

This message is especially important for teenage girls. Being a teenage girl is incredibly difficult. They need all the help and support they can get.

When our bodies change and we all start to look totally different, we simultaneously begin feeling pressured to look exactly the same. This is an impossible goal to achieve and I wish I had known that when I was 13. …

Seriously.

Read more about her experiences here, but she goes on to write:

Having finally survived it, I feel compelled to show girls who are going through the same thing that it’s acceptable to be different. You will grow out of this awkwardness fabulously. Just focus on being the best possible version of yourself and quit worrying about your thighs, there’s nothing wrong with them.

What an inspiring message. I hope her young fans take it to heart.

Like Jennie, I can’t wait for a society that stops obsessing over size. But I’m kinda a hypocrite because sometimes I obsess, too. I hate running into people who knew me in high school or college—I know the first thing they’re going to notice is I’ve grown out! But I’ve also grown up, and unfortunately what they can’t see is that my confidence has grown just as much as my waistline.

In the meantime, models such as Jennie will be the pioneers leading us toward that nirvana.

You can learn more about her by becoming one of the 3,477 (as of Wednesday morning) people who “Like” her page on Facebook.

Actually, make that 3,478. Because I’m definitely a fan.

It’s funny how you can work alongside someone and know nothing about their lives–what they’ve been through, why they do what they do and how much they’ve overcome.

I knew from my first month at Stephens that Sandie Heckman is a special woman. I told you about her–she’s the staff member who’s made spreading random acts of kindness her life’s work. She was also one of a handful of employees honored at our employee recognition ceremony. This past Saturday, she was a proud Mom, too, watching her daughter, Sarah, walk across the stage and receive her Stephens College degree.

Yesterday, I found out that a personal story Sandie’s wrote is now a finalist in the Victorious Women Project’s annual short story competition.

While I read through some of the entries, and all of the women should be very proud, Sandie’s stands out. In “Strength and Awakening During Tough Times,” we read about tragedy that Sandie, armed with faith, turned into triumph.

Good news. You can not only read the story here, but you can also vote during the public phase of the contest. You have to sign in using Facebook (Sorry, Mom–see, this is why you need a Facebook account!) but after that it simply takes a click and you can send Sandie’s story on to the judges.

Congrats once again Sandie. I’m so proud to call you a colleague.

Stephens alumnae seem to be all over the news today!

I’ll start with Laura Knox, an education instructor at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Knox was recently selected Faculty Member of the Year by her peers! That’s a huge honor, so kudos to Laura!
Before Arkansas State University got her, Knox earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations at Stephens. She  earned her master’s certification in elementary education K-6 at the University of Colorado-Denver. Read more about her on the KAIT-TV website.
My next informant is The Star Gazer, the online news source of McCluer North High School. Staff Reporter Brandon Woods tells us that Stephens alumna Sharon Bartlett is retiring after a 29-year career with the Ferguson-Florissant School District. After earning her associates degree in arts here,  she later attended the University of Kentucky to major in elementary education, Woods tells us.  Also from the story, we learn that “over the course of her hardworking years, she has built a solid rapport with many of the staff members here.”Congrats to Sharon–sounds like she is well deserving of retirement!

And, finally, former Stephens student Tiffany Green is making her Muny debut this season and will play Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables, BroadwayWorld.com tells us. After attending Stephens College, Green made her feature film debut in Hairspray, starring John Travolta. According to BWW, the Muny’s Les Misérables was a “highly anticipated cast,” so kudos to Tiffany!

When I worked for newspapers–and it didn’t matter which one–I’d inevitably here from disgruntled citizens about how they used their weekly or daily paper.

“The [insert local paper name here] is great! It’s wonderful for lining bird cages/starting fires/packing dishes!”

The comments were intended to offend me, but they really didn’t. I was glad they were finding multiple uses for their papers, and let’s face it, newspaper really does make great packing material.

Our clever Stephens students, along with other area college students, have found a new use for newspapers when you’re finished reading them.

This year’s Little Black Dress competition, part of a larger fundraiser for True North, challenged students to create fashions using recycled copies of the Columbia Tribune. Check out this photo taken by Lushan Sun and courtesy of Jana Hawley, chair of MU’s textile and apparel management department:

The model second from left is Holly Hmielewski (I’ve told you all about her), modeling the first-place dress designed by Stephens graduate (as of Saturday) Allia Rahman, standing behind her to the left.

Stephens student Meredith Morrow took second place in the design competition, and MU’s Nathan Roberts took third.

OK, so I’m not sure wearing a cut-up Tribune would be practical, but what a great way to show off design talent! Kudos to all of the participants.

I’ve decided that I have the best job on campus.

It dawned on me today at a new employee luncheon. Fortunately, I’m not so new that I don’t realize why I have the best job on campus.

On my left were admissions folks. They’re the ones who work  hard to find the high school women who would thrive at Stephens. And it’s not a numbers game; they get to know these young women to make sure that they’re prepared and ready for the intensive and  rewarding work they’ll do as Stephens students.

Sitting next to me on my right was Sady Mayer (Hi Sady!). She works in the Student Success Center to make sure that when those new students arrive—and as they progress through the years—they have the tools they need to thrive, be it quiet study spaces, extra help or—as she recounted today—extra batteries for a student whose scientific calendar dies during a math final. (Sady, by the way, is one of the outstanding Stephens staff members recently recognized at our employee recognition ceremony).

Just right of Sadi sat Jessie Kwatamdia from philanthropy. She’s one of our amazing directors of philanthropy who makes sure Stephens stays in touch with students once they graduate.

And also in the mix around the table were employees from our stables, health center, IT and our director of leadership and diversity—all of whom play starring roles to make Stephens the most awesome place in the world (or at least Missouri since my world travels are limited).

So why do I boast the best job on campus?

Because all I have to do is play a supporting role.

I get to write about Stephens to let potential students discover what we’re all about, then our admission team can take it from there.

I get to write about all of the student successes that Sady—and stables’ staff and professors and health center workers and the IT crew and facilities workers, etc. etc.—play a role in creating.

I get to write about all of the amazing students, and then I get to write about them when they become amazing alumnae, with the help of Jessie and her team.

So basically, my colleagues work hard to make Stephens what it is. All I have to do is write about it.