Amazing Women

In the "And ANOTHER one..." category!

This just in from Ellen Beard, Coordinator of Equestrian Operations for Stephens (yippee!):

Good Morning,
 
 I am pleased to announced a successful weekend of braving the weather conditions to show at the Discovery Show Series in Columbia. Stephens students were first and second in every event. The following students represented Stephens with  very professional performances culminating in a attracting a talented prospective student and the judge announcing  that she would be interested in a graduate for hire. This show was the  spring warm up for the spring show season. The students competing included: Kahla Buthlay, Nicole Lawrence, Lauren Sopel, Teri King and Kealyn Donnally. The show team supported the competitors in a very professional manner as well.
 
Warmest regards,
 
Ellen
 

Put on your thinking caps and help plan the future!

WE WON! Thanks to you all....Stephens took top honors (of course!)

We did it!  You came, you read, you followed instructions, you voted...and voila!  WE WON!

Rotaract had its third annual "Art Uncorked" competition to raise funds for its local affiliates -- and of course, Stephens had the best entry. 

Of course.

But you had to vote if we were going to win....and you did.  And we did.

Way to go, Stephens!  We ROCK!

 

Welcome spring (check out those peepers....)!

Professor Margaret Campbell and other members of the Stephens community describe what spring means....from peepers to daffodils.

Take a minute to look and listen; it'll cheer you up, in spite of the snow!

Equestrian students show off their talents....again and again....

This just in from Sara Linde at our wonderful stables:

Good Afternoon,

The students and I just returned from the "A" rated Winter Series show at the National Equestrian Center in Lake St. Louis. We competed with riders from all over the nation and even had competition from Ontario, Canada! Once again the teamwork of our students was a pleasure to see. We arrived Tuesday evening and competed Wednesday through Saturday afternoon. During the down time the students had many opportunities to speak with many of the top professionals in the industry. It was a great experience for them and they are looking forward to going back in the Fall. Please see our results below:
 
Emily Brammeier rode Forte also known as "Walter" in the Adult Amateur 3 ft Division. The pair placed 3rd-4th and 5th over fences. I was extremely proud of Emily as she and Walter were still becoming familiar with one another. They did a fabulous job against some very tough competition!
 
Emily Weber rode Platinum also known as Devon in the Low Adult Jumpers 3'3 Division and the 3ft Jumpers. Emily did an excellent job bringing Devon back to the jumper ring after a brief hiatus. The pair had one of the fastest times on course and placed 2nd and 3rd out of some of the top Jumpers in the nation.
 
This was an excellent week and though we are tired we are happy to be home! Stephens was well represented and the students had a great time.
Best,
Sara

Sunday was Pi Day....did you miss it? (Isabel didn't!)

Here are some fun facts you probably didn't know about Pi:

1.  Isabel Hedges, Mimi's daughter, is a pi master.  She knows more about pi than I will ever know.  And she can recite the first something-like-35 digits of pi without even blinking.  I've heard her do it about twenty times, and every time is amazing.   So yesterday, when I found out (on Google) that it was Pi Day, I emailed Isabel to wish her happy Pi Day. 

Of course the Hedges were way ahead of me.  Mimi had already made Pi pie, as you can see in the photo above, and they were settling down for an afternoon of mathematical magic:  pastry, pi and pizzazz.

Now that's what I call a couple of (pi-wonderful) Stephens women!

A few less-fascinating pi facts:

2.  In the Star Trek episode “Wolf in the Fold,” Spock foils the evil computer by commanding it to “compute to last digit the value of pi.

3.  Comedian John Evans once quipped: “What do you get if you divide the circumference of a jack-o'-lantern by its diameter? Pumpkin π.”

4.  Scientists in Carl Sagan’s novel Contact are able to unravel enough of pi to find hidden messages from the creators of the human race, allowing humans to access deeper levels of universal awareness.

5.  The symbol for pi (π) has been used regularly in its mathematical sense only for the past 250 years.

6.  During the famed O.J. Simpson trial, there were arguments between defense attorney Robert Blasier and an FBI agent about the actual value of pi, seemingly to reveal flaws in the FBI agent’s intellectual acumen.

7.  A Givenchy men’s cologne named Pi is marketed as highlighting the sexual appeal of intelligent and visionary men.

8.  We can never truly measure the circumference or the area of a circle because we can never truly know the value of pi. Pi is an irrational number, meaning its digits go on forever in a seemingly random sequence.

9.  Darren Aronofsky’s fascinating movie π (Pi: Faith in Chaos) shows how the main character’s attempt to find simple answers about pi (and, by extension, the universe) drives him mad. The film won the Directing Award at the 1988 Sundance Film Festival.

Both π and the letter p are the sixteenth letter in the Greek and English alphabets, respectively

10.  In the Greek alphabet, π (piwas) is the sixteenth letter. In the English alphabet, p is also the sixteenth letter.

(info from http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/03_pi.html)

11.  See #1.

English students and faculty win big at international honor society conference!

A large group of our English students and faculty are headed to St. Louis this weekend to attend the international conference of the Sigma Tau Delta society, the international English honor society -- and to pick up a few major awards while they're there!

The Stephens student chapter will be named -- for the second time in three years! -- one of the three outstanding student chapters of the year (I blogged about this a few weeks ago...you remember).

But that's not all.

Dr. Judith Clark, chair of the program, has informed me that Stephens students will also pick up the award for the BEST student literary journal for its amazing work on Harbinger (which also features the design work of our graphic design students!).

We are the best.  We know it.  And this weekend, English students and faculty from all over the world will know it, too.

Hurrah!

Are you a Stephens leader? (Yes. You are......)

Please come.  It'll be fun.  And all about YOU:

Tia does us proud, a Stephens woman through and through....

Tia got some great press this week -- and reminded us once again that all it takes is a lot of talent, courage, smarts and heart to be a true Stephens athlete.

Here's the story.

Tia, you rock (but we already knew that....)!

April is the busiest month, but it turns out that March isn't all that quiet, either.....

You know it's coming....that time of the academic year when you could attend a special event every single minute of every single day.  And each one of them would be more astonishing and exceptional than the last. 

That's Stephens, every April.

This year, though, the season of great performances is starting a little early:  We just had the Preview Fashion Show (waiting for the photos before I blog it, since my words alone cannot do it justice), and now, this weekend, we're hosting Jamie McDaniel's Senior Piano Recital.

Please join us for what I am certain will be an inspiring and extraordinary event.

Talent, talent, everywhere you look (and listen!)

The best part is that we'll all be amazed at the extraordinary talent here at Stephens.

The worst part is that I am going to have to help pick a 'winner' -- I'm a judge! -- and that means everybody doesn't win. 

I like it better when everybody wins (I'm no Simon, I'm afraid....).  Maybe I'll bring special prezzies to the runners-up.....

Amazing women, amazing health....take a deep breath and focus on you. The health(ier) you.

It's that time of year:  lots of deadlines, lots of stress, too many projects and expectations to keep track of....and spring break seems a lo-o-o-o-o-ong time away....

Not to worry!  As always, we're here to help. 

Beginning Sunday, March 14 (as in THIS Sunday), Stephens is hosting an Amazing Women Amazing Health Wellness Week, full of special events, programs, opportunities and activities to revitalize, repair, rejuvenate and restore your sense of calm, focus, and control over the chaos.

Brenda McSherry, our amazing Director of Health Services, has been working for months to plan a program designed just for you.  And no matter how busy or stressed or absorbed by your work you might be, it would be such a good idea to stop and take the time....to take care of you.

Events are open to the entire Stephens community.

Here's the program:

Sunday, March 14, 2010
Time: 5:30 --??
Subject:    Wii Sports Tournament – The Pit -- Kick off Wellness Week with a rousing evening of your favorite Wii sport!! Win prizes!!

Monday, March 15, 2010
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30AM
Subject: Staff Breakfast--Julie Livengood, Aramark Dietician—Windsor Lounge

You’ve heard it over and over. The key to a healthy diet and weight management is portion control. The concept is easy: if you eat less, you consume fewer calories. But in a world where big is better and restaurants serve overflowing plates of food, it’s tough to figure out what is a “normal” portion size. It is very easy to overeat when oversized portions and all-you-can eat buffets surround us. While most of us know the basics about nutrition, it’s time we take a few minutes to rethink how much we eat. It’s just as important as what we eat. Don’t be the next to fall victim to portion distortion. Join Julie and learn how to control portions, build a healthy plate, and practice mindful eating. Attendance prize!!

Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Subject: Heart Health Awareness--Corey Prasch—Computer program assessment of risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and chronic conditions; have your blood pressure checked.

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Subject:    Columbia PedNEt Booth—The Pit
Sex talk Booth—Betsy Smith—The Pit—How much DO you know about safe sex and STD’s? Find out more
Subject: Heart Health Booth—The Pit—See description above Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Breast Cancer Booth—The Pit—Learn your risk and what you can do to prevent breast cancer Hula Hoop Contest- The Pit

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Biting Off More than you can Chew--Julie Livengood, Aramark Dietician, Windsor
Lounge—See description above. Attendance prizes!!

Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Subject: Body Fat Testing--Health Services—Find out your % body fat, BMI (body mass index), and your all important waist measurement.

Time: 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Subject: Evening Walk—Boone Hospital Labyrinth—Meet in the Pit

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Subject: Alcohol Awareness—“Haze” Movie— Discussion with Cosha Baker, Charter Auditorium.
On the afternoon of September 16, 2004, a joyous 18-year-old, Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr., pledged Chi Psi Fraternity at the University of Colorado. The next morning he was found dead, a victim of an irresponsible hazing ritual involving alcohol. Attendance prize!!

Time: 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Subject: Relaxation in the Residence Hall--Pajama Talk—Basement of Pillsbury

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Time: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Subject: Walk—Boone Hospital Labyrinth—Meet in the Pit

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM,
12:00PM - 1:00 PM
Subject : Free Tour MU Rec Center—Reservations required*--Meet in the Pit—Open to
Students, Faculty and Staff

Time: 11:30AM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Chair Massages—Ann Dougherty, LMT, NCTMB. The Pit

Subject: MU Dermatology Booth—Luanne Chance, RN—The Pit—Sun damage, who me?? Diabetes Booth—MLKSU—The Pit—What exactly is diabetes and why I should know my risks.

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Melanoma Skin Cancer/Sun Safety: One Student’s Story-- Megan Tongue—
Windsor Lounge—Come hear a Stephens’ student share her stirring story of her brush with cancer and how it changed her life—and what you need to know to protect yourself and your skin. Attendance prize!!

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Subject: Flat Branch Katy Trail Walk—Meet in the Pit

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Subject: Drumming, Sally Burnley, Drum Circle Facilitator.    Come experience the fun, relaxation, and beauty of drumming. African and Asian hand drums, world percussion woods, shakers and bells provided!!

Time: 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM
Subject: Yoga in the Residence Hall--Tower Hall Lobby

*Call Health Services For MU Rec Center Tour Reservations: 573-876-7157 or ext. 4157



Wednesday, March 17, 2010—Green Day—Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Time: All Day
Subject: Celebrate your Irish—Stop by the Pit or Health Services to pick up your green Beads!

Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Subject: Green Walk--Campus Clean-Up—Meet in the Pit—Trash bags provided, exercise free!!

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Subject: Health Connection—Open House. Attendance prizes!! For all Stephens College students, faculty, and staff. THC is a fitness facility located in Hillcrest Hall. Membership is free to Stephens’ students and discounted for Stephens’ faculty and staff. Please join us for fun, food, and prizes!

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Free Tour MU Rec Center—Reservations Required**--Meet in the Pit—Open to Students, Faculty and Staff

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Diabetes Booth—MLKSU—The Pit—What exactly is diabetes and why I should know my risks.

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Drug Board Booth—The Elks Lodge—Come see examples of common and not so common street drugs and what not to try.

Time: 11:30-1:00
Subject: Fresh U Smoking Cessation Booth—The Pit—Stay or start to be a nonsmoker today! Check out how much carbon monoxide you may be carrying in your lungs.

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Alcohol Awareness Ride the Adult Tricycle with Beer Goggles—Windsor Lounge— Experience the feeling of performing complex tasks while wearing

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject: Relationship Secrets/ How to Avoid Hurtful Relationships—Kimberly Smith-- Penthouse— This open forum discussion will assist you in identifying and maintaining positive relationships. Additionally, it will address the often kept secret of domestic violence among college age students, as well as providing information about how to get out of abusive relationships.    Attendance prize!!

Time: 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Subject: Evening Green Walk—Campus Cleanup—Meet in the Pit--Trash bags provided, exercise free!!

Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Subject: Mole Mapping—Dr. John Despain and Dr. Kimberly Cayce--Reservations Required**—Students Only—Health Services— Calling all students with fair complexion, those with a family history of skin cancer, those with history of severe sun burn, have a long ‘tanning’ history, or those with LOTS of moles.    If you are at high risk for developing skin cancer, get your skin checked by two of Columbia’s prominent dermatologists.

Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Subject: Body Image— Erin Zevely—Attendance prizes!!-- An interactive program discussing the effects of mass media on body image, eating disorders and why it is important to set an example for younger girls.

Time: 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM
Subject: Relaxation in the Residence Hall—Health Connection, Hillcrest Hall
**Call Health Services For MU Rec Center Tour Reservations and Mole Mapping: 573-876- 7157 or ext. 4157

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Time: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Subject: Morning Walk--Stephens Lake Park—Meet in the Pit

Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Subject: Free Health Screening—Health Services--Students Only—Reservations required***-
-Have you ever wondered if you are anemic, have diabetes or high cholesterol? This is your chance to check this out. Call for reservations. Funded by Stephens SGA!

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Subject: “Ask-Listen-Refer”; Suicide Prevention Booth, Kelly Sheline—How much do you really know about suicide, and how to help yourself or someone you know??

Civic Recycling – Andrea Shelton- The Pit

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Subject: MU Craft Studio Booth—The Pit--Stop by for fun crafts, ideas and available classes!

Free blood pressure and pulse – MU Student Nurses – The Pit

Time: 12:00-1:00 PM
Subject: Pilates--Robin Riley-Martin, Windsor Lounge—This is your chance to check out Pilates, or get your Pilates workout in for the day! Attendance prizes!!

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Subject: Evening Walk--Stephens Park Walk—Meet in the Pit

Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Subject: Healthy Relationships--STAR students--Attendance prizes!! Want to know what he is thinking and why he is thinking it? Reading minds is tough, so come learn more about communication to get
the information that you want. Everyone says the key to healthy relationships is in the boundaries. What are boundaries and how do we make them? These topics and more will be discussed during the healthy relationships group.

Time: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Subject: Vespers – BE WELL- Chapel

***Call Free Health Screening Reservations and Mole Mapping: 573-876-7157 or ext. 4157

Friday, March 19, 2010

Time: 8:00-10:00
Subject: Wellness Breakfast—Closing—Dining Hall

Time: 10:00
Subject:    Drawing for the Grand Prize—Ipod Shuffle—Be there to see if you win the grand prize or other great prizes!!

Talk to me! We can make Stephens better...together!

The Student Government Association has invited me to meet with students to talk about how we can work together to make Stephens the best it can be.  

Here's the note from the SGA:

This Wednesday @ 5:30pm in East Dining Hall (Leadership Points Available!) President Lynch will attend the forum:

Bring your concerns! What needs to be changed at Stephens? Is there anything you want to be changed in your department? This is our opportunity to let our voice be heard and hopefully together we can work toward a solution. This is your chance to be heard. Over and over again we talk about how we wish Stephens had this or had that, how we wish this would change, well it can! Join us and help us make Stephens better for you and all of our Students. You can e-mail any concerns, comments, and questions ahead of time to rosario_chico@hotmail.com or go to our Facebook group Stephens SGA 2009-2010 to let us know what you want changed!

See you there!

Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win an Oscar for directing.....

To quote Barbra Streisand, who announced the award:  The time has come.

And not a moment too soon.....

It doesn't get any better than this....

It was one of those "Could we be prouder? No, we could not" weekends.

It started with the Warehouse Theater's presentation Saturday night of April de Angelis' remarkable 1993 work, Playhouse Creatures.  Warehouse describes it like this: "The year is 1669, and women have finally been granted the freedom to act on stage by England’s Charles II. De Angelis captures the hardships and triumphs of life for the first famous actresses of the British stage becoming attuned to their voice in society. Critics agree these five women are “flesh and blood heroines sure to move and inspire.”

I describe it like this:

Director Becca Kravitz crafted a compelling, beautifully staged and highly entertaining story of feminist politics and timeless struggles.  Actresses Alex Molnar, Kelsey Munger, Sascha Streckel, Amy Jo Wenzl, and Ashley Marle Scoles never missed a cue, a line, or a special moment in their extraordinary delivery of what is one of the most difficult and complex stories I've seen since my arrival at Stephens; and the costumes by Cami Huebert were stunning. 

Congratulations to all of them, and to every one of our "flesh and blood heroines (and heroes)" that both moved and inspired us:

Stage Manager Kathleen Hains; Assistant Stage Manager Brianna Johnoff; Scenic Designer Brandon PT Davis; Lighting Designer Juliana Jones; Sound Designer Kaitie Huffman, Props Coordinator Alex Molnar, and the entire crew:  Emily Gorsuch, Kori  Hjelm, Nicole Hietter, Megan Lane, Kathryn  Nevins, Kiely Schlesinger, Emily Swenson, Lindyanne Farlow-Cash, Angela Rojas-Hanke, Elizabeth Gjertson and Emily Mohney.   

Warehouse Theater is all about students.  It's student-run, student-directed, student-organized and student-inspired.

That explains why it is also so wonderful.

And then it was Sunday, and time for the Spring Dance Concert.

(I know I'm new to Stephens, I know I am still getting used to what we do and how we do it -- but really?!?  Is it possible that it's ALWAYS this amazing?)

The program opened with four Japanese dances choreographed by visiting artist Sachiyo Ito.  It closed with "VaudeVillage," a celebration of circus performances choreographed by visiting artist Randy Judkins.  And in-between, students performed Brahms' waltzes, traditional ballet, and modern dance --the entire spectrum of the heart (and soul) of their art.

Congratulations to our amazing student performers:  Jamie Andes, Megan Bartlett, Nicolette Boese, Kylie Brownsworth, Krystal Bryan, Elena Christian, Kelsea DeShazo, Catherine Ferguson, Leah Franklin, Emily Frazier,  Katie Gibson, Sarah Gipson, Nikki Goley, Lauren Gray, Heidi Guenther, Victoria Hogan, Katie Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Ciara McCormack, Kirstie McDermott, Emma Montgomery, Becca Nelson, Kelsi Phillips,  Raegan Polson, Jessica Ray, Ricardo Rique-Sanchez, Carly Sinn, and Jeremy Stanfield.

Congratulations, too, to our incredible student designers: Katelyn DeShazo, Kitty Flynn, Ashley Harrison, Katie Johancen, and Kathryn Nevins.

And finally, to our exceptional faculty.  Our students are extraordinary, but they couldn't be as wonderful as they are without the support, guidance and inspiration of Carol Estey and the talented teachers who make the Stephens Dance Department the unique learning environment that it is.

Hurrah!

Those old blue jeans can make a difference......

 

We've all got them: those old blue jeans, jammed into our drawers, stacked on our top shelves -- too good to throw away, too old (or big, or small) to wear.

Now we can use them to make a difference in the world.

The Jefferson City Correctional Center facility, a maximum security prison, runs a program called Restorative Justice.

Prisoners participating in the program find ways to give back to the society they have violated.  They make quilts for children in emergency foster  care and for Alzheimer's patients. They make pajama pants for rape victims, whose clothing is taken from them as evidence.  And they make “doo rags” for infants/toddlers undergoing cancer treatment. 

If you have spare fabric or old blue jeans (the softer and more worn, the better!) to contribute to Restorative Justice, drop them off at my office (3rd floor, LRW) before March 16; we'll pack them up and ship them off.

Small gesture, big impact. 

Let's do it!

Kudos, kudos, kudos....

This just in from Judith Clark: MORE great news about our English students:

Three students from the English/Creative Writing Department read and discussed their original works on February 18, 2010, for "Women's Issues, Women's Voices," which describes itself as "Columbia's only feminist talk show on KOPN 89.5 FM Columbia." Ellie Rempel read from her short story, "The Tree Lady of Serenity"; Shanti Riana Lechuga read an excerpt from a piece about the Byzantine empire; and Paige Kesner read two poems. The show is available on the KOPN 89.5 archives, "Women's Issues," for those who missed it. Congratulations to Ellie, Shanti Riana, and Paige-- and thanks for getting more Stephens voices out there!

You can listen on KOPN...I did!

Thank you, Sara! You rock!

This is a blog about Stephens....but it's also MY blog, and that means -- once in awhile -- the two subjects intersect. 

This is just a shout-out to Sara Ham, one of our amazing Equestrian students, and my daughter Annie's equestrian instructor.  Sara is teaching Annie everything she needs to know about all-things-Katie (Annie's faithful steed) -- including how to canter (you heard me: canter.  She's cantering. I am so proud.)

Thank you, Sara.  You are amazing.

A site to see: How Millenial are You?

Our students are "millenials" -- aged 18-29 -- and raised in the age of the Internet.

The Pew Research Center has a new report that describes them: their values, their ambitions, their technology engagements (83 percent sleep with their cell phones.....).  

And it includes a quiz:  How Millenial are YOU? (I'm a 92....egads.)

What a STAR!: Tia LaFavor scores 1,000th career point.....

Stephens College senior Tia LaFavor of Leeton, Mo., has become the second player in school history to score 1,000 career points. The milestone occurred late in the Stars’ loss to William Woods University in the American Midwest Conference quarterfinals on March 3.

Stephens College senior Tia LaFavor of Leeton, Mo., has become the second player in school history to score 1,000 career points. The milestone occurred late in the Stars’ loss to William Woods University in the American Midwest Conference quarterfinals on March 3.

LaFavor, a 6’0” forward, finished the game with 16 points in the 64-52 defeat to the Owls. With 4:58 remaining in the game, LaFavor needed 12 points and notched two field goals and seven free throws, closing to within a point of the career accomplishment. With 27.8 seconds, LaFavor was fouled and made the first free throw to score her 1,000th point.

LaFavor finished her career at Stephens with 1,000 career points and 636 rebounds. She is a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and American Midwest Conference All-Academic Team member.

In May, she will graduate with a B.S. in Equestrian Business Management from Stephens College.

“This achievement is a tremendous honor for Tia and our basketball program because it not only recognizes Tia’s individual accomplishment but also the growth of our team,” said Stars Head Coach Dane Pavlovich. “She has been a relentless worker and she is a model student athlete.”

Congratulations, Tia.  It's a lifetime accomplishment you will take with you wherever you go, whatever you do.  We are very proud.