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Type | Private women's college |
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Established | 1833 |
President | Dianne Lynch |
Students | 850 |
Location |
Columbia, Missouri, United States 38°57′01″N 92°19′23″W / 38.9503°N 92.3231°WCoordinates: 38°57′01″N 92°19′23″W / 38.9503°N 92.3231°W |
Campus | Urban, 86-acre (35 ha) |
Colors | maroon and gold |
Athletics | NAIA |
Nickname | Stars |
Website | Stephens.edu |
Stephens College is a women's college located in Columbia, Missouri. It is the second oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college in the United States. It was founded on August 24, 1833, as the Columbia Female Academy. In 1856, David H. Hickman helped secure the college's charter under the name The Columbia Female Baptist Academy. In the late 19th century it was renamed Stephens Female College after James L. Stephens endowed the college with $20,000. From 1937-1943 its Drama Department was renowned by its chairman and teacher, the actress Maude Adams, James M. Barrie's first Peter Pan. The campus includes a National Historic District: Stephens College South Campus Historic District.
Situated in the center of the state, Stephens is approximately 120 miles (193 km) from both Kansas City and St. Louis. Columbia is known as "College Town, USA" because of the 34,000 college students attending Stephens, the University of Missouri and Columbia College. The Stephens campus is located near downtown Columbia.
The college follows a liberal arts curriculum and has four schools: Design, Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies and Performing Arts, and Equestrian Studies.
In addition to undergraduate programs, Stephens offers master's programs in counseling, strategic leadership and screenwriting.
Stephens has study abroad programs in France, England, Ecuador, Sweden, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and Korea. International seminars and study tours also are available.