The new president of Columbia’s historic Stephens College says the nation’s second-oldest women’s college has been a place where students discover their voice, sharpen their vision and step into the world with purpose.
Dr. Shannon Lundeen joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. She discussed her first impressions of Columbia and of Stephens:
“For being in, you know, college town USA, one of the last things that you would expect is that you walk three blocks from academic buildings on campus and all of a sudden you’re at an 18-acre horse facility, equestrian facility,” Dr. Lundeen says.
Dr. Lundeen tells listeners that she’s focusing on transparency and a culture of trust:
“And you can’t do that without listening first. So and I value expertise from my senior leadership team. I need expertise and I value differing points of view,” says Dr. Lundeen.
She also spoke about what the local Columbia-area business community can do to help Stephens reach its full potential: she says mentorships and internships are key. She notes there are only 31 brick-and-mortar women’s colleges left in the United States and says that number gives Stephens College in Columbia an edge. Dr. Lundeen graduated from Colgate and has held numerous key positions across the nation. She also discussed her humble beginnings selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door.
You can hear Fred’s full interview with Stephens College president Dr. Shannon Lundeen here.