SYOU Admissions Magazine July 2023

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The backbone of Stevenson University is our community, defined by you: the Mustangs of past, present, and future. It’s an evolving narrative of moments that are as multifaceted as Stevenson itself and the individuals who make it up. We are not greater than the sum of our parts—we are great because of our parts.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

STEVENSON ALUMNI ARE WORKING FULL TIME OR PURSUING FURTHER EDUCATION WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF GRADUATION

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The Career Connection Center offers career assessments and resources that can help you decide on a major, find a professional focus, and optimize your job search.

STEVENSON.EDU/ CAREER

Statistics from the Career Connection Center 2021-2022 Graduating Student Report

Attorney by Day, Campus Leader by Night

MAKAYLA VAUGHNS

MAJORS: LEGAL STUDIES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE HOMETOWN: CHARLOTTE, NC

When Makayla Vaughns isn’t busy drafting legal documents or attending court hearings, you can find her around Stevenson’s campus serving the community or throwing on the women’s track and field team.

“Stevenson gave me the opportunity to play the sport that I love while being involved in some amazing extracurricular activities like the Mock Trial team. I knew there was no other school for me to attend than Stevenson,” Makayla says.

In addition to being Captain of SU’s awardwinning Mock Trial team, Makayla is President of the Legal Society, Director of Philanthropy for the Student Government Association, Manager of Stevenson’s Food Pantry, a Service Scholar, and more. She has planned several events on and off campus such as toy drives for Toys for Tots, a snack drive for children, trips to the local Irvine Nature Center, and a hygiene kit drive for the less fortunate.

This past summer, Makayla held an internship at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where she was an investigative intern. She helped with incident investigations, drafting legal documents, and gathering reports for the

attorney. Makayla also had the opportunity to work at a personal injury firm called Orshan Legal Group as well as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

“All these experiences have allowed me to get a feel for the work and life of an attorney,” she says. Having taken employment law as a class at Stevenson, “it was amazing to see how much I was prepared for the intern position at the EEOC,” notes Makayla.

A double major in Legal Studies and English Language and Literature, Makayla is in a unique position to learn how to research cases and be able to develop her public speaking skills. “I already get to leave undergraduate school with knowledge that not many students in law school have, because they didn’t attend a school like mine. Stevenson has allowed me to be ahead of the game before I’ve even started law school.”

The experiences Makayla has had while at Stevenson have allowed her to figure out the path she wants to pursue once she becomes an attorney: “I have been able to see more than just one way I can make a difference as a future attorney.”

The new Center for Student Life and Leadership, located on the second floor of the Garrison Student Union, offers 8,000-square-feet of dedicated space for Stevenson student clubs and organizations.

JUSTICE SIMPSON

MAJOR: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

B.S. TO M.S. IN INTEGRATIVE LEARNING

HOMETOWN: EDGEWOOD, MD

“My time at Stevenson has opened doors I never dared to even touch,” reflects Elementary Education major Justice Simpson.

As a sophomore, Justice has already started working in an elementary school classroom. “Once a week, I go to a local elementary school and assist the teacher. Even though this is my first time having a teaching role in a classroom, I still have an active part in it. Stevenson gives me the hands-on experience I need that tells me that I’m making the right decision and making a true impact in the classroom each time I go,” he says.

Justice’s favorite part of his major? Seeing the students’ smiling faces every week. “I learn as much from them as they do from me!” he remarks. Additionally, both in and out of the classroom, Justice is able to master all the traits of the best teachers: empathy, patience, kindness, equity, engagement, and more.

The selling point for Justice during his college search was the easy connections he made with the Stevenson community, the early-on experience in the Elementary Education program, and the sense of belonging on campus. “These are the things I felt I needed to help me adjust to being on my own for the first time and walking my own path,” Justice comments.

In addition to his undergraduate studies, Justice has taken advantage of Stevenson’s B.S. to M.S. program in Integrative Learning. “I plan to tie in my Master’s in Integrative Learning by allowing that opportunity to expand my learning,” he says. “Since Integrative Learning is making connections between ideas and experiences and applying them to a realworld context, learning about Integrative Learning beyond my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education would help me have all the knowledge I need to be the best teacher I can.”

As both a Leadership Scholar and a member of the Honors program, Justice has had further opportunities to step outside of his comfort zone and grow, such as through attending the Baltimore Speaker Series. Justice was able to hear from people of different backgrounds and gain wisdom about how they found success respectively.

Ultimately, his time at Stevenson and his field placements have helped Justice grow as a person. “Stevenson has given me the skills I need to make the world a better place. It has shown me how to create a diversity-centered, trauma-informed, equitable classroom environment; shown me how I can be inclusive and considerate of all student types; and has made me an advocate for social justice issues regarding the field of education,” Justice notes.

Stepping Through the Doors of Success

NEW EAST CAMPUS NOW OPEN

NEW LIBRARY OPENING FALL 2023

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

COMING SOON

NEW NATURE TRAILS COMING

FALL 2023

Press play!

Campus image taken May 2023

CLASS OF

New Mustangs from the Class of 2027 share what drew them to Stevenson

Stevenson gives you all the materials you need to succeed, and they really want you to succeed.

I was drawn in by the calm and peaceful campus environment and the many offerings and opportunities the school had to give.

Lakaya Davenport, Computer Information Systems

Amyah Cox, Business Administration

Want to know more from current Mustangs about life at Stevenson? Follow our SU Ambassadors on Instagram and TikTok! @suambassadors @stevieuambassadors

What drew me to Stevenson were the many opportunities for everyone to be successful in their majors and career.

I loved the spirit and pride at Stevenson! I could tell everyone was proud to go to school there.

Kaylee Keeran, Deciding

Cenise Bennett, Psychology

In the Heart of Healthcare

ALEXIS GROSS

MAJOR: HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT HOMETOWN: KENT ISLAND, MD

“I actually fell in love with Stevenson when I was 12 years old after my brother had toured it. I thought it was the most beautiful campus and there was a plan for growth. Stevenson also offered the small community that I wanted to be in,” Healthcare Management major Alexis Gross says.

As a self-proclaimed introverted extrovert, Alexis loves to involve herself in different experiences, but sometimes has a hard time doing so. “Stevenson has created so many opportunities for me to try and involve myself on campus,” she remarks. Now, she is a member of the women’s acrobatics and tumbling team, a member of the Best Buddies club, and a student ambassador for the Admissions Office.

Alexis came to Stevenson wanting to become a nurse, but after her first year, she wanted a change. “Stevenson helped me find another route to take where I could still be in healthcare - which I am so passionate about - but in a different sense,” she notes. That route

was the Healthcare Management program. The major has taught Alexis not only to think clinically, but also technologically, managerially, and administratively.

“I am currently taking a Healthcare Information System class. It has given the opportunity for me to see how much background planning is needed for certain things, such as a self-check-in tablet in a waiting room for the doctor’s office. This really stood out to me, because being someone that was so accustomed to thinking clinically. It really made me figure out how to change my thought processes,” Alexis notes.

Ultimately, Alexis wants to be in an administrative role in a hospital setting or working in health insurance. “Stevenson has given me multiple opportunities to gain connections with people that understand the field, while also preparing me and helping me understand what it is going to take in the future. I think Healthcare Management will be the best fit for me after graduation.”

Representatives of the student body, Ambassadors are an integral part of the Stevenson community. Often they are the first, friendly faces that students and families greet when they visit campus, and they guide prospective Mustangs on daily tours around the University—rain or shine. Ambassadors also help run campus-wide events like Open Houses, write handwritten notes to future Mustangs, and assist the Undergraduate Admissions Office with recruitment.

Pictured: 2022-2023 Stevenson Ambassadors

ASHLYNN TOPPIN

MAJOR: COMMUNICATION STUDIES

MINOR: FILM AND MOVING IMAGE HOMETOWN: LAUREL, DE

When Ashlynn Toppin thinks of Stevenson University, she thinks of home: “I remember vividly walking onto campus and feeling a sense of home, peace, and community.”

A Communication Studies major, Ashlynn enjoys the applicable, real-world lessons that she learns in her courses. “Through the lenses of students, we are able to use our own backgrounds, relationships, and experiences to guide us through lessons in class. Inversely, the lessons provided can be implemented outside of the classroom,” she says.

One of Ashlynn’s biggest takeaways so far is how to communicate ethically to diverse groups of people. During her first year, she took two courses that offered a framework for this style of communication. “I took a communication ethics class that focused on the fundamental rights and wrongs of communication. I enjoyed how we discussed real-world challenges in our society as well as the ethical issues that they raise,” Ashlynn remarks. “Also, this semester, I am taking Multicultural Communication, which has quickly become my favorite. This lesson has looked at what makes our cultures distinct and how communication differs between them. It is critical that we comprehend cultures in such a diverse community.”

Another opportunity that Ashlynn has been able to experience through Stevenson is attending the Baltimore Speaker Series events. “Being able to hear, take notes and advice, and communicate one-onone with some of the most notable figures in all aspects of our society has led to great amounts of knowledge,” she notes.

Additionally, Ashlynn underscores the many opportunities that Stevenson’s Career Connection Center offers for students to become career-ready and successful: “Although only being a freshman, I have been able to take advantage of their services to prepare for my future after graduation.” Through the Career Connection Center, Ashlynn was able to go on a trip to the Maryland Public Television headquarters and studios. “Being a Communication Studies major with an interest in broadcasting and reporting, this opportunity allowed me to get insight for future internship opportunities,” she says.

Before her undergraduate studies are over, Ashlynn is considering tying in her major with Stevenson’s Bachelor’s-to-Master’s program in Communication Studies to supplement the knowledge she’s already gained in this field and fast-track her career.

Creating Community

Community through Communication

Curious how you can tailor your education to your career goals? Stevenson now offers a total of seven Professional Minors that students can use to learn new skills and capabilities, unlock additional career options, gain a competitive edge in the job market, and further shape their degrees to meet their specific career interests.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

EVENT PLANNING

HUMAN RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

REAL ESTATE

SOFTWARE DESIGN & CODING

WEB DESIGN

added a Professional Minor in Management & Organizational Leadership to her undergraduate studies, fusing her classroom curriculum with hands-on experiences to make herself the best leader she can be on the path to her future career.

“Management and Organizational Leadership has given me an insight on how to manage a team of people and excel in my leadership qualities. I know that no matter what career field I go into, I am equipped to maintain an organized team.”

Learn how to generate an audience and influence others, while planning events for real clients and organizations. Gain the skills and knowledge to become part of a growing industry of meeting, convention, and event planners.

Discover how to plan and execute website design, layout, and user experience online and across other digital platforms. Develop expertise and gain experience in web design, front-end web development, digital imaging tools, interactive code, current web development frameworks, and content management systems.

HOMETOWN: FINKSBURG, MD MAJOR: MARKETING

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