Thanks to an extensive interior redesign made possible by recent graduate Kiersten Stephens ’25, Westminster’s Remley Women & Gender Center is prepped and polished to welcome students back to campus. Classes begin on Aug. 20.
Before graduating in May, Stephens decided to pay it forward and improve the space for those following in her footsteps who are seeking a comfortable, supportive place to make friends or serve as a Remley intern.
The Lone Jack, Missouri, resident spent three years doing just that: mentoring students, acting as a listening ear and assisting with more than 20 Remley-sponsored or supported events across campus. She also simply enjoyed hanging out at the space located upstairs at 322 W. 6th St.
But the place she enjoyed most at Westminster was just plain uninspiring and drab.
A lover of interior design, Stephens decided to beautify the space, but she also wanted to make sure Remley remained as welcoming as possible to everyone. So instead of relying on personal preference, she dove head first into research on trauma-informed design principles, just as she finished up her major in environmental science with an emphasis in biology.
Stephens’ research ultimately supports the mission of Remley, which includes supporting those affected by gender-based inequalities, intolerance and sexual assault and violence.
Remley Director Dr. Kali Wright-Smith was happy to allow Stephens to direct the recent redesign. “All of the work was driven by Kiersten’s vision and is a reflection of what we want students to be able to come in and gain from our space,” she says.
The result, after three months of intense work, includes cool, calming blues throughout combined with subtle wood grains, soft lighting and comfy pillows, all elements suggested by Stephens’ research.
Stephens also created an eye-catching gallery wall featuring photos as well as quotations by iconic women, including Remley’s namesake: Dr. Audrey Remley, Westminster’s first full-time female faculty member.
With the hard work of renovations behind her, Stephens can relax while she embarks upon her next important task: finding a job in environmental science before eventually attending graduate school to study marine biology.
“I hope I inspire other students to make the changes they want to see here at Westminster,” Stephens reflects. “I’m pleased to leave campus better than I found it and to have a lasting impact on a college that has given me so much.”
For more information on the Remley Women & Gender Center, please contact Kali.Wright-Smith@WCMO.edu.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
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