Dr. Stephanie M. Bennett
Dean, Westhampton College 1976 - 1985
Dr. Stephanie M. Bennett received a bachelor of arts in history and English and master’s degree in English from the University of New Mexico. In 1973, she received a Ph.D. in American civilization from the University of Iowa. She completed post-doctoral work in American Revolutionary history at the University of Michigan and was named Michigan’s outstanding Young Woman in 1974.
She began her teaching career as an instructor at Loretto Heights College in Denver and was an assistant professor at Albion College before becoming dean of Westhampton. In an interview with the Collegian on her arrival, she stated, “Women can discover their potential and gain confidence in their leadership abilities more readily in a women’s college, where opportunities are greater.”
After her arrival, Bennett instituted regularly scheduled receptions for students at the Deanery. Approximately 100 students were invited at random to each event. During the course of the year, each Westhampton student would have the opportunity to attend a reception. The goal of these events was to give each student the opportunity to visit the Deanery and to bring together a diverse group of people to visit informally.
In 1980, the WILL program was created at Westhampton College, in response to scholarship demonstrating that the self-confidence of women students plummets in their college years and to studies advocating the benefits of single-sex educational experiences. Convinced that institutions of higher learning were not adequately responding to women's needs, Westhampton College developed the WILL program under the leadership of Dr. Bennett.
In Claire Rosenbaum’s “A Gem of a College,” Bennett is quoted as saying, “Today, women are taking their undeniable place in the workforce and making significant contributions that transcend and complement their important roles as homemaker and mother. It has finally been acknowledged that the soundness of their educational experiences is the keystone to the fulfillment and sense of self so important to success in all of the roles that women must play.”
Dr. Bennett was also involved outside the campus. She was president of the Chesapeake American Studies Association and the president of the Southern Association of Colleges for Women. She was a state coordinator for the National Identification Program for the Advancement of Women Administrators in Higher Education. She founded the Virginia Women’s Studies Association and directed its first conference.
In 1985, Bennett left Westhampton College to accept the presidency of Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey. She was appointed as the first female president of that institution. On her departure, William Leftwich, vice president of student affairs, said, “I think she provided a good blend in terms of student life and academic strengths. She sustained contacts with alumnae and stimulated strong interest in Westhampton College. She was also a good spokesperson for women’s needs and interests.”