Stephanie Shires Hooper ’65
Teacher, currently pursuing a master's degree in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages

Major: Classics

Leadership roles: As an undergraduate, I was elected President of the social service organization Campus Chest; and as an alumna, I was President of the William Smith Alumnae Association

Extracurricular activities: Christian Cabinet, Campus Chest, field hockey (one year), and for three years, active with the weekly volunteer group at Newark State hospital

Favorite Professor: Eugene Murphy

First job after College: Teaching at St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va.

On leadership
At William Smith, I saw that leadership can emerge naturally from a supportive community where people are not segregated by sororities and where there is ample opportunity, because of the college's size, for people to get to know each other across class years and in the process strengthen each other's leadership skills.

On the coordinate system
The coordinate system did have an impact on my education because it allowed me to develop as an independent William Smith woman but also taught me the importance of negotiating and cooperating within a coordinate environment - important values for life outside the college campus!

Current events
I am teaching and completing courses for my master's degree. I also am completing my fourth term on the vestry of our local Episcopal church. In addition, I am enjoying playing with our two grandchildren and am excited about the birth of a third grandchild in December 2006!