David Stephens, a 2008 graduate of ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ's master of business administration program, recently completed his law degree at ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ School of Law, becoming the first person to earn three different degrees from the institution. His experiences were the basis of an article in the spring 2011 issue of The Magazine of ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ. Continue reading this post to learn more about Stephens' story.
The super-super-super senior
by Becca Tynes ’13
For David Stephens ’03 G’08 L’11, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ has been something of a family affair. His grandfather, Craton G. Stephens Jr. ’39, and three of Craton’s sisters attended ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ. David met his wife, Jennifer Massey Stephens ’04, during his senior year. But he couldn’t have imagined that, less than 10 years later, he’d become the first ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ student to earn three separate degrees from the institution. In May, he’ll do just that
when he receives his juris doctor degree from ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ School of Law.
“I have a great amount of respect for David,” says university registrar Mark Albertson. “He truly values his ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ education.” Stephens says he knew little about ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ before high school, aside from his grandfather’s
stories. But after visiting campus, Stephens decided to apply, was accepted and looked forward to building his own ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ story.
A business major during his undergraduate days, Stephens, like many of his peers, faced a difficult job market after graduation. He returned to his hometown of Rutherfordton, N.C., but he longed to return to ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ, where Jennifer was finishing her degree. Without the promise of a position in his field, Stephens moved back to the area and took odd jobs to pay the bills, like waiting tables and working a few shifts for ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s landscaping department.
Before long, he began working with BB&T Bank in Winston-Salem, N.C., but was soon transferred to their Burlington branch.
“Somehow, I’ve always ended up near ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ,” he says, smiling.
Stephens found success with BB&T, including being asked to attend their prestigious management training program, but he couldn’t shake a nagging thought he’d had for years – a desire to attend law school.
“Even before I graduated from ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ, I’d always considered a law degree,” Stephens says. “But I started working and began to get promoted within the company, so it never made sense to simply quit my job.”
Still interested in continuing his education but seeking a program that fit better with his professional path, he decided to attend ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s part-time master of business administration program, receiving his degree in 2008. Meanwhile, he was promoted to manager of the Graham, N.C., BB&T. Yet he still felt that something
was missing. Again, the idea of a law degree popped into his mind.
“I felt like it was something I could enjoy,” Stephens says. “While I enjoyed my time with BB&T, I wanted a career I was passionate about, and I knew I could be passionate about the practice of law.”
Having followed the progress of ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s new School of Law in Greensboro, and remembering his affinity for an ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ education, Stephens decided to apply for admission. He achieved his trifecta of ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ acceptances.
But no good story could finish without a plot twist, a challenge to be overcome. For Stephens, that challenge began in March 2010, when he woke up one morning with strange sensations in his face. Doctors told him he had a tumor in his skull.
“The tumor was benign, but it definitely shook my foundation,” Stephens recalls. “Life has not been the same since.”
That’s not for lack of trying; Stephens refused to let his doctor visits and the surgery to remove the tumor get in the way of his studies. Law classes became a place of refuge for Stephens, who enjoyed the chance to shift his focus to papers and projects.
“I never considered taking a break from law school,” he says. “With everything I couldn’t control in my life, I knew that I could control keeping up with my studies.”
Thanks to the help of his classmates and professors, as well as the administration at ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Law, Stephens’ dedication will pay off May 22, when he’ll shake Dean George Johnson’s hand and receive his purple hood, signifying his completion of law school on time.
It also signals the end of the road of Stephens’ ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ career, though he has all intentions of keeping his alma mater in the family. He and Jennifer welcomed their first child, Elizabeth Anne, on March 25, and they look forward to beginning a new chapter of their ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ story in about 18 years – when Elizabeth reaches college age.
“Life is full of surprises,” he says. “I’ve been so blessed to have ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ in my life.”