#StanGrad: Kayla Stephan Turns Life’s Challenges Into Compassion and Purpose

For Kayla Stephan, Stanislaus State has always felt like home.

Long before she enrolled as a student, Stephan's connection to the University was already part of her life. She attended preschool at the Child Development Center, learned to drive on campus roads and grew up just minutes away in Turlock. Several of her family members also graduated from Stan State.

"I chose to attend Stan State because it was essentially my destiny before I was even born," Stephan said. "There are endless memories that I share with Stanislaus State. A big part of my life just revolves around the University."

As a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication and media and a minor in psychology, Stephan built a 4.0 GPA while developing a deeper understanding of empathy, communication and human connection.

"I plan to use my Stan State degree to simply help people learn to communicate properly," Stephan said. "I think people naturally develop ways to communicate that are ultimately harmful to the people around them. This can drive apart friendships, families, coworkers, neighbors and more. The goal is to help people properly express their thoughts in a way that encourages empathy or consideration of how others are feeling."

Stephan said the relationships she formed with faculty members throughout her college journey helped shape her confidence and perspective. She credits several faculty members with helping her rediscover her voice after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and encouraging both her personal and academic growth.

"In Spring 2022, Joseph Carranza helped me learn to speak publicly again without falling apart too much after a year of being quarantined in my home," Stephan said. "I think he started my personal process of feeling human again in spaces with a large group of people."

Stephan also said faculty members Jennifer Biedendorf, Marcy Chvasta, Keith Nainby and Deborah Forester each played meaningful roles in helping her feel seen, supported and encouraged throughout different stages of her college experience.

"Before I met Marcy Chvasta, I considered myself to be someone who preferred to stay silent when it came to expressing my thoughts or feelings," Stephan said. "However, when she entered the classroom and began speaking her mind on whatever was bothering her that day, she became the type of person I wanted to be."

Her journey at Stan State was not without hardship. During the Spring 2024 semester, Stephan withdrew from her classes after her father was diagnosed with stage-4 brain and lung cancer. He passed away in April 2024.

Despite her grief, Stephan made the difficult decision to return to campus for the Fall 2024 semester.

"I knew that my dad wanted me to get my college degree more than anything," Stephan said. "As expected, it was my most difficult semester to endure out of my entire college career. I just kept chugging along and doing what my dad would have wanted."

Her perseverance left a lasting impression on those closest to her.

"Rather than allowing this loss to define her path, she used it as motivation to finish what she started, honoring both her own goals and the support her father had always given her," wrote nominator Kimberly Stephan, advancement operations specialist in University Advancement. "Her story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of life's most difficult challenges, it is possible to keep moving forward."

Now preparing to graduate, Stephan hopes to continue her education in the future while also gaining life experience outside the classroom through work and travel.

"The most powerful thing I have learned in my time as a student at Stan State is that education can be obtained at literally any age," Stephan said. "You decide the pacing of your life and what you want it to consist of."

#StanGrad File

What memories stand out most from your time at Stanislaus State?

"The memories that stand out the most come from my first couple of semesters as a student. From Fall 2021 to Spring 2022, I was experiencing an entirely different school system in a world that had been shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. I was not getting the typical first-year college experience, but I remember my professors trying their best to make things feel normal or that things were eventually going to get better."

Which faculty or staff member had the greatest impact on you, and why?

"I have a list of people who have had the greatest impact on me, starting from the beginning of my college career up until my most recent semester. Jennifer Biedendorf was always so kind and considerate of whoever was in the room with her. It always felt like she was there for you and your education. Marcy Chvasta always did a wonderful job reminding me of who I am. Annisa Rochadiat was my academic advisor and professor for a few semesters. She provided me with the guidance that I needed in desperate times, and I'm grateful to have gotten the chance to work with her. Finally, a staff member who had the greatest impact on me was my mother, Kimberly Stephan, from the Division of University Advancement. She has helped me throughout my entire college journey just by being supportive and helpful when she can. I definitely could not have done any of it without her."

What advice would you give to current and future students?

"To keep moving forward. It's perfectly fine to take a break when necessary and to know what your limits are. Yet, it's also important to get back into the groove of things even if you feel like you're not entirely ready."

Note: This article is part of the StanGrad series highlighting Stanislaus State students who are part of the Class of 2026. Read more StanGrad profiles.