From a dorm makeover to a redesigned campus store, St. Stephen’s crews were busy transforming spaces and places this summer.

St. Stephen’s experienced our own version of the hit show “Fixer Upper” with the reveal of new and improvement projects across campus. Over the summer, 21 members of St. Stephen’s operations, grounds and custodial teams, along with several external contractors, transformed interior and exterior spaces on The Hill. From major remodeling projects to added safety features and timely repairs — our 374-acre campus is shining brighter than ever.

Two of the most impressive before and after transformations: The St. Stephen’s Campus Store and the Allen House dorm renovation. A new layout and two Spartan red retro-style diner tables create a much more spacious and inviting space in the campus store, which is quickly becoming a popular spot for Spartans hang out spot. Students are reconnecting with each other while grabbing a quick snack or a cup of joe, while also shopping for spirit wear or supplies during their off periods.

Across campus, Allen House residents are loving their updated dorm. The major boys dorm facelift includes new, natural wood look flooring, updated bathrooms and countertops, all new windows that open to let natural air in, plus a new outdoor deck — along with fresh interior paint.

“It feels more like home,” said Cindy Stadulis, associate head of school for finance and operations, who is thrilled about the transformation. “You want to have an impact project — you want to come back to school feeling fresh and new and excited to see what this year brings.”

The Allen House makeover kicks off a long-term plan to refresh a different dorm each summer, restarting the cycle every eight years to ensure modern, comfortable living spaces that elevate the residential experience for generations to come.

Stadulis leads the charge in allocating resources and partners with LM Butler, director of facilities; Tristan Brown, director of custodial services; and Kayla Pruitt, Maintenance Department administrative assistant, to strategize, coordinate and bring projects to life. The team focuses on safety first, and identifies which projects to prioritize.

“It's a huge campus — 350,000 square feet of buildings that we have to maintain, in addition to the 374-acres, so it's pretty important that we have an incredible staff,” said Stadulis. “Our staff is small but mighty, and they do an amazing job every summer, whether it's the operations, the grounds or the custodial teams — everybody chips in and makes the campus feel fresh when the students, faculty and staff return,” said Stadulis.

Led by the St. Stephen’s Marketing and Communications Department, a campus wayfinding project will improve navigation, whether by car or pedestrian traffic, across campus. The project helps to create not only improved navigation but consistent design and branding, the overall aesthetic. In early August, crews installed several new, large purple and red Spartan-themed directional signs along campus roads, and a campus map at the welcome center. Phase one also included signage for the new Spartan Loop and St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center, set to open in September of 2025. Phase two will include the installation of additional building signage designed to help pedestrian visitors.

Other summer 2025 projects include:

• New carpet and interior paint in the Temple Family Theater, inside the Helm Fine Arts Center
• New deck outside Brewster Hall
• New furniture inside classrooms
• New TV sitting area in the Student Center, thanks to a Spartan family who donated office furniture no longer needed post-Covid
• New office created in the Middle School for Middle School Chaplain, Rev. Ed Thompson, allowing him to be more available an accessible to the MS community 
• Additional lighting added at Foster Baseball Field
• Fresh paving on campus roadways to eliminate potholes
• New HVAC units installed on the roof of Becker Library
• New pool filters installed on the outdoor pool
• Enhanced campus security features, including additional cameras and new Yondr siren and verbal warning system
• New sod where needed, including at the top of The Hill around the Chapel
• Upgraded drought-tolerant landscaping around campus buildings
• Targeted focus on tree maintenance, for the overall health of campus trees
• Regular summer deep clean of classrooms, dorms, flooring, gutters, power washing and window cleaning

St. Stephen’s conducts a facilities audit every five years and completed the most recent one last year. Stadulis says it helps identify immediate concerns, deferred maintenance, rates the conditions of campus building and helps pinpoint aging systems that need replacing, such as the HVAC system in Becker Library. From there, she and her team map out a multi-year plan to tackle the work in a timely manner while staying on budget.

Many of these projects would not be possible without a strong Annual Fund. These are your dollars at work, and we want to thank our community for continuing to invest in the present and future of St. Stephen’s. Learn more about the Annual Fund.