Julia Lawrence ’21
A woman in charge of her own destiny, Renée Stevens has spent her career shattering expectations and re-defining gender norms. Stevens, a Syracuse native, possesses an innate creativity that materialized at a young age, priding herself on special handcrafted cards that caught the attention of all who received them.
“People started commenting on the cards saying, ‘you should do this for the rest of your life!’” she said.
And so, she did.
At the time, design was not a prominent profession and Stevens didn’t know she could manifest her creativity into a career. Majoring in graphic design at the Rochester Institute of Technology, she ventured into the undeveloped field of motion design. As she fell more in love with design, Stevens found that her passion was fueled not only by her innovative mind, but also the external bias she faced
Seeking advice and support from a professional, Stevens approached her male professor and expressed her interest in motion design. Brazen and unapologetic, the professor assured Stevens that she could never make it in the industry as a woman.
“That actually inspired me even more, because when someone tells me that I can’t do something, I’m like, [laughs] watch me,” she said.
Now, Stevens’ accomplishments outshine the words of any cynics. An app developer, associate chair of the Visual Communications department, head of Newhouse’s annual Pixels & Print design workshop, professor of undergraduate, graduate and capstone courses, head of Renée Stevens Design and a mother of two, Stevens has a full plate to say the least. But the pressure to perform does not diminish her ambition to create.
“I’m not going to do something if I can’t give it 100 percent,” she continued with a smile, “You just don’t sleep very much.”
Stevens maintains a careful equilibrium by evaluating her daily responsibilities and performances. Was she a good professor? Designer? Mother? If she excels in the same role three days in a row, she would recognize that the balance has shifted and that she needs to make a change.
As a creative, Stevens channels her vision towards helping others. Having dyslexia herself, she dedicated her first app to helping others with learning disabilities. “TagAR” is an augmented reality mobile application that takes a typical “Hello my name is” nametag, and places it in augmented space. Users with the app can scan the room and see nametags above other “TagAR” users. It allows for those with learning disabilities to not have to identify publicly with their challenge. It also provides users with a pronunciation of someone’s name, so this is a fantastic tool for conferences, workshops or events where you may have to remember a lot of names.
Stevens is a living proof of “If you want something done, do it yourself.” Although she did not know how to program “TagAR,” she taught herself and saw her plan into action.
“It’s an opportunity I created for myself. That is something important to realize. You don’t have to wait around sitting around waiting for [an opportunity] to find you, because it’s not going to come find you, it’s something you have to truly find for yourself.”
Continuing to be her own boss, Stevens owns and operates Renée Stevens Designs, her design studio that she started 10 years ago, exploring client work and projects that motivate her.
Stevens’ passion to “design for good” inspired her to start the Pixels & Print workshop held annually at Newhouse. Design students are given a real client with a good cause and have one weekend to rebrand their company free of charge.
“Technology, if used correctly, can really enhance an experience,” she said, “showing the power of what design can do for people is what drives everything I do.”
As a woman in the programming and design field, Stevens affirms that there are few women in her line of work and she has noticed a lack of female bosses, which made Newhouse so appealing. With a lack of diversity, Stevens felt the need to prove herself in an industry that questions whether women are capable of the job.
Returning to work within 6 weeks after the arrival of both her children, Stevens intended to prove her strength and drive. She sees a change occurring, as Newhouse is 60 percent female and the graduating class of designers is all female, she said.
“If there is something you want to do, then go out and do it,” she assures young women that, “nobody is you and that is your superpower.”