Mr. Stephan was raised in Piqua, Ohio and attended Ohio Northern University on a baseball scholarship. After graduate work at the University of Colorado and two years teaching high school in Australia, he arrived on Embry-Riddle's campus in April 1979 – at the end of the first academic year of the Prescott Campus. At that time, the Prescott Campus had only 242 students. Mr. Stephan has played an instrumental part in the development of the athletic facilities, programs, and equipment. Mr. Stephan also performed an integral part in the establishment of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1991. Mr. Stephan holds a B.A. in Physical Education/Math/Health, which he received in 1974 from Ohio Northern University. He also holds a M.S. in Higher Education Administration, which he received in 1993 from Northern Arizona University.