Although Chris Stephens has been a federal magistrate judge in Oklahoma City for the past two years, his path to public service began long before law school.

Stephens was raised on a cattle farm in southwest Oklahoma and was active in the National FFA Organization during high school. His experience led him to major in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, but he soon found his interests pulling him in a slightly different direction — public service.

In his freshman year, he took a class called Windows to the World, which was focused on current events and public policy issues. It was taught by Dr. Bob Graalman, the director of scholar development at the time. There, Stephens first heard of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, an award given to exceptional students interested in public service. Spurred by his interest in public policy and Graalman’s encouragement, Stephens applied and was awarded the scholarship.

Stephens credits many of the OSU faculty and staff for inspiring him to apply.

“I appreciate the role models in the Department of Agricultural Economics in the College of Agriculture,” Stephens said. “I recall Wes Holley, who was an assistant dean at the time, identified me when I was a freshman as someone who may want to look into these scholarships. Professors at OSU helped to plant the seeds and develop some confidence in me to consider these higher scholarships.”

Receiving the Truman Scholarship is difficult and rare. Only 55 to 65 scholarships are awarded each year. But Stephens didn’t stop there. In 1999, he earned the prestigious British Marshall Scholarship. The Marshall Scholarship is awarded to up to 50 students from the United States every year and provides funding for graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

As a Marshall Scholar, Stephens studied at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. He switched from semesters to trimesters, adjusted to a British diet, and settled into a residential college system. In addition, he had the opportunity to meet British policy leaders. The overseas experience was influential to his decision to attend law school and pursue a career in public service.

“It gives you an appreciation for what you like about the United States,” Stephens said. “It also helps you see the way that other countries do things, so you can learn from them and understand the differences that our countries have.”

When he returned to the U.S., Stephens earned his law degree at Yale Law School. He spent two years working for a federal appellate judge, two years as an associate at an Oklahoma City law firm, and 16 years as an assistant U.S. attorney. Now, he is the U.S. magistrate judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.

One of his favorite parts of the job is handling settlement conferences.

“When I can help facilitate the parties to reach an agreement in a case to resolve the dispute, and they’re able to get closure at the end of their litigation, that’s a good feeling,” Stephens said.

As he reflected on his journey from OSU undergraduate to U.S. magistrate judge, Stephens expressed appreciation for those who encouraged him along the way.

“Any time I go down memory lane, I'm grateful for professors and academic advisors at OSU who gave me the confidence and the skill set to apply for the Truman Scholarship and the British Marshall Scholarship,” Stephens said.

From a cattle farm to the United Kingdom to the courts of Oklahoma, Stephens’ career path has been characterized by discipline, confidence and curiosity. His dedication to public service has led him to serve the state in a unique and impactful way. For Stephens, it paid to dream as big as the sky.

Story By: Adrienne Frye | adrienne.frye@okstate.edu