The Stephen Campbell Home of Online Learning (Stamp SCHOOL) honors legacy of a lifetime learner
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The American Philatelic Society is proud to honor the legacy of the late Stephen “Steve” Campbell by dedicating a new online education platform in his name. The Stamp SCHOOL (Stephen Campbell Home of Online Learning) will launch the “Learning Without Limits” phase of the APS’ educational initiative and provide accessible philatelic education opportunities to stamp collectors worldwide. APS Executive Director, Scott English, writes in detail about the initiative in the May 2024 issue of The American Philatelist.
“This donation allows the APS to meet our vision of sharing the philatelic expertise of our members to a broader audience, regardless of time or location,” says APS Director of Education Shaun McMurtrie. “Our goal is to eliminate barriers to enjoying the hobby.”
The Stamp SCHOOL will replace the APS’s current online learning platform, C3a. The new, modern platform will emphasize interactivity, community building between learners, and ease of access and use. Programming on the new platform will include on-demand and live learning events, curricula for beginner, intermediate, and advanced collectors, and one-on-one instructor-student learning opportunities.
Accessible philatelic education was important to Steve Campbell, who joined the APS in 1990. Steve suffered a traumatic head injury in his early twenties and turned to stamp collecting as part of his home therapy regimen. His love of his stamps kept him motivated as he relearned colors, numbers, history, and geography.
“After Steve’s accident, his entire world changed, and he used stamps as a way to relearn many things,” shares Karen Campbell, Steve’s wife. “He used his stamps to rebuild his life.”
Steve was a frequent attendee of the APS Summer Seminar. He was known for telling fellow collectors that they should join the APS, and when he was making plans for what would happen to his collection after he passed, his first thought was to “call the APS!”
Steve Campbell (right) chats with two classmates at Summer Seminar at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte.
Not only was Steve passionate about stamp collecting, but he also cared deeply about education, a nod to his wife Karen’s career as a special education teacher and his own work as a substitute teacher for the Owensboro public school district.
After Steve’s death in 2023, Karen asked her husband’s friends at the Owensboro Area Stamp Club for advice on how to honor Steve’s passion for stamp collecting. She followed their advice to focus on education and donated $100,000 to the American Philatelic Society in Steve’s name, with the goal of making philatelic education more accessible. The APS will double this amount through fundraising efforts at the Stamp Soiree in Hartford, Connecticut, in August.
“Steve’s remarkable journey from tragedy to a life well-lived is a testament to the power of philately. Through this donation and the support of APS members, we will amplify his passion for stamps, learning, and community for collectors around the world,” comments APS Executive Director Scott English. “We didn’t just get a donation; we also welcomed Karen to our APS family, who will be a great partner in helping us honor Steve for years to come.”
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