The family set up home in Espeland and opened the factory which manufactured textiles for her father's firm A S Stephansen A/S. Returning to Zurich she graduated from the Polytechnikum in 1896. Stephansen wanted to become a secondary school teacher of mathematics but although women had earned the right to become secondary school teachers in Norway in precisely the year that Stephansen was awarded her degree, they were not allowed to receive permanent contracts.
Ang pamilya-set up ng bahay sa Espeland at binuksan ang mga pabrika na panindang pang-industrya Tela para sa kanyang ama na matatag Stephansen AS A / S. Bumabalik sa Zurich siya ay nagtapos mula sa Polytechnikum sa 1896. Stephansen kinakailangan para maging isang sekundaryong paaralan guro ng matematika ngunit kahit na kababaihan na kinita ang karapatan na maging sekundaryong paaralan ng mga guro sa Norway sa tiyak ang mga taon na Stephansen ay iginawad ang kanyang degree, sila ay hindi pinahihintulutan na makatanggap ng permanenteng mga kontrata.