Undoubtedly, Stephen Powell’s greatest impact was at Centre College in Danville, KY where he was a professor from 1983 until his death in 2019. Originally hired to teach ceramics and sculpture, he founded a glass program at Centre in 1985 which has attracted prospective students from around the country. The first studio, residing on top the roof of a campus building, was constructed with the generous support of Corning Glass in Harrodsburg, Philips Lighting in Danville, and Corhart in Louisville. Setting his sights on the “bigger and better,” Powell designed and completed a state-of-the-art glass studio, which Centre opened as part of their new Jones Visual Arts Center in 1998. Corning Glass, Philips Lighting, Corhart and also General Electric in Somerset, Kentucky provided generous support for this monumental project.

As part of the teaching process, Stephen Powell and Centre College hosted numerous visiting artists. A wide array of techniques and styles have been showcased through demonstrations by Marvin Lipofsky, Richard Royal, Dante Marioni, Jim Mongrain, Nancy Callan, Katherine Gray, Jose Chardiet, David Walters, Janusz Pozniak, D.H. McNabb, Ethan Stern, and Lino Tagliapietra. Tagliapietra’s first visit to Centre in 2000 was documented on the video “Lino Taglipietra: Glass Maestro,” which was co-produced by Stephen Powell. In 2004, Tagliapietra was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree by Centre College alongside Sandra Day O’Connor.

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Powell's legacy continues on in those many graduates from his program who found themselves cultivated by his tutelage and insight. For many students, his influence was an early step on a path that led them through graduate school, and often to their own professional expression of glass art. Members of this vibrant group who also chose to assist Stephen in his own studio can be found below:

After earning his BFA from Illinois State University, Travis Adams launched Trifecta Design and Trifecta Glass - Art - Lounge in Lexington, Kentucky. By reframing the spectacular, fiery act of creating glass sculpture in an intimate setting, he uses this venue to explore the cutting edge of glassblowing as a tactile, social experience.

Alysia Fischer assisted Stephen in his studio before earning an MFA in Studio art from Miami University. She went on to pursue art and research full time, and is an author on art and anthropology.

DH McNabb assisted Powell in his studio and continued to become a prolific and experienced glass artist, working with figures such as Lino Tagliapietra. After earning his Master's of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of design, he went on to hold several residencies, including those at Pilchuck Glass School and at the S12 Gallery at Bergen, Norway.

After earning his BFA from Centre College under Powell in 1995, Ché Rhodes went on to shape the field of glass art as an artist, researcher, educator, and speaker. He has become a comprehensive figure, holding roles which have included membership in the Glass Art Society Board of Directors, and Head of the Glass Department at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is currently an Associate Professor with the University of Louisville, where he founded their glass program in 2005. His contributions to glass sculpture have come to defy itemization, his storied career in glass having been referred to as "gleaming" by art publications.

Samuel Spees has continued to work with glass sculpture, working in many studios before opening his own in 2019. His art has been featured in numerous exhibitions, and is currently serving as Director of Glass Operations at Nashville Glasshaus in Tennessee.

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As a testament to his passion for glass education, Stephen Powell was awarded Kentucky’s “Teacher of the Year” in 1999 and 2000. In 2004, he was presented the Acorn Award by the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education. He accepted, in 2010, the Artist Award by the Governor’s Award in Arts. In 2012, Powell was presented with the Distinguished Educator award from the James Renwick Alliance in Washington, D.C.

Stephen Powell’s career from 1983 to 2007 was documented in the full-length book, “Stephen Rolfe Powell Glassmaker.” Published by the University Press of Kentucky, it was released in 2007.