Shelby County Today

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Stephen F. Austin State University’s forestry program. Following the program’s 1966 accreditation from the Society of American Foresters, the national organization representing and setting the standard for the forestry profession, SFA became home to the first accredited forestry program in the state. Since its establishment, the forestry program has produced top leaders in both the public and private sectors of natural resource management. In this picture dated 1949, representatives of the new Department of Forestry stand before a student recruiting booth.

October 13, 2021 — In the spring semester of 1946, Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College welcomed an influx of returning World War II servicemen to the student body. Among the courses offered to these new and returning students was an entirely new academic program — one that is inexorably tied to the heritage, economy and natural history of the region.

By the mid 20th century, the U.S. had transitioned away from viewing forests and their resources as purely extractive, and the creation of SFA’s Bachelor of Science in Forestry program reflected the growing understanding of the need for responsible, renewable, science-based forest management.

In 1966, the program received accreditation from the Society of American Foresters, the national organization representing and setting the standard for the forestry profession, making SFA home to the first accredited forestry program in the state.

The new Department of Forestry was initially housed in the basement of the Austin Building, and although campus location, technology and course offerings have changed during the past 75 years, one aspect has remained consistent.

“I think one of our strengths is that we have held on to the hands-on, learning-based experience model,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “Our students go to the forest and field every day to work closely with faculty members and learn.”

The field-based curriculum is perhaps best exemplified by the program’s intensive six-week summer field camp for students entering their junior year. Each week of the course focuses on a different aspect of the forestry profession and challenges students to apply the knowledge they have gained throughout the program to real-world scenarios.

For most of the program’s history, the camp took place off campus — first at a leased property equipped with dormitories and a dining hall near Milam, and later at the SFA-owned Piney Woods Conservation Center on Lake Sam Rayburn. In 2015, the camp transitioned to a non-residential format with students returning to their respective homes each night. Although locations of the camp have changed, the physical and mental rigor remain.

“Before I started field station, my friends told me that it’s the most fun you will never want to have again,” said Charlie Jordan, 2015 forestry graduate. “They were 100% correct. I’ve never had more fun during a summer class, but I never want to go through that mental and physical exhaustion again.”

Although tucked away in rural Texas Forest Country, SFA’s forestry program, faculty members and students have gained national recognition for their contributions to the profession.

Currently, the program is home to four faculty member recipients of the Carl Alwin Schenck Award. This national award, presented by the Society of American Foresters, recognizes outstanding performance in the field of forestry education. Additionally, the student chapter of The Wildlife Society and the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters have been recognized as the nation’s top-performing student chapters. Furthermore, the SFA Sylvans, the university’s timbersports team, has won multiple Southern Forestry Conclave championships, excelling in both the academic and physical portions of the competition.

When contemplating the program’s greatest accomplishments, Williams immediately points to alumni.

“When you get down to it, the success of any program is based on the success of its graduates, and I think what you see with our graduates is that they have achieved leadership positions in the public and private sectors of forestry all over the country,” Williams said. “Because we’re such a large program and have graduated so many students over the years, we’ve gained a reputation through their success of being a fine forestry program that produces strong graduates.”

Among the program’s notable alumni are a Nobel Prize co-recipient and top scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as top leaders within the Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and private companies such as Weyerhaeuser and Davey Tree Expert Company.

“What amazes me is that as we try to select alumni for our Outstanding Alumni Award, we can’t seem to catch up,” Williams said. “We are so far behind in recognizing our outstanding alumni who have made great contributions to the profession.”

In addition to extensive teaching, research and outreach, the program manages 3,449 acres of East Texas forestland through the Lumberjack Legacy Forest Program. Through sustainable forest management, these properties have sequestered more than 600,000 tons of carbon dioxide and generated more than $239,000 for student scholarships and graduate research.

The Lumberjack Legacy Forest Program initially began in 2000 through a relationship with STMicroelectronics, a global electronics and semiconductor manufacturer focused on reducing its carbon footprint. The company purchased and afforested marginal East Texas pastureland and then donated the land to the SFA Real Estate Foundation to be managed in perpetuity by the college.

“This relationship was made possible through the vision and leadership of past deans and faculty members, as well as guidance from the SFA development office,” Williams said. “We have been able to meet STMicroelectronics’ goals, as well as our goals of supporting students and facilitating faculty development.”

While the forest industry and higher education have dramatically changed during the past 75 years and will no doubt continue to evolve, Williams speaks of the future of SFA’s forestry program with enthusiasm and purpose.

“We will continue to hold on to hands-on, experienced-based learning,” Williams said. “I think that is part of our culture, what we are known for and why employers seek out our graduates. We will continue to seek out ways to improve our academic quality and produce well-rounded professionals."

Story by Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

October 6, 2021 – Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host its annual Fabulous Fall Festival Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St., in historic Nacogdoches.

The sale will feature a remarkable array of hard-to-find, “Texas-tough” plants, including natives, edibles, heirlooms, perennials, shrubs and trees,with an emphasis on native, pollinator-friendly selections, as well as exclusive SFA introductions. The featured plants are extensively trialed before being offered to the public and are produced by staff members and volunteers of the SFA Gardens.

This popular event raises money for operations of all the gardens under the SFA Gardens umbrella: SFA Mast Arboretum, PNPC, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, Gayla Mize Garden, Jimmy Hinds Park and the alternative fruits research program.

Parking will be available at SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, 2428 Raguet St., and visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon for their plants. Credit cards and checks will be accepted; no cash.

For more information and a list of available plants, call (936) 468-4404 or visitsfagardens.sfasu.edu two weeks before the sale.

October 3, 2021 — College-bound students and their families are invited to Stephen F. Austin State University’s Showcase Preview and Virtual Showcase, both of which will be held during October.

“Whether you attend one of our Showcase SFA events in person or virtually, we’ve designed them all to give attendees an up-close and personal look at everything our campus has to offer,” said Emily Jefferson, SFA director of undergraduate recruitment. “It’s the perfect event to have all your college questions answered while experiencing our campus in really unique ways.”

Showcase Preview

Showcase Preview will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon October 11 on the SFA campus. It will feature informational fairs and breakout sessions. Jack Walkers, who are current students who serve as tour guides, also will be present at the Showcase Preview to offer tours.

“Showcase was the event that truly opened my heart to SFA,” said Iris Rios, a senior marketing major and Jack Walker. “Attendees can meet so many other future Lumberjacks and get a genuine feel for the campus.”

As a weekday event, prospective students and their families also will have the opportunity to see the campus in action. Smaller than a Showcase Saturday but larger than a campus tour experience, Showcase Preview is the right fit for families looking to make a quick trip to the piney woods.

A welcome session will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics, including first-year and transfer admission, financial aid, and more.

Attendees may then participate in campus and residence hall tours, academic and student services fairs, and other optional sessions, including a mock classroom experience.

“Showcase-goers should expect to gain knowledge, connections and a deeper love for SFA,” said Kallie Menard, a family and consumer sciences senior and Jack Walker. “Showcase is a great experience and opportunity to learn more about SFA, and also to hang out with our Jack Walkers and other current and prospective students!”

Virtual Showcase

Virtual Showcase will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon October 22. The virtual event provides participants a unique space to interact with academic departments and student resources, showcasing the ways in which SFA is meeting the needs of today’s student in a highly technological world.

“Our Showcase events are the best way to not only get plugged into the SFA community, but also to meet other first-year students who are headed to college at the same time as you,” said Kaci Foster, a senior business management major and Jack Walker. “Our Virtual Showcase offers a chance to meet our admissions team and receive guidance to make sure you’re set and ready for college.”

Held exclusively over Zoom, SFA’s Virtual Showcase will begin with a welcome session. Academic breakout sessions by college will then take place, followed by other breakouts covering a range of topics, including first-year and transfer admissions, as well as student services overviews.

“Our Showcase guests will get an exclusive look at all aspects of campus life and have a chance to speak with Lumberjacks from every corner of SFA,” said Thomas Martin, senior political science major and Jack Walker.

Unique to our Virtual Showcase is a student-led panel that will allow attendees to speak to and ask questions of our current students. Virtual Showcase will end with optional sessions, including personalized admission counseling and a virtual campus tour.

To register for a Showcase SFA event or for more information, visit sfasu.edu/showcase.

September 13, 2021 – Dr. Douglas Brinkley, CNN presidential historian and professor of history at Rice University, will present “Discovering America from the Road” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 14, at Stephen F. Austin State University in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Theater.

Brinkley, whom CNN declared, “a man who knows more about the presidency than any human alive,” is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities at Rice, an American historian, best-selling author and sought-after commentator on U.S. presidential history. He has authored books on several presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Nancy Reagan personally selected Brinkley to edit President Reagan’s 2011 presidential diaries.

Brinkley’s presentation will highlight his experiences with one of the most renowned study away programs in the country’s history — the American Odyssey tour. He will talk about the benefits of seeing America to help better understand its complicated past and its complex present. Brinkley will address how transformational these experiences were and the adventures he had along the way.

While teaching at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Brinkley spearheaded the American Odyssey course. He took students on a natural-gas-powered bus on numerous cross-country treks where they visited historic sites and met cultural icons, including Arthur Miller, Toni Morrison, Jimmy Carter, Morris Dees, Ken Kesey, John Kenneth Galbraith and William S. Burroughs. The class was written about in The New York Times and dozens of other newspapers. The Associated Press wrote, “If you can’t tour the United States yourself, the next best thing is to go along with Douglas Brinkley aboard ‘The Majic Bus.’”

“Stephen F. Austin State University is one of my favorite campuses to visit,” Brinkley said. “I’m excited to tell students and faculty about my American Odyssey tours. I’m glad to know that the spirit of ‘The Majic Bus’ is still alive and well in the age of Covid.”

Dr. Sarah Straub, SFA assistant professor of education studies, was instrumental in bringing Brinkley to SFA. In what Straub considered a “shot in the dark” moment, she reached out to Brinkley after reading one of his books. The pair corresponded, and a friendship was formed.

“While (Brinkley) is impressive on so many levels, I connected with his adventurous spirit and love of learning through the transformational experiences he creates for his students,” Straub said. “Those who attend this talk will leave ready to start their own adventures.”

Brinkley’s presentation helps support Straub’s recruitment initiatives for her own study away program in spring 2022, which is funded in part by the President’s Innovation Award.

Brinkley’s visit to SFA marks the second time he’s served as a guest speaker on the campus. He headlined the Archie McDonald Speaker Series in spring 2017.

Six of Brinkley’s books have been selected as The New York Times’ “Notable Books of the Year,” and seven of his publications are The New York Times bestsellers.

Brinkley also has been involved in the environmental conservation and historic preservation community. He has held board or leadership advisory roles in support of the American Museum of Natural History, Yellowstone Park Foundation, National Audubon Society and the Rockefeller-Roosevelt Conservation Roundtable. In 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service honored him with its Annual Heritage Award.

A side passion of Brinkley’s is music, winning a Grammy Award in 2017 in the best jazz ensemble category as co-producer for “Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom,” and he was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Gonzo,” a collaboration with Johnny Depp.

Brinkley has been a frequent contributor to publications such as Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Atlantic Monthly. He also serves on the board of trustees at Brevard College and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

He completed his bachelor’s degree at Ohio State University and received his doctoral degree in U.S. diplomatic history from Georgetown University in 1989. He then spent a year each at the U.S, Naval Academy and Princeton University teaching history.

Before joining the Rice University faculty, Brinkley served as professor of history and director of the Roosevelt Center at Tulane University in New Orleans. From 1994 until 2005, he was the Stephen E. Ambrose Professor of History and director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies at the University of New Orleans.

The presentation is free and open to the public. Seating is limited to approximately 150. Face coverings are strongly encouraged but not mandatory.

For more information, contact Straub at straubsm@sfasu.edu.