SFA University
January 22, 2020 Nacogdoches — Fashion designer, CEO and philanthropist Kendra Scott will headline the 2020 installment of the Archie McDonald Speaker Series in April at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Scott, who started her Austin-based jewelry company in 2002 with only $500, leads her business on the foundation of three core values — family, fashion and philanthropy. Her company now employs more than 2,000 and boasts a thriving web business and more than 100 Kendra Scott standalone stores. Scott’s merchandise also is sold at retailers that include Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. In addition to fashion and fine jewelry, her brand also encompasses home accessories and nail lacquer.
A loving mother, driven entrepreneur and passionate designer, Scott’s vibrant personality and commitment to innovation, quality and detail brought her from a small startup to a billion-dollar business and brand with millions of loyal fans, including celebrities. Known for her use of dynamic color and genuine materials, Scott believes the truest form of success is giving back in a meaningful way.
She has created a brand and culture that authentically values giving back and making a positive difference in the community. The Kendra Scott company maintains a focus on its customers and the causes close to their hearts.
In 2015, Scott launched the Kendra Cares Program, which allows community members to host in-store events for causes and organizations that work to improve health and wellness, education, entrepreneurship and empowerment. In 2018 alone, the company gave more than $5 million in monetary donations, almost $10 million in in-kind donations and more than 2,000 volunteer hours to philanthropic organizations, and partnered with more than 8,000 philanthropic organizations nationwide.
The speaker series event is free and scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom on the SFA campus. A private reception for 100 guests will be held prior to the main event. Private reception tickets can be purchased by contacting Sarah Sargent, SFA development assistant, at (936) 468-5406.
“Kendra Scott sets an example for our students on how someone can be super successful in business and also super passionate about making a difference in the world,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA vice president for university affairs. “The recently announced Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute is a prime example of how she is sharing her passion for business leadership with others, especially aspiring female leaders. We are thrilled she will be on our campus soon so our students can hear about her work firsthand.”
In 2017, Scott was presented with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She also has received the Breakthrough Award from the Accessories Council Excellence Awards, was named Outstanding Mother of the Year by the Mother’s Day Council, awarded Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, listed by Forbes as one of America’s richest self-made women, named among the Top 100 Entrepreneurs of the Year by Upstart Business Journal and recognized as Best CEO by Austin Business Journal. She is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and maintains her position as chairman of the board of Kendra Scott.
The Archie McDonald Speaker Series was created in 2010 by SFA's College of Liberal and Applied Arts. Dr. Brian Murphy, dean of the college, designed the event to honor and preserve the legacy of Dr. Archie McDonald as a distinguished scholar, educator and community commentator. In the tradition of McDonald's writings and oral presentations, a prominent national figure is hosted annually at SFA to discuss contemporary cultural issues.
McDonald taught history at SFA for 48 years and served as director of the East Texas Historical Association and editor of the association's journal for 37 years. He was a past president of the Texas State Historical Association, past vice chair of the Texas Historical Commission and author/editor of more than 20 books on historical topics. Along with teaching, he was a commentator on Red River Radio in Shreveport and wrote a weekly column for area newspapers. He passed away Aug. 16, 2012.
McDonald participated in the first three events in the speaker series, interviewing former heavyweight champion boxer and iconic businessman George Foreman, Apollo 12 astronaut and professional artist Alan Bean, and the 61st U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Additional guests have included former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Grammy award-winning singer, composer and actor Lyle Lovett, Olympic All-Around Gold Medal winner in gymnastics Mary Lou Retton, legendary head football coach Gene Stallings, noted presidential historian Douglas Brinkley and physician and TV personality Dr. Jennifer Arnold.
SFA's Student Government Association sponsors the speaker series, which is open to the public. Starting March 2020, passes may be obtained at the Involvement Center on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus or at the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, located at 200 East Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-5406.
Two performances of “We the People” on Friday, Jan. 31, in Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus will bring American civics lessons to life. The musical revue is a feature of the Children’s Performing Arts Series, presented by the SFA College of Fine Arts.
January 22, 2020 Nacogdoches – The Children’s Performing Arts Series at Stephen F. Austin State University will present two performances of TheaterworksUSA’s “We the People” on Friday, January 31, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.
With the U.S. presidential campaign in full swing, it's the perfect time to make learning about democracy fun and accessible, inspiring students to get involved and make a difference. Through rock, R&B and hip-hop, this musical revue covers the three branches of government, the First Amendment and more.
“This show brings American civics lessons to life with a musical revue that makes social studies exciting,” said Diane Peterson, SFA Fine Arts Box Office manager and director of the children’s series.
“We The People” features a book by Joe Iconis and songs by Brad Alexander and Kevin Del Aguila; Eli Bolin and Sam Forman; Joe Iconis; Tommy Newman; Ryan Scott Oliver; Adam Overett; Erik Weiner, Mark Weiner and Jordan Allen-Dutton. Based on a concept by Alex Timbers, the show was originally directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Michele Lynch. Orchestrations are by Greg Pliska; set design is by Adam Koch; and costume design is by Lora LaVon. The show targets children in third through eighth grade.
Performances are at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in Turner Auditorium, located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. Tickets are $7.50 for individuals and $6 per person for groups of 20 or more.
Presented by the SFA College of Fine Arts, the Children’s Performing Arts Series annually features five shows designed to entertain, educate and engage young audiences of all ages, according to Peterson. Study guides provide suggestions for pre- and post-performance activities and discussions for teachers to use in the classroom. A comprehensive study guide for “We the People” may be accessed at cpas.sfasu.edu.
Other upcoming CPAS performances this season include Super Scientific Circus on Friday, Feb. 28; and “Cinderella” on Tuesday, April 28. To order tickets, call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS. Visit the CPAS website at cpas.sfasu.edu for additional information.
A reception for Volume II of “Picturing Books: Illustrations in Print from the 15th to the 20th Centuries” is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, January 30, in The Cole Art Center.
January 21, 2020 Nacogdoches – The second volume of the exhibition “Picturing Books: Illustrations in Print from the 15th to the 20th Centuries” opens January 21 at The Cole Art Center at The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches. A reception for Volume II is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, January 30, in The Cole Art Center.
Curated by Dr. John Handley, director of SFA’s art galleries, and Dr. David A. Lewis, professor of art history, the exhibition, presented in two volumes, offers a series of “chapters” that explore the evolution of the printed illustration, beginning with the Incunabulum (meaning the first 50 years of the printed book), including the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 and continuing up to the 20th century. Volume I was exhibited Oct. 31 through Jan. 5; Volume II will show through March 29.
This extensive and unique exhibition highlights a major art form that is often overlooked, according to Handley.
“Book illustration historically has consisted of original prints in such media as woodcut, wood engraving, etching, copperplate engravings, and later, lithography and process printing using photo mechanical techniques,” Handley said. “As such, this show links the graphic arts with fine arts, since books are not only illustrated but connect those images to text.”
Because the exhibition contains books and other printed items that are hundreds of years old, the materials will be displayed under protective glass. Viewers will be able to “see” additional pages in the books by scanning codes on mobile devices, including phones.
Art exhibitions and receptions are sponsored by the Friends of the Visual Arts, Nacogdoches Junior Forum, William Arscott and The Flower Shop. Admission is free.
For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
January 21, 2020 Nacogdoches – The Wind Symphony and the Symphonic Band at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a program of music with themes of celebration and praise when the student ensembles perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 30, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.
Directed by Dr. Tamey Anglley, associate director of bands at SFA, the Wind Symphony will perform “Give Us This Day,” which is a short symphony for wind ensemble by American composer David Maslanka.
“Though the title is from the Lord’s Prayer, it features the choral melody ‘Vater Unser im Himmelreich’ (Our Feather in Heaven) No. 110 from J.S. Bach,” Anglley said.
The Symphonic Band, directed by Christopher Kaatz, assistant director of bands, will perform works by different generations of American composers, including the march “Americans We” by Henry Fillmore; Chorale and Alleluia by Howard Hanson; and “Masque” by Francis McBeth.
“‘Americans We’ and ‘Masque’ are both about celebrations, while Chorale and Alleluia and ‘Give Us This Day’ (which the Wind Symphony will perform) both have connections to religious praise,” Kaatz explains.
“Each composer on the concert represents a different generation of American composers,” he adds, “Fillmore being the earliest and Maslanka the most recent. The concept of the concert is that it is sort of a journey of American composition from the early 1900s to the early 2000s, with each piece written more recently than the one that precedes it.”
Concert tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
January 16, 2020 Nacogdoches — Stephen F. Austin State University’s May commencement will be held in four separate ceremonies as a result of the expansion of Johnson Coliseum, which began last summer.
Degree candidates will participate at either 4pm or 7:30pm Friday, May 8 or 9:30am or 2pm Saturday, May 9.
Seating at the coliseum, which typically has capacity for 7,200 guests, is temporarily reduced due to construction.
“While we are incredibly excited about the improvement and expansion of the coliseum, the construction has temporarily caused a significant number of guest seats to be inaccessible,” said Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. “Because of this, and in the interest of safety for our faculty, staff, graduates and their guests, we have decided to hold the ceremonies over a two-day period.”
On Friday, May 8, the 4 p.m. ceremony will recognize candidates from the College of Fine Arts and the James I. Perkins College of Education’s Department of Elementary Education and Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership.
The 7:30 p.m. ceremony also will recognize candidates from the Perkins College of Education. Candidates participating are students of the Department of Human Services, the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, and the School of Human Sciences.
At the 9:30 a.m. ceremony Saturday, May 9, candidates from both the Nelson Rusche College of Business and College of Sciences and Mathematics will be honored. Candidates from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture and the College of Liberal and Applied Arts will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony.
All ceremonies will be streamed on the SFA Facebook page, facebook.com/sfasu. For more information about the events, visit sfasu.edu/registrar/455.asp.
The Bobbie Hargis Todd Scholarship supports Stephen F. Austin State University students who are children or spouses of officers killed in the line of duty. Bobbie’s father, Nacogdoches Deputy Sheriff John Arlington Hargis, was killed while serving an arrest warrant in 1928, when Bobbie was only 18 months old. Bobbie’s children, Bobbie Ann Todd Anderson and Richard Todd, established the scholarship to honor their mother’s memory. Pictured are, from left, Texas Ranger Jim Hicks, Anderson, Todd and Sabine County Sheriff Thomas Maddox, president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas. Photo by Hardy Meredith
January 3, 2020 Nacogdoches — Beginning in fall 2020, Stephen F. Austin State University students who have suffered the loss of a law enforcement officer parent or spouse killed in the line of duty can apply for a scholarship designed to help them move forward.
The scholarship was prompted by the death of Bobbie Hargis Todd’s father, Nacogdoches Deputy Sheriff John Arlington Hargis, who was killed in 1928 while serving an arrest warrant when Bobbie was only 18 months old.
The Bobbie Hargis Todd Scholarship was established by her children, Bobbie Ann Todd Anderson and Richard Todd, in memory of their mother, whose life dramatically changed after her father’s death.
“My grandmother and her five children had to do whatever they could to survive and move forward,” Anderson said. “My mom and her siblings certainly would have benefited from financial assistance like this for college.”
Fortunately, Bobbie was able to live at home with her mother a few blocks from SFA. Her older siblings managed to chip in and help pay her tuition. While attending SFA, she was a cheerleader and member of the Fideles Social Club. During her freshman year, she began dating World War II veteran Joe “Orville” Todd, and they married Feb. 22, 1948.
“Upon their marriage, Mom moved from Nacogdoches to live with her husband and widowed father-in-law on a farm in Henderson. It was quite an adjustment,” Anderson said.
Employed first at the Rusk County Courthouse, it was after the birth of her first two children that Bobbie made the decision, encouraged by her husband, to return to college. She commuted daily to SFA and earned her degree in elementary education in 1957. She then taught third and fourth grade in the Henderson Independent School District for 23 years.
“Many times in her career, Mom was asked to advance to a principal position, but she wanted to teach,” Todd said. “She loved the kids.”
Bobbie’s students loved her back. For years after leaving the classroom, she received letters of admiration from former students for the way she successfully faced adversity following the death of her father, and the inspiration and encouragement she gave to her students.
“Because of her upbringing in a family with no father, mom had a special skill of working with children from low-income families,” Anderson said.
Both Anderson and Todd recall many students referencing the strong math and reading skills they learned in her classroom.
To continue their mother’s spirit of survival and support, Anderson and Todd established this scholarship for students whose parent or spouse has died in the line of duty, with preference given to students pursuing a degree in elementary education.
Texas Ranger Jim Hicks said the child or spouse of an officer killed in the line of duty can make one of two choices. “They can give up, or they can press forward. This scholarship is a tool that can help them move forward,” Hicks said.
Sabine County Sherriff Thomas Maddox, president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas, knew Bobbie and understood how hard she worked to be successful. “She also had a special way of making you feel like the most important person in the world,” he said. “She would have been very proud of this scholarship.”
Anderson said her mother’s unusual circumstances made her very strong, and she hopes the scholarship can pass that strength to others facing the same challenges.
“The children and spouses of officers killed in the line of duty form a very tight-knit community,” Anderson said. “We want them to know we’re here to support them.”
For information on how you can aid students who have lost a parent or spouse in the line of duty through this scholarship, contact the Office of Development at (936) 468-2278.
By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
December 26, 2019 Nacogdoches – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Quincy” at 7 p.m. Friday, Janiary 3, in The Cole Art Center at The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
Taking an intimate look into the life of iconic American record producer, singer and film producer Quincy Jones, the documentary looks at Jones as a unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years. The film demonstrates how Jones transcended racial and cultural boundaries, according to imdb.com. It was written and directed by Jones’ daughter, Rashida Jones, and Alan Hicks and also stars Tony Bennett, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Michael Caine, Jay-Z, John Legend, Paul McCartney and other music legends.
“Quincy” is a Grammy Award winner for Best Music Film and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. It garnered top awards from the African-American Film Critics Association, Black Reel Awards, Critics Choice Documentary Awards and Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal, Richard Orton and the Nacogdoches Junior Forum.
The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
December 20, 2019 – The Cole Art Center at the Old Opera House, Stephen F. Austin State University’s historic downtown gallery, will be open during regular gallery hours for a portion of the holiday season through January 4.
Regular hours are from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Cole Art Center will be closed Monday through Wednesday, December 23 through 25 and December 30 through January 1.
Currently showing at the downtown gallery is the annual Vintage Christmas Display and “Picturing Books: Illustrations in Print from the 15th to the 20th Centuries,” Vol. I.
The documentary “Quincy,” which takes an intimate look into the life of iconic American record producer, singer and film producer Quincy Jones, will be screened at 7 p.m. Friday, January 3, at the art center. Admission is free.
Cole Art Center will be closed beginning Jan. 5 for the installation of Volume II of the “Picturing Books” exhibition, which will open Tuesday, January 21. A reception for Volume II is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, January 30.
Griffith Fine Arts Gallery on the SFA campus is closed for the holiday break and will reopen when classes resume on Jan. 15. A reception for the graduate student exhibition, “Pondering the Moment,” is planned for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23. The student show runs through March 3 in Griffith Gallery.
SFA art exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public. For additional information about exhibitions, call (936) 468-1131.
December 13, 2019 - Stephen F. Austin State University will honor several prominent donors during the 31st annual SFA Gala Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.
This year’s honorees include the late Marilyn Cranford, Linda and the late Roy Bush, and Mike and Jackie Harbordt.
"The selflessness of this year's Gala honorees, both through generous contributions and years of service, has established a lasting impact on the lives of students and the campus community," said Jill Still, SFA vice president for university advancement. "We are pleased to be able to recognize their generosity, as well as faculty members whose dedication to teaching and research continues to enrich our university."
The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m.and will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m.Entertainment will be provided by Royal Dukes of Houston, a high-energy band playing music from pop, rock and jazz to rhythm and blues, funk, and Motown.
Tickets are $175 for orchestra seating and $125 for ballroom seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, call April Smith, associate director of development, at (936) 468-5406.
Marilyn Cranford
The late Marilyn Cranford is slated to be inducted into the Stephen F. Austin Society.
Cranford was born and raised in Sacul, Texas. She completed her high school education at the Stephen F. Austin State College Finishing School. She remained a steadfast friend of the university through the years, with her primary areas of support being the School of Art and the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.
More than 30 years ago, Cranford established the Melba Cranford Memorial Art Scholarship in memory of her sister, who was an SFA alumnus of the class of 1940. In 1998, she endowed the Arkan E. and Bonnie G. Cranford Scholarship to support students in the fields of forestry and horticulture.
Throughout the years, she lent her generous support to academic research efforts at SFA, most notably toward the groundbreaking work conducted by the National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops.
Cranford spent most of her adult life in Dallas, Texas, where she was employed as an X-ray technician. She returned to Sacul in 1979, where she remained until 2008. The last 10 years of her life were spent in Jacksonville, Texas.
SFA proudly recognizes Cranford for her support of the university.
Roy and Linda Bush
Roy was born in 1931 in Amarillo, though he grew up in Childress, spending his childhood helping raise chickens, cows, turkeys and mules.
Roy was a star football player in high school and was affectionately known as “Hollywood” due to his taste for expensive clothing, nice cars and fine footwear, according to his obituary.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from SFA in 1957 and put to use the knowledge and skills he cultivated at the university while serving in the U.S. Navy and throughout his career.
In January 1965, Roy married Houston native Linda Stone before enjoying a 25-year career with Conoco, managing drilling operations in Louisiana and Italy, and eventually serving as vice president of Conoco Egypt.
Linda received her accounting degree from Louisiana State University and then began a career in the oil and gas industry. She later transitioned into the real estate field, working in New Orleans, Houston and Austin.
Roy and Linda Bush will be inducted into the Stephen F. Austin Society.
Following Roy’s death in 2018, Linda honored her late husband’s legacy by endowing the Roy E. and Linda Bush Fund, supporting the College of Sciences and Mathematics.
In April 2019, the SFA Board of Regents approved the university’s math building to be named the Roy E. and Linda Bush Mathematical Sciences Building in honor of the couple’s continual support of higher education and SFA.
The endowment’s distribution supports all areas within SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics.
Mike and Jackie Harbordt
The relationship Mike and Jackie Harbordt have with SFA has been one of immense service.
In fact, service is at the heart of most personal and professional endeavors the Harbordts have undertaken. They’ve been involved with the First United Methodist churches of Lufkin and Nacogdoches, the Diboll Jaycees, Rotary International, Deep East Texas Council of Government’s Health Services Committee and United Way.
The couple has supported a number of environmental nonprofits, which goes along with Mike’s educational and professional background engaging in environmental conservation and outreach. He graduated from SFA in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science then went on to receive a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University and ultimately a doctoral degree from Texas A&M University.
Mike worked with Texaco Inc. before joining Temple-Inland Inc. in 1971, where he was tasked with building an environmental department and company-wide environmental program. Mike worked with that company for more than 30 years.
Jackie and Mike are sustaining life members of the SFA Alumni Association; major supporters of the former SFA Varsity Club, now named the Purple Lights Fund; and have endowed several scholarships in support of areas across campus.
Endowments include the Mike and Jackie Harbordt Ladyjack Basketball Scholarship, Harbordt-Ward STEM Scholarship, Harbordt-Shumard STEM Scholarship, Katherine Harbordt Studer Scholarship in Criminal Justice, and the Julie Harbordt Whipple Scholarship in Elementary Education.
Since 2002, Mike has served in various positions on the SFA Alumni Association board, including president. He also has served on the SFASU Foundation board and SFA’s former Alumni Foundation as chair.
In 1994, Mike was named a Distinguished Alumnus and, just this year, he was named SFA Alumni Association director emeritus.
Jackie co-chaired SFA’s Hoops for Scholars Campaign for several years, raising approximately $100,000 for the program.
The Harbordts will be inducted into the Fredonia Society.
The Society of American Foresters named Stephen F. Austin State University senior Kathryn Christensen as a 2019 Diversity Scholar and recognized the SFA student chapter as one of the top three student chapters in the nation during the organization’s national conference held last month in Louisville, Kentucky. Pictured, front row, SFA student chapter members Rachel Murray, Lauren Vaughn, Kathryn Christensen, Lauren Lara and Alanna Crowley; back row, John Cornett, Jacob Muggeridge, Grayson Dean and Reid Viegut.
December 10, 2019 Nacogdoches — The Society of American Foresters named Stephen F. Austin State University senior Kathryn Christensen as a 2019 Diversity Scholar and recognized the SFA student chapter of the SAF as one of the top three student chapters in the nation during the organization’s national conference held last month in Louisville, Kentucky.
The SAF Diversity Scholar Program is designed to promote leadership and create community within the SAF by encouraging the involvement of a variety of people in the profession. As the 2019 Diversity Scholar, Christensen participated in the organization’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and was paired with a mentor who works in the field of natural resources.
Christensen, a forestry major, said she advocates for expanding access to outdoor recreation in marginalized communities.
“My love for the outdoors came from my mother’s amazingly creative ways to get us in touch with nature on a budget,” Christensen said. “My past experiences of feeling left out because of the inability to afford camps, cruises and more luxurious ways of viewing nature has only fueled my passion for giving opportunities to those who find outdoor recreation unattainable.”
Christensen serves as the president of the student chapter of the SAF, and along with other organization members, she was instrumental in the SFA chapter being recognized on a national stage for its accomplishments in service, involvement with other natural resource organizations and building community relationships.
To learn more about this and other SFA student organizations, visit atcofa.sfasu.edu.
Story by Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. Contact information: (936) 468-1185 or fullersa@sfasu.edu.
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