SFA University
Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Economics and Finance in the Rusche College of Business, presents students with monetary awards — many donated by Nacogdoches-area financial institutions — during an April 17 ceremony.
May 10, 2024 - Stephen F. Austin State University students received monetary awards — many donated by Nacogdoches-area financial institutions — during an April 17 ceremony.
Award recipients were chosen by faculty members from the SFA Rusche College of Business’ Department of Economics and Finance.
“Students were selected based on their academic achievement in their coursework, engagement in research projects, participation in conferences, and pursuit of their future career goals — whether employment, entrepreneurship or graduate study,” said Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of the department.
William King, finance senior from Nacogdoches, received the Entrepreneurship Award, and Ngoc Hoang, finance junior from Vietnam, received the Portfolio Management Award. Both awards were sponsored by Buchanan Wealth Management.
Other achievement award recipients included Brent Pigg, a finance senior from Lufkin, who received the Asset Liability Management Award sponsored by Citizens 1st Bank, and Hudson Heim, banking senior from Henderson, who received the Financial Institutions Award sponsored by Cadence Bank.
The Economics Reading Group presented Jessica Frasier, general business junior from Bay City, with the Economic Pursuits Award, and Nashally Arellano, first-year marketing major from Houston, with the Economic Interest Award. Both awards were sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation.
The High-Ranking Economics Major Award, sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation, went to senior Clay Patrick of Livingston. The High-Ranking Finance Junior and High-Ranking Finance Senior awards, both sponsored by Southside Bank, went to Cole Lemons of Gunter and Ethan Johnston of Montgomery, respectively. Tina Packard, finance and banking senior from Nacogdoches, received the High-Ranking Banking Major Award from SFA’s Chadwick Banking Program.
Dan Nguyen of Vietnam received the Outstanding Economics/Finance Graduate Award sponsored by Austin Bank. Hana Roers, sports business junior from Maple Grove, Minnesota, and Toby Sherman, economics junior from Gilbert, Arizona, received the Undergraduate Scholar Award. Those awards were sponsored by the ECON 3339 Packet Fund.
The Finance Club Award, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Texas, went to Whitton Malone, finance junior from Carthage, and David Kaiser, lecturer and director of the Chadwick Banking Program, was named Favorite Professor by the Finance Club.
“It is an honor to work with this great group of students, and I am so very appreciative of this recognition,” Kaiser said.
For more information on these awards and SFA’s Department of Economics and Finance, visit sfasu.edu/ecofin.
From left: Brady Dill, a senior history major from Spring; Jordan Gonzales, a senior entrepreneurship major from Nacogdoches; Wyatt Brasher, an entrepreneurship junior from Texas City; and Nykia Benit, a first-year hospitality administration major from Hutchins; and Paulina Salazar, a management senior from Center.
May 2, 2024 — From recording studios to lobbyist apps, Stephen F. Austin State University students pitched their business ideas to win the third annual “Shark Tank”-style Lumberjack Entrepreneurship Competition April 26.
“It takes a lot of moxie to stand up and say, ‘I’ve got an idea that is worth investing in,’” Matthew Smilor, director of the Rusche College of Business’ Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship, told contestants. "Year after year, I'm consistently amazed by the creativity and innovation of SFA's students. Their ingenuity, determination and passion are truly inspiring.
Contestants were judged on the market opportunities for their businesses as well as their situational awareness, pitches, business models and go-to-market strategies by three judges: Jenny Meyer, SFA alumna and president and CEO of JEM Advisors in Houston; Kevin Carr, SFA alumnus and owner of Community Beer Co. in Dallas; and Bill McGaughey, SFA alumnus, certified public accountant and entrepreneur based in Lufkin.
The competition began with the lightning round, during which 12 students pitched their ideas. The judges narrowed down the contestants to five finalists, who presented longer pitches during the final round.
“The competition was really fierce,” said Dr. Raymond Jones, associate professor and director of the entrepreneurship program at SFA. “Each of the finalists was prepared and handled the tough questions from the judges very well.”
The first-place prize of $10,000 went to Sauce Dudes, an online platform that delivers “only the best gourmet sauce and spice blends to market from southern style recipes,” by Brady Dill, a senior history major from Spring. Jordan Gonzales, a senior entrepreneurship major from Nacogdoches, earned the $5,000 second-place prize with Beyond the Vine Cellars, a mobile wine trailer for events. The $2,500 third-place prize went to Wyatt Brasher, an entrepreneurship junior from Texas City, for Immersify event-planning software with augmented- and virtual-reality features to help clients truly see how an event will look.
The two remaining finalists who earned $1,250 each were hospitality administration first-year student Nykia Benit of Hutchins with Kingdom Kitchen, a junior culinary arts school, and Paulina Salazar, a management senior from Center, with JackTrack Parking, a parking app that highlights open spaces on the SFA campus.
“I am extremely grateful to be awarded the win in this difficult competition,” Dill said. “The other competitors were fantastic, and I am humbled to be selected as the winner. I plan to use my winnings to help grow my business into something profitable for years to come. I’d also like to thank the judges for giving us their valuable time.”
To learn more about the competition, center and SFA’s entrepreneurship program, visit sfasu.edu/ace.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
April 30, 2024 — To better reflect its mission and scope, Stephen F. Austin State University’s STEM Research and Learning Center has been renamed the STEM Education and Research Center. This name change marks an exciting new chapter in the center's commitment to serving the educational needs of local school districts in deep East Texas.
The STEM Research and Learning Center has long been a place for academic support and resources for educators and students alike, hosting well-known STEM field days each year for regional K-12 schools. Its evolution into the STEM Education and Research Center is a natural progression that aligns with its expanded focus on fostering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education within the region.
Serving as the outreach arm of the College of Sciences and Mathematics, the center is designed to advance STEM learning, pedagogy and practice.
“The decision to rebrand comes at a pivotal moment as the STEM Education and Research Center reaffirms its commitment to advancing the college’s vision: To empower the next generation of STEM professionals to lead and serve in a changing world,” said Dr. Kimberly Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics and executive director of the center. “Through the STEM Education and Research Center, we strive to inspire and challenge students to achieve the college vision for their lives.”
JacksTeach, an academic program designed to equip students majoring in mathematics, biology, physics or chemistry with the necessary tools to obtain a teaching certification for secondary education, will now be housed within the center, consolidating resources and amplifying its impact. JacksTeach is a replication of UTeach, a nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program, and a partner of the university’s educator preparation program in the James I. Perkins College of Education.
“JacksTeach is able to provide our students with extensive and meaningful classroom experiences through strong partnerships with local school districts,” said Dr. Jane Long, director of JacksTeach and co-director of the center. “We are very excited for new avenues to support the schools that make our work possible through the new STEM Education and Research Center.”
Through its continued collaboration with local school districts and educational stakeholders, the STEM Education and Research Center remains steadfast in its mission to foster talented STEM students into lifelong learners and innovators.
“We embrace the opportunity to unite the STEM Education and Research Center and JacksTeach,” said Dr. Jana Redfield, co-director of the center. “As one unit, we will strengthen institutionalized programs while developing new and innovative STEM offerings that will positively impact the future of K-12 students, educators and the SFA community.”
The STEM Education and Research Center will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. May 7 in the Cole STEM Building.
For more information about the STEM Education and Research Center and its programs, visit sfasu.edu/stem.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
By Alyssa Faykus, editorial services senior specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University
April 24, 2024 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 9 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Greg Grant, award-winning horticulturist, writer, conservationist, bulb farmer and seventh-generation East Texan, will present “Pines, Pawpaws and Pocket Prairies.”
Grant authored the books “In Greg’s Garden: A Pineywoods Perspective on Gardening, Nature, and Family” and “Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening,” as well as co-authored “Heirloom Gardening in the South, Texas Home Landscaping, The Southern Heirloom Garden,” and “The Rose Rustlers.” He also writes the popular “In Greg’s Garden” column for Texas Gardener magazine, a weekly garden column in the Tyler Morning Telegraph, and writes a monthly “Greg’s Ramblings” blog. He is the Smith County horticulturist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Tyler, where he is coordinator of the Smith County Master Gardener volunteer program and director of the Tyler Botanical Garden.
Grant has degrees in floriculture and horticulture, both from Texas A&M University, and attended postgraduate classes at Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University and SFA, where he is currently working on a doctoral degree in forestry. He has previous experience as a horticulturist with SFA Gardens, Mercer Arboretum and San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and as an instructor at SFA and LSU.
Grant has introduced several successful plants to the Southern nursery industry, including dwarf pink Mexican petunia, Gold Star speranza, Laura Bush petunia, John Fanick phlox, Stars and Stripes pentas, Pam’s Pink honeysuckle, Lecompte vitex, Henry and Augusta Duelberg sages, Big Momma and Pam Puryear Turk’s Cap, Peppermint Flare hibiscus, the Marie Daly and Nacogdoches (Grandma’s Yellow) roses.
He was presented the lifetime membership award from the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, the county agent award from the Turfgrass Producers of Texas, the Superior Service Award by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, the Lynn Lowrey Memorial Award by the Native Plant Society of Texas, and the Lone Star Land Steward Award by Texas Parks and Wildlife. His book “Heirloom Gardening in the South” was a Garden Writers Association Silver Award recipient.
He has traveled extensively to hundreds of botanical gardens throughout the United States and Europe and has given over 2,000 entertaining, story-filled lectures. He is a graduate of the Benz School of Floral Design and a lifetime member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, the Southern Garden History Society and the Texas Bluebird Society. His work has been featured in many magazines and newspapers, including Southern Living, Woman’s Day, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Houston Chronicle, and The San Antonio Express News.
Grant and his wife live in deep East Texas in his grandparents’ old farmhouse, where he tends the Rebel Eloy Emanis Pine Savanna and Bird Sanctuary, a bluebird trail, an heirloom bulb farm, a dozen chickens, two cats and a Jack Russell terrier.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the lecture series fund are appreciated.
Parking is available at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St., or Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St.
For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
April 10, 2024 –– Through funding made available as a result of Stephen F. Austin State University’s affiliation with The University of Texas System, SFA has partnered with virtual health and well-being provider, TimelyCare, as part of the university’s ongoing commitment to provide and improve health and well-being services to its student body. The partnership, which began in January, greatly expands and streamlines existing services and adds new opportunities for students to seek mental and physical health support.
TimelyCare, a trusted virtual health and well-being provider for higher education, is administered through SFA’s Health and Wellness Hub and offers students free access to mental health and basic needs assistance. The partnership is an extension of The Hub’s mission: To support the health and well-being of every Lumberjack and offer comprehensive services that treat the whole person — mind, body and spirit.
According to Clare Fite, the university’s Counseling Services director, the service broadens the scope of services The Hub can provide, including numerous counseling options that specialize in a variety of topics pertaining to mental health.
“TimelyCare allows students to access a large pool of highly trained and diverse mental health professionals at no cost to them,” Fite said. “In addition to therapy, students can access crisis resources, self-assessments, peer support and education on a variety of topics that pertain to their overall well-being. College can be a difficult time with a lot of transition. We encourage our students to seek support early and often.”
Through TimelyCare, students can access virtual care options on their phone or other devices from licensed counselors in all 50 states at no cost and without traditional insurance for up to nine sessions each academic year. Services include:
- TalkNow: on-demand mental health and emotional support
- Appointment-based mental health counseling
- Psychiatric support
- Health coaching
- Basic needs assistance
- Care navigation
- Peer support community
- Digital self-care content
Once registered, students can access services anytime if their SFA email is active. Though students are allotted nine sessions per year through TimelyCare, TalkNow sessions, which are 20 minutes, do not count toward the nine sessions. There is no limit on how many times a student can access their TalkNow service. Students are not required be registered for summer courses to access the services.
According to TimelyCare, 75% of college students who accessed virtual mental health and well-being interventions through TimelyCare reported mental health improvements, including 100% those who presented as a potential suicide risk. More than half of all students who have sought mental health support through TimelyCare said they would have done nothing if the service were not available.
“The UT System has positively impacted SFA and the Nacogdoches communities in so many ways,” Fite said. “With SFA joining the UT System, we are now able to offer a variety of therapeutic services we were not able to before, including crisis counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and expanded individual counseling services via telehealth. I am confident that they are going to greatly benefit our students and are a direct result of SFA joining the UT System.”
Additionally, as part of The Hub’s commitment to streamline the process for student access to well-being services, a crisis line has been implemented for quick contact to a counselor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To access the service, students call the Hub at (936) 468-4HUB (or 4482) and press No. 1. There is no time limit or restriction on the number of times called. In severe cases, the level of intervention can require assistance from University Police Department or Counseling Services. Students also may visit the Health and Wellness Hub at 2106 Raguet St. in person during regular business hours.
For more information about the Health and Wellness Hub, visit sfasu.edu/thehub.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
About the University of Texas System
The University of Texas System has enhanced the lives of Texans and individuals worldwide through its commitment to education, research and health care for 140 years. With 14 institutions collectively enrolling over 254,000 students, the UT System stands as one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions annually produce over 66,000 graduates and award more than one-third of the undergraduate degrees in Texas, as well as over 60% of the state's medical degrees. The combined efforts of UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics resulted in over 10.7 million outpatient visits and more than 2 million hospital days last year. The UT System’s $3.8 billion research enterprise is one of the nation’s most innovative and ranks No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the nation for federal research expenditures. The UT System has an operating budget of $29.1 billion for fiscal year 2024 and employs more than 116,000 faculty, health care professionals, support staff and student workers.
Finalists present their research during the poster session at Stephen F. Austin State University’s 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference. The 2024 conference is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. April 9 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center theater and Twilight Ballroom. The conference is free and open to the public.
April 1, 2024 — Seven student groups and individuals from Stephen F. Austin State University and Tyler Junior College were named top scholars for their research, which they will present during the 2024 Undergraduate Research Conference from 4 to 7 p.m. April 9 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center theater. The conference is free and open to the public.
“We celebrate the best of student research and their mentors,” said Dr. Leslie Cecil, director of the new SFA Center for Student Research and Creative Discovery, which hosts the conference. “For many faculty members, undergraduate research is what drives our research and enthusiasm to keep involving students in research.”
Since 2009, representatives from each of SFA’s six colleges have selected outstanding undergraduate student research from the previous calendar year. The best individual or group research project within each college and one from a non-SFA institution is awarded the top scholar title; SFA top scholars receive $500, while the non-SFA top scholar receives a scholarship to SFA. Additional outstanding student research projects are selected per college, and these finalists present during the conference’s poster session.
In 2012, the conference expanded to include regional colleges. Students from Lone Star College-North Harris, Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Tyler have participated in the conference.
The 2024 top scholar award recipients and their faculty mentors are:
- Amanda Albright, James I. Perkins College of Education, “Diet Considerations to Promote Bone Health, Prevent Chronic Disease and Optimize Healing After Orthopedic Surgery,” faculty sponsor: Justin Pelham, clinical instructor of dietetics and nutritional sciences at SFA
- Amelia Beam, Tyler Junior College, “Grounded: The Causes and Consequences of Pilot Shortages on the Airline Industry,” faculty sponsor: Dr. Andrea Hathcote, professor of learning framework at TJC
- Megan Beeksma, College of Sciences and Mathematics, “Exploring the Diversity of Cichlid Fishes in Rivers of Guyana, South America,” faculty sponsor: Dr. Carmen Montaña-Schalk, assistant professor of biology at SFA
- Carson Chulp, Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts, “‘Plane of Existence’: A Composition by an SFA Percussionist, for the SFA Percussion Ensemble,” faculty sponsor: Dr. Bradley Meyer, associate professor of music at SFA
- Victoria Hoover, College of Liberal and Applied Arts, “Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been, Cleopatra? A Study of Past Life Regression, Practitioners and the Impact of Reincarnation Beliefs,” faculty sponsor: Dr. Karol Chandler-Ezell, associate professor of anthropology at SFA
- Cari Mitchell, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, “An Interactive Map of Historical Buildings of Downtown Nacogdoches, Texas,” faculty sponsor: Dr. I-Kuai Hung, professor of forestry at SFA
- Hana Roers and Toby Sherman, Nelson Rusche College of Business, “2021 American Housing,” faculty sponsor: Dr. Rebecca Davis, assistant professor of economics at SFA
A Faculty Mentor of the Year also is honored at the conference. This year, Montaña-Schalk received the award and $500 for demonstrating a commitment to undergraduate research by sponsoring students who have been selected as top scholars and finalists.
Following the top scholar presentations, a poster session featuring more than 50 finalists will be held in the student center’s Twilight Ballroom. Refreshments will be served.
The Undergraduate Research Conference gives students the opportunity to gain poster and oral presentation skills as well as connect with experts who may help them with their future educational and professional goals, Cecil said.
“They present their research to a general audience that includes many people both inside and outside SFA,” she said. “This helps them with entrance to graduate schools or job-related critical thinking and research skills.”
The Center for Student Research and Creative Discovery was recently established in SFA’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies to promote, support and showcase the research, discovery and creative efforts of SFA’s undergraduate students. It does this by connecting students with faculty mentors and research opportunities and by offering resources, such as funding to present projects at conferences.
To learn more about this center, visit sfasu.edu/csrcd. To view a list of Undergraduate Research Conference finalists, visit sfasu.edu/urc.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
San Antonio Alamodome on Saturday, March 9, 2024 -
The Shelbyville Dragons varsity basketball team came into Saturday's 2024 Texas UIL State Basketball Championship game with a 29-7 win-loss season record and they faced the defending 2A champion Lipan Indians (35-4). Shelbyville reached the finals by defeating Thrall High School a day earlier 67-52, Lipan defeated New Home High School 40-39 in their semifinal matchup.
Lipan jumped out to an early 8-2 point lead and they led 10-3 at the end of the first quarter. Midway through the second frame Lipan held a 15-12 lead.The Indians held a small 17-15 lead at the halftime break. Lipan led 20-18 midway through the third stanza and a last second 3-pointer gave them a 32-27 advantage going into the fourth quarter. The Indians extended their lead to 37-32 midway through the final period and used 2 3-pointers to hold a 42-32 advantage at the 2 minute mark. The Indians held on for a 47-36 final score win.
Leading the Indians was Court Gaylor with 23 points. DJ Barnes led the Dragons with 14, JaDavian Mathis scored 7, Weston Frick 6, Jonavian Mathis 5 and Eli Ferguson had 4 points.
Don-Paul Kahl
March 7, 2024 - Saxophonist Don-Paul Kahl will present the guest recital “States of Being” at 6 p.m. Monday, March 18, 2024 in Cole Concert Hall, Wright Music Building, on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.
“Each concert work explores, on its own, a different facet of being – from the poetic to the hidden monster within, from delicate moments of joy to the darkest depths of grief,” Kahl states. “In this way, the human experience is given space to be what it is without limits. It is only then that we closer understand what it is to be human.”
The program features “Zilarbizi,” for solo baritone saxophone and silent piano, by Ramon Lazkano; “Go Within,” for solo tenor saxophone and embedded speaker, by Eleni Ralli; the U.S. premiere of “Vision” (Urban Music II) for solo baritone saxophone, by Rainer Rubbert; “If in a Winter,” for solo alto saxophone and electronics, by Katarina Miljkovic; and “For Felipe M.,” for solo baritone saxophone, by Stratis Minakakis.
Kahl has performed on stages in Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan and South-East Asia. He has showcased his virtuosity as a soloist with esteemed ensembles, including the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Musa Horti and the University of Florida Symphony Orchestra. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, he has premiered more than 100 new works for saxophone by established composers, contributing significantly to the evolution of modern musical expression.
In September 2021, Kahl released his debut solo album, "Go Within," on the Equilibrium Label. He is an avid clinician and gives masterclasses throughout Europe and the United States. He serves on the faculty at the Susquehanna University High School Wind Ensemble Institute in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Admission to the concert is free. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.
UT Regents Name Dr. Neal Weaver as Sole Finalist for President of Stephen F. Austin State University
February 22, 2024 — The University of Texas System Board of Regents has unanimously voted to name Neal Weaver, PhD, the sole finalist to become the next president of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. Weaver has served as president of Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) — a member of the University of Georgia System based in Americus, Georgia — for the past seven years.
Per state law, the UT Regents now must wait 21 days before officially naming Weaver president. Once approved, he would succeed Interim President Gina Oglesbee to become the 11th president in SFA’s 100-year history and first as a member of the UT System. SFA, which has six colleges that offer more than 80 bachelor’s degree programs, 40 master’s degree programs, and four doctoral degrees that cover more than 120 areas of study, officially became the 14th member institution of the UT System last September.
With an impressive 33-year career in higher education administration across four public university systems, Weaver has demonstrated his leadership prowess at GSW. Under his guidance, the university experienced notable growth in enrollment, student retention and fundraising. GSW’s fall 2023 enrollment of 3,300 marked a historic high for the university and included an 18.5% increase in freshman enrollment, as well as 16.8% increase in graduate enrollment. Additionally, first-year student retention rose by more than 7%, and annual giving to the GSW Foundation more than doubled.
“The Regents met with outstanding candidates, and Dr. Weaver’s ability to lead in a thriving academic environment, coupled with his commitment to innovation and strategic growth, make him an ideal appointment to serve Stephen F. Austin State University as it enters its new era as a UT institution,” said UT System Board Chairman Kevin P. Eltife. “We are grateful for the thorough work of SFA’s presidential search advisory committee and the UT System leadership whose guidance and recommendations helped us arrive at today’s final selection.”
Weaver’s candidacy was recommended to the board of regents by a presidential search advisory committee that was chaired by UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken. The search committee included representation from the SFA faculty, students, alumni and community leaders, as well as UT presidents and regents.
Milliken praised Weaver’s ability to maximize the potential of the institutions he has served throughout his career.
“Dr. Weaver's accomplishments in fostering student success, driving enrollment growth, and spearheading successful fundraising efforts position him to guide Stephen F. Austin State University into new opportunities as a member of the University of Texas System,” Milliken said. “I am pleased with the regents’ unanimous support of his candidacy and appreciate the efforts of everyone that helped us navigate this historic search.”
Before his role at GSW, Weaver served as the vice president for university advancement and innovation at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. In this capacity, he provided leadership in fundraising, enrollment management and athletics while generating new revenue and improving retention, operating efficiencies and customer service. Weaver's previous roles include vice president for institutional advancement at West Texas A&M University and vice president for university relations at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.
Weaver earned a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Oklahoma University, a Master of Business Administration from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Dr. Neal Weaver was named by The University of Texas System Board of Regents as sole finalist to become the next president of Stephen F. Austin State University.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
About the University of Texas System
With 14 institutions that enroll over 256,000 students overall, the UT System is the largest university system in Texas and one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produced over 63,000 graduates last year and awarded more than one-third of the undergraduate degrees in Texas, as well as 60% of the state's medical degrees. The combined efforts of UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics resulted in over 10.6 million outpatient visits and more than 2 million hospital days in 2023. UT’s $4.3 billion research enterprise is one of the nation’s most innovative, ranking No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the U.S. for federal research expenditures. With an operating budget of $29.1 billion for fiscal year 2024, UT institutions collectively employ more than 122,000 faculty, health care professionals, support staff and students.
Jordan Cunningham, Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens greenhouse and nursery manager, will present “Plant Sale Preview: Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without.” SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. March 14 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
February 21, 2024 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. March 14, 2024 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.
Jordan Cunningham, SFA Gardens greenhouse and nursery manager, will present “Plant Sale Preview: Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without.”
Cunningham received a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from SFA in 2015. While attending the university, she was employed as a student worker with SFA Gardens and participated in internships with Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City, South Carolina, and with Disney Horticulture in Orlando, Florida. After earning her degree, Cunningham worked as a garden supervisor at the Dallas Arboretum before returning to Nacogdoches.
Cunningham joined SFA Gardens full time in 2017 as the greenhouse technician, training under former research associate Dawn Stover. In 2022, she became the gardens greenhouse and nursery manager, with main responsibilities including supervising staff members, volunteers and student assistants to maintain the greenhouse and nursery areas. She oversees the planning and production of plants that go through the garden's facilities, those used in research and the thousands sold at SFA Gardens’ popular biannual plant sales.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the lecture series fund are always appreciated.
Parking is available at the PNPC, 2900 Raguet St., or Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St.
For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
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