SFA University
October 26, 2023 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host its annual “Deck the Halls: Using Evergreens to Decorate for the Holidays” seminar from 9 a.m. to noon December 2 at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building in the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Guests will join Dawn Stover, study leader with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s East Texas Plant Materials Center, to create elegant wreaths, garlands and centerpieces using materials from nature. Participants will take home several creations.
In addition to the traditional wreaths and garlands, Stover will introduce crafts using natural items from the garden. All materials will be provided.
"Deck the Halls is a fun way to create distinctive holiday decorations using unique plant material from the SFA Gardens collection,” Stover said. “This workshop is a delightful way to get crafty and into the holiday spirit."
Class size is limited for this popular event, and advance registration and payment are required. Registration opens November 15. Tickets are $25 for SFA Gardens members and $30 for nonmembers.
To register starting November 15, call (936) 468-4404 or send an email to sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
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.
Stephen F. Austin State University’s horticulture program will host the annual Fall Plant Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at the SFA Plantery, located at 1924 Wilson Drive behind the Agriculture Building.
October 25, 2023 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s horticulture program will host its sixth annual Fall Plant Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. November 2, 2023 at the SFA Plantery, located at 1924 Wilson Drive behind the Agriculture Building.
Plants available for purchase include a variety of winter annuals, such as pansies, violas, wallflowers, sweet alyssum and snapdragons. All are winter hardy and perform well in East Texas climates. Plants will sell for $2.50 per pot.
“Our horticulture program is thriving, and the Fall Plant Fair is an excellent showcase of our students’ hard work and the energy and excitement within our department,” said Dr. Jared Barnes, associate professor in the Department of Agriculture and steward of the SFA Plantery. “We can’t wait to show visitors our new trial garden and many of the projects our students have created. We welcome people to come tour the Plantery and buy some plants as all proceeds support student learning.”
The Plantery also will be celebrating SFA’s centennial with the grand opening of a new terraced trial garden that over 30 students worked on in the prior school year. In the spirit of celebration, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place to begin the festivities, followed by cake, music, fall-themed drinks and s’mores. The garden’s creation was funded by SFA’s Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation.
SFA’s Plantery is a program rooted within the Department of Agriculture where students grow and raise plants in the micro-farm Sprout, the greenhouses and the teaching gardens around the Agriculture Building. This event is also an opportunity to tour the plant-growing operation and the projects students have been developing, such as the gravel garden and hydroponic system.
For more information about the horticulture program, visit sfasu.edu/horticulture. For information on the Fall Plant Fair, contact Barnes at barnesj@sfasu.edu.
October 20, 2023 - The A Cappella Choir at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the program “Sacred and Profane” when the student choir performs at 7:30pm Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 in Cole Concert Hall, Wright Music Building, on the SFA campus.
Conducted by Dr. Michael Murphy, director of choral activities at SFA, the choir will perform works by Robert Pearsall, Alfred Schnittke, Leonard Bernstein, Josu Elberdin and Joel Thompson. The program of work “brings together the sacred and secular through beautiful and evocative choral music,” according to Murphy.
The concert also features the talents of Dr. Ron Petti, collaborative pianist; Tate Ashby, graduate student conductor from Lufkin; and Ryan Herriage, graduate student conductor from Sulphur Springs.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit sfasu.edu/boxoffice. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.
October 20, 2023 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. November 9 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Megan Proska, senior director of horticulture at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, will present “Garden Design: Creating a Dynamic Landscape.”
Proska has been with the Dallas Arboretum since September 2014 and assumed her current role in July 2023. She is responsible for designing displays and plantings as well as maintaining the garden aesthetic. She has previous experience working at Kew Gardens and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
Proska graduated as a double major in horticulture and entomology from Texas A&M University. In her free time, she shares her passion for plants through social media, educating people on plants in pop culture and intriguing plant history.
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.
October 13, 2023 — For the first time in its 40 years, the largest annual event focused on the civic engagement of college students will take place in Texas, and Stephen F. Austin State University is hosting it.
“The IMPACT Conference has a significant, nationally recognized history of building on our country’s legacy of encouraging student service and civic engagement as a way of giving back to the communities that support college campuses and their students,” said Dr. Lauren Burrow, professor of education studies at SFA and campus coordinator for the conference. “With this being the 40th anniversary of IMPACT and the 100th anniversary of SFA, this first-time campus hosting of the conference in Texas is a historical honor.”
Scheduled for February 22-23, 2024, the event will seek to strengthen student involvement in community service, service learning, community-based research, advocacy and social justice. According to its website, IMPACT works to broaden student experiences and expertise by connecting them with administrators, faculty, AmeriCorps members and nonprofit professionals to learn and share effective practices. These connections help students improve personal skills and organizational strategies, discover opportunities and resources, exchange stories, and be inspired and challenged to sustain IMPACT’s efforts.
“It is my hope that Lumberjacks and local Nacogdoches businesses and organizations benefit from a national spotlight on the good deeds and civic education that are ongoing throughout the state of Texas,” Burrow said.
As part of its host duties, SFA is seeking workshop proposals for the event with a deadline of October 23. The conference will feature presenters who share their extensive knowledge and experience in their work for social change. Past presentation topics include action and advocacy, community partnerships, leadership skills, service learning, social issues, and social media and technology.
In addition, the 2024 Impact Conference will offer workshops in three new 75-minute formats: interactive sessions intended to highlight the presenter’s knowledge and/or practice on a given topic; sessions with two presenters focusing on the outcomes and practical application of programs and events that relate to IMPACT’s mission, vision and values; and roundtables for attendees to have an informal conversation about a shared topic of interest. To learn more about the workshops, visit impactconference.org/workshops. To submit workshop proposals by October 23, view the 2024 workshops proposal application.
“I encourage all students, administrators, faculty and community members to take advantage of access to a national conference, as a presenter and/or an attendee, because it’s an unprecedented opportunity to hear and/or contribute to national conversations in our own backyard,” Burrow said. “I hope colleges and communities throughout Texas show up to show our nation what sets Texas apart.”
Burrow said she knows the cost of participating in national conferences is rising, so SFA students and East Texas community members could benefit greatly from the opportunities and connections the IMPACT Conference will offer right here in Nacogdoches.
“Having access to a national conference on our campus could provide an affordable conference opportunity that most students would not otherwise get to experience,” she said. “Additionally, many conferences are geared toward presenting research studies headed for future publications, but the IMPACT conference makes room for ‘thought talks,’ too, so that students around the nation can hear about and cheer on the civic engagement of their peers — with big and small topics.”
In addition to session proposals, 2024 IMPACT Conference organizers are looking for local sponsors for the event. To learn more about sponsoring the conference, email sponsorship@impactconference.org.
According to Burrow, the host campus selection process included two rounds of written proposals during which hopeful universities and colleges presented their campus assets and articulated their alignment with the IMPACT Conference’s mission, vision and values.
“I am appreciative to colleagues and administrators who enthusiastically supported me in preparing the proposal paperwork submissions, including Provost Dr. Lorenzo Smith, Dr. Michara DeLaney-Fields, Dr. Veronica Beavers, Dr. Jannah Nerren and others,” she said.
To learn more about the conference, visit the IMPACT website, or register to attend at givepulse.com/event/379717.
October 5, 2023 - To celebrate with current students and past alumni returning for the Homecoming weekend, the construction management program in Stephen F. Austin State University’s James I. Perkins College of Education will host an open house for its new laboratory facility from 1 to 3 p.m. October 21, 2023 at 514 E. Austin St. in Nacogdoches.
Since beginning in 2019, SFA’s Bachelor of Science in construction management program has seen exceptional progress, having tripled its enrollment in the last four years. It has additionally formed partnerships with industry professionals and has partnered with local entities to offer such service projects as the construction of tiny homes at Village Nac, a community for those battling homelessness and chronic mental health issues.
To meet the needs of growing student enrollment, the construction management program acquired a new building to house its laboratory space. The new construction management building, which opened this August for the fall semester, will be used for mechanical, electrical and piping courses; labs for building systems; and more.
“This program was developed as a hands-on program, seeking interaction with products and application of building,” said Sally Swearingen, coordinator of the construction management program. “I look forward to everyone seeing how far we have come.”
Construction management faculty members encourage students, parents, prospective advisory board members and the community to attend the open house. Visitors will be able to see the renovated space and listen to guest speakers, including construction management students and members of the program’s advisory board.
To learn more about SFA’s construction management program, visit sfasu.edu/constructionmgt or call (936) 468-2048.
Omar Thomas
October 5, 2023 - The Wind Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “The Music of Omar Thomas” for its first concert of the 2023-24 academic year. The program will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, in Turner Auditorium inside the newly renovated Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus.
“This will be the first concert for the Wind Ensemble in Turner Auditorium since the spring semester of 2020 before the COVID pandemic,” said Dr. Tamey Anglley, director of bands at SFA and director of the Wind Ensemble. “We have an exciting first program planned featuring the music of highly acclaimed and award-winning jazz and wind band composer Omar Thomas.”
Thomas, assistant professor of composition and jazz studies at The University of Texas at Austin, is guest composer in residency at SFA in early October, working with all three SFA concert bands, Swingin’ Axes jazz band and the SFA composition studio during his time on campus.
The Wind Ensemble will perform three pieces by Thomas as well as the band arrangement of “Summerland” by William Grant Still, which was originally composed for piano. Still was known as the “Dean of African-American Classical Composers,” composing nearly 200 works. “Summerland” is the second movement from “Three Visions” for piano and integrates hints of the blues and gives a nod to his fellow composer Claude Debussy, according to Anglley.
The first piece by Thomas will be “A Mother of a Revolution!” written in 2019. The composer writes, “this piece is a celebration of the bravery of trans women, and in particular, Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson. Marsha is credited with being one of the instigators of the famous Stonewall uprising of June 28, 1969 – one of the pivotal events of the LGBTQ liberation movement of the 20th century.” Thomas integrates both a march-like style along with a disco vibe to honor the legacy of the Stonewall revolution.
“The Low-Down Brown Get-Down” was written in 2020, and Thomas describes it as “the soundtrack for a nonexistent blaxploitation film. It pulls from various sounds and styles of African-American folk music, such as funk, R&B, soul, early hip hop, the blues and even film noir.” He also gives a nod to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, both in the composition and in the title.
The concert finale is Thomas’ most performed piece, “Come Sunday,” written in 2018. Thomas writes that it “is a two-movement tribute to the Hammond organ’s central role in black worship services. The title is a direct nod to Duke Ellington, who held an inspired love for classical music and allowed it to influence his own work in a multitude of ways.” “Come Sunday” is in two movements, including “Testimony” and “Shout!,” and is reminiscent of church services across the nation.
“This concert is not one to miss,” Anglley said.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit sfasu.edu/boxoffice, For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.
Board members for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Alumni Association pose in front of the SFA ring statue during the Centennial Ring Plaza dedication event Monday. The SFA ring, which consists of approximately 100 sections of cast bronze panels, serves as a reminder to students of the hard work they put toward earning a degree.
September 21, 2023 - Lumberjacks filled the corner of Alumni and Vista drives Monday as Stephen F. Austin State University staff and administrators dedicated the new Centennial Ring Plaza and its towering ring statue, adding another landmark to the already picturesque campus. The dedication was part of SFA’s four-day Centennial Celebration.
Located across from the Austin Building, the plaza is a bricked area featuring a 9-foot-tall statue of the revered SFA ring. The ring is a representation of one of the crowning achievements a student will experience during the graduation process and will serve as a celebration of their educational journey at SFA.
An attendee takes a photo in front of the new Stephen F. Austin State University ring statue during the Centennial Ring Plaza dedication event Monday. Located at the corner of Vista and Alumni drives across from the Austin Building, the plaza is a bricked area featuring the 9-foot-tall statue of the revered SFA ring.
“The SFA ring serves as a symbol to the world that you are a proud SFA alumnus,” Erika Tolar ’02, president of the SFA Alumni Association, said during Monday’s dedication ceremony. “The ring sends a message to all who visit this beautiful campus how serious we are about student success while focusing on our Lumberjack legacy.”
The ring statue is a 9-foot replica of the SFA ring students may purchase as they near graduation. They receive their ring from the university president during the Big Dip ring ceremony, which is a beloved campus tradition that was expanded in recent years to include an overnight stay in the Stone Fort Museum the night before the dip ceremony. SFA’s ROTC cadets stand guard over the rings throughout the night.
Craig Turnage, executive director of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Alumni Association, addresses attendees during the Centennial Ring Plaza dedication event Monday. SFA joined such institutions as Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, The Citadel and Tarleton State University with outdoor ring statues.
Fashioned after these class rings, the new statue consists of approximately 100 sections of cast bronze panels and serves as a reminder to students of the hard work they put toward earning a degree. Each SFA ring is inscribed with “Mentor for Life” to remind all Lumberjacks to extend the help they received throughout their academic career to future Lumberjacks.
The plaza will be forever tied to the Big Dip tradition, which invites students to submerge their right hand and ring finger into a large bowl containing purple liquid. It has been voted by students as the best tradition for the past several years, according to polls from The Pine Log, SFA’s century-old student publication.
Pyrology Foundry and Studio created the statue, which took roughly 11 months and 2,000 hours to complete. Located in Bastrop since 1981, Pyrology has created multiple noteworthy and recognizable statues, including the Texas A&M University Aggie Ring monument, the Gateway Monument in the heart of downtown Nacogdoches, and Buc-ee statues at most locations of the popular gas station and convenience store chain.
Erika Tolar, president of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Alumni Association, addresses attendees during the Centennial Ring Plaza dedication event Monday. The ring is a representation of one of the crowning achievements a student will experience during the graduation process and will serve as a prime reminder of their educational journey at SFA.
SFA will join institutions such as Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, The Citadel and Tarleton State University with outdoor ring statues. SFA’s statue will be the second largest in existence, second only to the Texas A&M University Aggie Ring monument.
“No one ring statue is the same, and SFA’s is truly a piece of art,” said Craig Turnage ’00 & ’05, SFA Alumni Association executive director. “The statue is unique to SFA because it embodies one of our university’s biggest traditions and is a rite of passage for our graduates. From the iconic symbols contained on the ring statue to its large size, it is truly a sight to behold.”
The idea and funding for the statue came from Balfour, SFA’s exclusive ring provider for over 20 years. The Alumni Association also received support from the on-campus Barnes & Noble Bookstore, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of the President.
The ring base was funded by Dorothy Clagett ’70, an alumna and family member of Turnage who passed away in June 2021. The Alumni Association will place a plaque at the base of the statue in her honor.
Visit SFA’s YouTube page or gosfa.com/SFAring to view a video of the creation of the ring statue. For more information about the Alumni Association, visit sfaalumni.com.
September 20, 2023 — To celebrate Stephen F. Austin State University’s 100 years of higher education, the Division of University Marketing Communications held the SFA centennial design contest to involve all Lumberjacks in celebrating the historic milestone.
UMC asked for artists of all ages to submit an original design using a coloring page of the centennial logo. Winning designs were turned into centennial-themed merchandise and are now available for purchase.
Emma Villafranco, 10, daughter of alumni Enrique Villafranco ’13 and Erika Rangel Villafranco ’13, won the contest’s child category. Her winning design features a vibrant, multicolored background and lots of purple.
The centennial design contest’s child category winner.
“I chose these colors because I thought it really showed SFA spirit, and if the SFA Lumberjack would have colored this page, he would have picked them, too,” Emma said. “I chose to enter this contest because coloring is one of my favorite hobbies and I want to go to SFA!”
Leah Fox, 16, winner of the teen category, is the daughter of alumni Lt. Col. Matthew Fox ’03 and Gina Fox ’03. Leah’s winning design depicts an axe with a purple background imposed under the centennial logo.
Centennial design contest’s teen category winner.
“What a blessing and honor to be chosen to represent the teen division,” Leah said. “I was thrilled that the university I would like to attend to pursue a degree in graphic design chose me as the winner. Thank you, SFA, for giving me this boost of confidence in myself and my work.”
Savannah Walker ’19, winner of the adult category, was inspired by different iconography of SFA and Nacogdoches for her design.
“My design was inspired by my personal experience on campus and my many fond memories of SFA,” Walker said. “The squirrel, baby ducks, and the baby armadillo I would see at the Art Building pay homage to the East Texas wildlife that I encountered on campus, which always made my day.”
Centennial design contest’s adult category winner.
Walker said the inclusion of university traditions was also an important aspect to include in her design.
“Traditions like decorating axe handles and the Big Dip helped create some of my best memories of campus life. I also had to add Steen Hall done up for Christmas. This was my way of preserving those special moments and translating them into a piece that I think captures the heart of SFA,” she said.
Merchandise with the winning centennial designs can be purchased at gosfa.com/jackbackers for the child category or gosfa.com/unlimiteddesigns for the teen and adult categories.
To view the winning designs and obtain more information on SFA’s centennial, visit sfasu.edu/centennial.
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 36 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.
September 19, 2023 - In addition to its 100th anniversary and affiliation with The University of Texas System this year, Stephen F. Austin State University is celebrating the release of fall 2023 enrollment data that shows the university registered its largest first-time undergraduate class in five years.
According to a census report taken Sept. 12, the fall 2023 first-time undergraduate class totals nearly 2,000 students and marks an increase of 4% from 2018 data. It’s the second year in a row SFA has witnessed its largest first-time undergraduate class since pre-COVID-19 years.
“SFA has much to celebrate this year, and seeing a return of first-time undergraduate students seeking out their bright futures in the pines is among them,” said SFA Interim President Gina Oglesbee. “University administrators continue to plan new and unique initiatives to help boost enrollment, and we’re excited for the assistance that affiliation with the UT System will provide in that respect.”
The university’s total fall headcount, which includes all undergraduate and graduate classifications, dropped slightly to 10,888 — a 4% overall decrease compared to fall 2022. However, the increase in first-time undergraduate students indicates a return to the classroom for one of the university’s primary student groups and a slowing of the enrollment fallout caused by COVID-19.
Membership in the UT System became official Sept. 1, and administrators are hopeful that the many benefits of that affiliation will serve to point enrollment trends in a positive direction. These include a large financial aid boost to SFA’s Purple Promise program through a $1 million endowment from the UT System. The additional funds will help SFA offer 100% tuition coverage to more than 1,200 students.
Additionally, affiliation with the UT System has given Lumberjacks access to Coursera, a major microcredential provider, which allows students to complete buildable credits toward niche certifications. Part of the Texas Credentials for the Future initiative, the UT System’s Coursera partnership is intended to complement traditional degree offerings and graduate students prepared to fill industry skill gaps.
Fall 2023 totals also show that SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics witnessed an increase in total headcount primarily due to having the largest overall undergraduate headcount increase with 163 more majors, or a 10% uptick. Also contributing were the significant growth in nursing and the new electrical and mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree programs.
New outreach efforts leveraging marketing initiatives as well as partnerships with high schools and community colleges resulted in more new Lumberjacks for the college this fall. Additional students are expected to engage in SFA nursing and engineering programs as these disciplines represent some of the most progressive and high-demand employment opportunities in the state.
For graduate headcount, three colleges reported slight increases or stable numbers, though graduate enrollment was down 7% overall. Despite this, master’s- and doctoral-level students in the James I. Perkins College of Education maintain the strongest major group reported, comprising nearly one-half of SFA’s total graduate population.
Other positive enrollment trends include a more than 3% increase in Hispanic student enrollment, as well as a consistent year-over-year increase of international student totals. With 139 students for fall 2023, international enrollment is the highest it’s been since 2010.
SFA administrators continue to discuss short- and long-term initiatives that would boost enrollment, including the development of a strategic enrollment plan to identify areas for enrollment growth and implement strategies. SFA will also begin piloting a direct admission program whereby potential best fit students are identified and offered conditional admission.
More in-depth institutional data, including figures from past years, can be found on the Office of Strategic Analytics and Institutional Research website at sfasu.edu/sair.
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