Shelby County Today

Dr. Juan E. Mejia, president of Tyler Junior College, and Dr. Neal Weaver, president of Stephen F. Austin State University, celebrate TJC’s entry into the Lumberjack Transfer Alliance during SFA Day at TJC April 17. The partnership guarantees TJC students ready to transfer to a four-year university admission, scholarships and enhanced services at SFA.

April 18, 2025 - Stephen F. Austin State University has added Tyler Junior College to its recently launched Lumberjack Transfer Alliance, a partnership with community colleges in East Texas that features guaranteed admission, scholarships and enhanced services to students. 

During SFA Day at TJC April 17, the two institutions announced they are working together to increase the economic power of East Texas by raising the number of East Texans with college degrees through a seamless transition from junior college to four-year university.

“It is our job in higher education to create opportunities for our region, for our people, to embrace not only the education but the benefits that come with it,” said Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA president. “And this partnership between TJC and SFA can unlock that potential for our part of the state and the people in this region.”

Dr. Juan E. Mejia, TJC president, said the junior college has been looking forward to the partnership with SFA because of the institutions’ similar core values, including teaching excellence, innovative programming and stellar services.

“These authentic partnerships are at the core of what TJC stands for,” Mejia said. “We want to be the organization that unites, that truly cares for our students and our communities — doing that with integrity and empowering everyone to dream and dream big. It’s not about how much we can get without giving. We want to reciprocate. We want to give to you. The door will always be open to you here.”

Attendees at the agreement signing ceremony included James I. Perkins, president and chair of the board for Citizens 1st Bank, former SFA regent and the namesake of SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education, as well as Bob Garrett, president and CEO of the Fair Oil Company of Texas Inc. and former SFA Board of Regents chair.

“What we’re doing here today is so exciting,” Perkins said. “I know each one of you really feel it here.”

Garrett shared his personal story of transferring from South Plains College in Levelland to SFA, 527 miles away.

“I had only two years to complete my college education, and I couldn’t afford to repeat any classes,” Garrett said. “SFA took 100% of my credits.”

Garrett emphasized the institutions’ goals of boosting the number of college graduates in the region by reaching students who normally don’t consider higher education. 

“I’m really proud that these two institutions have come together to do that,” Garrett said. “If we’re going to meet the demands of the workforce, we need more four-year college graduates.”

Weaver said he hopes the partnership and SFA’s Purple Promise program reverse the trend of fewer TJC students transferring to SFA.

“We want to make this so easy and so possible that no student is told, ‘No,’” Weaver said. “Any transfer student who comes to Stephen F. Austin State University from a family that earns less than $100,000 a year can come without tuition and fees.”

The Lumberjack Transfer Alliance will provide TJC students with the following benefits:

• Automatic consideration for SFA’s Purple Promise program, which covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for incoming first-year and transfer students as long as they maintain their eligibility
• Increased likelihood of seamless transfers and on-time graduations from both institutions
• Opportunities to meet with SFA advisors while completing requirements at TJC
• Invitations each semester to tour SFA and attend recruitment events
• A one-time $500 stipend in addition to SFA's Lumberjack Transfer Scholarship for students who meet SFA’s eligibility criteria and have completed an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science from TJC
• Opportunities to connect with other students transferring to SFA
• Opportunities to attend SFA events, such as athletics and fine arts events

“There is no way East Texas can be successful if we aren’t working together,” Weaver said. “We are thrilled to be here, and we are so pleased that TJC would partner with us. To the employees of both institutions that put this together, we thank you very much. What you have done is going to change people’s lives.”  

This event is the second in a series SFA will host to announce its community college partners. Angelina College in Lufkin joined the Lumberjack Transfer Alliance in February. For more information, visit sfasu.edu/transfer/alliance.

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 40 academic facilities, 11 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 over 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University has appointed successful financial planner, business strategist and SFA alumnus Taylor Kovar as the first entrepreneur-in-residence at the university’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship in the Rusche College of Business.

March 25, 2025 - Stephen F. Austin State University has appointed successful financial planner, business strategist and SFA alumnus Taylor Kovar as the first entrepreneur-in-residence at the university’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship in the Rusche College of Business.

“With ACE’s entrepreneur-in-residence program, SFA continues to position itself as a hub for innovation, mentorship and business success,” said Dr. Raymond Jones, associate professor of entrepreneurship and strategy and director of SFA’s entrepreneurship program. “Taylor’s hands-on approach and extensive industry experience provide students with a unique and invaluable learning advantage.”

Kovar, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from SFA in 2009, has built several companies, including 11 Financial, Hive Marketing and Premier Pediatric Therapy, for which he achieved national accreditation and significant revenue growth.

Now, he’s bringing that expertise back to SFA by teaching a course in entrepreneurial finance, mentoring students and connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with real-world opportunities. Kovar also is collaborating to faculty-led research and helping turn student business ideas into viable ventures.

The appointment, which started at the beginning of the spring semester, also positioned Kovar to bridge the academic side of SFA’s entrepreneurship degree offerings with the small-business support ACE provides to the local community.

“Entrepreneurship isn’t just learned in a classroom — it’s experienced,” Kovar said. “Being back at SFA, I am attempting to prepare students not just for jobs but also for creating their own opportunities.”

Beyond the classroom, the goal of ACE’s entrepreneur-in-residence program is to drive regional economic growth by connecting students with investors, industry leaders and funding opportunities.

“Having someone with Taylor’s track record on campus elevates our program,” said Matthew Smilor, ACE director. “His insights into scaling businesses, securing funding and navigating challenges are exactly what our students need.”

Kovar will serve as ACE’s entrepreneur-in-residence through the end of the semester.

For more information on SFA’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship, visit sfasu.edu/ace.

The spring Showcase Saturday, SFA’s premier open house event, saw the largest turnout in its history with more than 2,800 attendees at the March 1 event.

March 10, 2025 – Preliminary data for Stephen F. Austin State University shows encouraging trends across multiple areas, including enrollment, retention and student interest. With record-breaking prospective student engagement, improved fall-to-spring retention rates, and an anticipated increase in semester credit hour production, the university is experiencing positive momentum.

Last fall, SFA welcomed its largest first-time undergraduate class since 2017 — a milestone that contributed to the university’s highest fall-to-spring retention rate since 2016 at 92.3%. Additionally, early projections indicate that total undergraduate semester credit hour production for the 2024-25 academic year is expected to rise by approximately 4% after the summer session, marking the first undergraduate SCH increase in a decade.

“These numbers are a strong indicator that the work our faculty, staff and students are doing is making a difference,” said SFA President Dr. Neal Weaver. “More students are seeing the value of an SFA education, and once they arrive, they’re choosing to stay. That’s a testament to the engaging academic experience and supportive community we’ve built here in Nacogdoches.”

Interest in SFA is also on the rise. The university has received 2,000 more undergraduate applications compared to this same time last year. Additionally, the spring Showcase Saturday, SFA’s premier open house event, saw the largest turnout in its history with more than 2,800 attendees at the March 1 event. The event allows prospective students and their families to explore campus, connect with faculty members, and learn about academic and extracurricular opportunities.

“The record attendance at Showcase Saturday demonstrates the enthusiasm and excitement surrounding SFA,” said Dr. Kent Willis, SFA senior vice president for enrollment and student engagement. “We’re seeing more students and families eager to experience what it means to be a Lumberjack, and that engagement is translating into increased applications and interest in our programs.”

While these figures remain preliminary, they signal a positive trajectory for SFA as the university continues its commitment to student success and growth.

Applications are still being accepted for SFA’s fall 2025 semester. For more information, visit sfasu.edu/apply.

Two members of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter advanced to nationals after earning top honors during the Texas FBLA Collegiate State Leadership Conference at The University of Texas at Dallas in February. Both are students in SFA’s Rusche College of Business. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Marice Kelly, assistant professor of business communication and legal studies at SFA and faculty advisor for the university’s FBLA chapter; Julian Ieva, treasurer of SFA’s FBLA chapter and accounting junior from Houston; and Jessica Frasier, president of SFA’s FBLA chapter and general business senior from Bay City.

March 4, 2025 - Two Stephen F. Austin State University business students will prove their skills on a national stage after earning top honors at the Texas Future Business Leaders of America Collegiate State Leadership Conference in February. Jessica Frasier and Julian Ieva, both students in SFA’s Rusche College of Business and members of SFA’s FBLA student chapter, will advance to the FBLA National Leadership Conference after securing top state-level placements in finance and public speaking competitions.

For Frasier, president of SFA’s FBLA chapter and general business senior from Bay City, the competition has been an invaluable opportunity to develop real-world financial and communication skills. She earned first place in the Finance Case Competition and second place in the Public Speaking Competition.

“The state and national leadership conferences are a great way to connect with other young professionals while learning more about and competing in the competencies necessary to a professional career,” Frasier said. “As someone who hopes to become a financial advisor one day, the Finance Case Competition has allowed me the chance to prepare a client analysis with the necessary details, present a budget in an easily digestible way and, alongside public speaking, convey all of this information in an organized and professional manner while getting feedback from the judges on how I can improve.”

Julian Ieva, treasurer of SFA’s FBLA chapter and accounting junior from Houston, found particular benefit in the conference’s networking and professional development opportunities. Ieva earned second place for the Foundations of Finance Competition.

“The leadership conferences are a great way for students to practice networking,” Ieva said. “We got to hear from knowledgeable speakers who led workshops to help us develop professionally. I am very thankful that the college of business aids us in attending these conferences. Nationals will be another great opportunity to connect with professionals in the industry.”

Frasier and Ieva will compete at the FBLA National Leadership Conference May 31 through June 2 in Dallas.

“Jessica’s and Julian’s hard work is paying off,” said Dr. Marice Kelly, assistant professor of business communication and legal studies at SFA and faculty advisor for the university’s FBLA chapter. “We are so proud of them and can’t wait to see how they do at nationals.”

For more information on SFA’s Rusche College of Business and FBLA student chapter, visit sfasu.edu/cob.