SFA University
September 24, 2020 - A select group of theatre students at Stephen F. Austin State University have embraced performing virtually as the chosen delivery form for their art as they present the first play of the School of Theatre’s 2020-21 Mainstage Series, and they are learning some valuable lessons along the way.
Students will present a virtual-only performance of Jean-Paul Sartre’s play “No Exit” Sept. 24 through 26. Not knowing what COVID restrictions might still be in place in the fall, the play’s director, Dr. Inga Meier, assistant professor of theatre at SFA, planned for the show to be virtual from the beginning. Taking place in hell, “No Exit” can actually benefit from the virtual setting, she said. And the students who earned roles in the play couldn’t agree more.
“It is surprising to me how easy it is to become invested in the scene, even though you aren't in the room with your scene partners,” said Nacogdoches senior Alexis Beck.
Alexis Beck
“No Exit” finds three strangers encountering one another in a strange room and trying to make sense of their new surroundings and the lives that have led them to this place. While the play lends itself to virtual delivery, there are aspects of live theatre that cannot be replicated online.
“I think what has been the biggest adjustment to make for me personally is the lack of physical interaction with everyone involved,” said Colby Green, Carthage senior. “I’ve always been someone who enjoys the non-rehearsal related parts of rehearsal as much as the actual work that goes into the production, meaning the connections made with cast mates and conversations during breaks before and after rehearsal … the normal moments of interaction and connection that you don’t really realize are happening at the time. They’re still there but are much harder to replicate in a virtual setting.”
Colby Green
Fellow actor Triston Haq, Baytown junior, echoed Green’s comment.
“The most glaring difference for me is the connection between actors,” he said. “Usually, in an in-person production, the way that actors make up life onstage is through connection, such as really looking at your partners and acknowledging their presence. It's different in the virtual setting, because in order to look like you're looking at the other actors, you usually have to look away from them and send your intent in the opposite direction. It's definitely challenging and different. But I like to think of it as a sort of training. I mean there are professional actors in film who now have to stare at tennis balls with faces drawn on them and give million dollar performances because of CG (computer generated imagery).”
Trison Haq
One of the most surprising aspects of presenting this play in this format “is the heightened sense of confinement that the camera brings,” Haq said. But the camera serves a unique purpose in “No Exit.”
“For the most part, we're staying fully within this square of what the camera can see, and we can only act within that confined space,” he said. “I think that sense of confinement and the ‘eye’ of having the camera constantly looking at you helps facilitate the dread and the feeling of being in a kind of social hell.”
“At first I was extremely apprehensive about the whole ‘being on camera’ part of this production,” Green said, “but it is turning out to be much less of an issue than I thought. I was worried that my personal discomfort with having the immediate feedback that comes with seeing yourself as you’re working would present a huge hurdle that I had never really worked with before. But I think the issue of self-consciousness, and the need to work around it in order to adjust to this new normal that is the theatre world right now, has really allowed me to confront some things that have been holding me back as a performer. I believe that, in the long run, working on this particular show and this character, especially through the lens of my own issues with self-perception, is allowing me to work a lot more deeply than would have been possible otherwise.”
The students have yet to encounter the challenge of performing without a live audience. Green said she is one of “those actors” who loves live theatre. “But I’m definitely very excited and grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself as an artist and push the boundaries of my comfort zone a little bit,” she said.
Being flexible and able to adapt quickly are requirements in live theatre, and the limitations that COVID has placed on live performance have reinforced that.
“Theatre has always been and always will be a constantly evolving art form, and its ability to adapt is one of the most amazing things about it,” Green said. “The world of entertainment has had to make some drastic adjustments in the past several months. Even with so many innovations that we’ve already seen, we’re making new discoveries and finding new solutions at every rehearsal. It’s a very valuable opportunity to grow as an artist. This virtual process has taught me that we are more than capable of working through problems and of making discoveries that we wouldn’t have made otherwise had we not been presented with these circumstances.”
“I think exploring new ways to do theatre is always beneficial,” Beck said, “and because of all this chaos, we now know that yes, indeed, theatre can be anywhere!”“I'm just excited to tell stories and act again,” Haq said, “and I hope that everyone who watches us has as much fun as we've had rehearsing it all.”
The virtual performance is at 7:30 nightly for the three-night run. To purchase online access, which starts at $7.50 with additional donations accepted, visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407 Monday through Friday for online purchasing questions. Livestream access sales end at 1 p.m. daily during the run, and links are emailed after 4:30 p.m. each day. For more information about the School of Theatre, visit theatre.sfasu.edu.
September 23, 2020 - In August 2020, Kasey R. Golden was nominated, then selected to serve as the 2020-2021 student representative to the Stephen F. Austin State University’s Graduate Council. The council is the primary advisory body for graduate education at the university and makes recommendations on all aspects of graduate education throughout the university. This council is composed of ten elected and appointed graduate faculty members and one graduate student as an active member representing the graduate student body. In addition to serving on the committee with graduate faculty and staff, Golden, as the student representative, is the chair of the Student Affairs Committee. The committee is tasked with increasing student involvement and soliciting and reviewing nominations for both the Outstanding Thesis and Outstanding Graduate Student Awards. In acceptance of this position Golden said, “What an honor! Thank you so much for this opportunity. I look forward to working with graduate faculty and staff to enhance graduate education across the university.”
In May of 2020, Golden’s hard work and determination earned her the Ima Hogg Scholarship. The Hogg Foundation awards the Ima Hogg Scholarships to graduate social work students who have committed to joining the mental health workforce after graduation. One student is selected from each social work master’s program across the state of Texas. Each are chosen for their potential to bring renewed energy to the Texas mental health workforce. “After exploring other helping professions, I know I have found a home in social work. I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to all I will accomplish in mental health care in rural East Texas.” Golden stated.
“The SFA School of Social Work's Graduate program prepares leaders for the social work profession,” says professor and director of the MSW Program, Dr. Emmerentie Oliphant. “Ms. Kasey Golden is an example of an excellent leader who is passionate about social work. She is dedicated to make a difference in the lives of people and communities. I know she will become a leader in the social work profession."
Golden was a 2009 graduate of Center High School, 2011 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, and a 2015 graduate of Florida Coastal School of Law. Golden currently serves as a graduate assistant at SFASU’s school of social work. She will continue her social work education this fall and plans to graduate in May 2021 with her Master’s in Social Work. Upon graduation, Golden hopes become a Licensed Master Social Worker and to provide mental health services to the East Texas area. She also intends to continue to advocate for fair immigration policy and better access to mental health service for the people of East Texas.
September 22, 2020 - Zola Emile Avery is kind of like a founding father. He was part of the inaugural 1923 class at what was then Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College, played for the university’s first football team, and was a charter member of a campus literary society. Known as Zoomie for his skill on the gridiron and the basketball court, he graduated in 1927 with a degree in agriculture.
If those were the only accolades he’d accumulated, then they would be enough. As SFA approaches its 100-year anniversary, people like Avery, those who helped establish the university, will get their second 15 minutes of fame. But with Avery, his influence goes well beyond what he did in sports and in the classroom.
Over four decades after his death in 1977, Avery’s imprint endures as three generations of his descendants – and more than likely a fourth in the coming years – have gone to SFA for their education. Two of them, granddaughter Maggie Brown at the Early Childhood Lab, and great-granddaughter Stephanie Weatherford ’08 and ’11, at the Academic Assistance and Resource Center, are still on campus.
But they are just two of many. In addition to Brown and Weatherford, Avery’s SFA tree includes granddaughter Marsha Thomas Kemp ’76, great-granddaughter Megan Kemp Young ’05, great-granddaughter Shannon Brown ’06, great-grandson Dusty Brown ’09 and ’11, great-great grandson JT Weatherford, who attended the Early Childhood lab, and in-laws David Kemp ’72-74, Kenneth Brown ’76, Aaron Young ’91-93, and Shea Weatherford ’03.
Avery’s only daughter, Nacogdoches-born Betty Avery, passed away in April. The emotions and recollections caused by her death sparked a renewed interest in family history and, in particular, the history of her father. Stephanie Weatherford, who had never met her great-grandfather, started asking around and digging into records. With help from SFA staff, she found photos and old yearbook listings. More importantly, she found a kinship dating back to the 19th Century, to Avery’s father, patriarch Joseph Avery.
“The best part about all this is that I feel a greater connection to my family,” Weatherford said. “Learning that education was so important to my family as far back as my great-great-grandfather made me proud. Education is my passion. It’s who I am and it’s why I work for SFA.”
Born in Nacogdoches on Sept. 12, 1902, Avery was among the youngest of 12 siblings. Grounded by the encouragement of father Joseph, all of them earned college degrees. It was this culture of learning and education that was probably behind Avery being named after French writer Émile Zola. In a twist, at some point Avery rearranged his name to Zola Emile so that he didn’t have the initials E.Z. Avery, of course, could not escape the Zoomie nickname.
Avery’s college career includes being a captain and coach of the football team, which during his era played opponents like Center High, Beaumont Junior College, and Hillsborough Junior College; a member of the basketball team; two years with the President Press Club; one year as business manager of Pine Log; and three years as a charter member of the Thomas J. Rusk Literary Society, formed in 1923 to foster public speaking and debate.
After graduation Avery went to work for Social Security until mandatory retirement at age 65. He and wife Rena, who met while students at SFA, had one child, Betty, a graduate of Baylor University. Though Avery and his wife eventually settled in Dallas and lived there for the rest of their lives, important family ties remained in Nacogdoches. Rena was related to J.E. Kingham, founder of the J.E. Kingham construction company, which built a big portion of the SFA campus.
Maggie Brown remembers her grandparents as a “second set of parents” and went with them for visits to Nacogdoches throughout her childhood. When it came time for college, SFA was a natural choice. When Avery passed in December 1977, Brown was taking her finals. The family waited until after she had finished to tell her the news.
Brown said she has plenty of memories of her grandfather, but one stands out from the rest.
“He always had his head in a book,” Brown said. “You knew education was important to him and his family. We are his legacy. We’re still here after all these years.”
More than 40 years after his death, the legacy of Zola Emile Avery, a member of SFA’s inaugural 1923 class, is alive and well. Holding a yearbook photo of Avery in his football uniform are, from left: Avery’s granddaughter, Maggie Brown, great-granddaughter Stephanie Weatherford ’08 and ’11, and great-great grandson JT Weatherford.
September 21, 2020 - Stephen F. Austin State University has announced it will hold traditional in-person commencement ceremonies for December 2020 graduates with a number of new measures aimed at helping ensure attendee safety.
Additionally, May and August 2020 graduates are invited to participate in the December ceremony. Both of these commencement groups’ graduation ceremonies transitioned to virtual formats after the outbreak of COVID-19 in the spring.
“As an institution of higher education, we know graduation is one of the most important events for the entire campus community,” said Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. “It’s the crowning achievement of years of hard work for our students, and a time of particular pride for our faculty and staff. We are so excited to be able to provide an in-person ceremony this December.”
Seating in Johnson Coliseum will be adjusted to help ensure physical-distancing requirements are met, and all attendees will be required to wear face masks.
Graduates and their guests must present tickets to enter Johnson Coliseum. Tickets are free but will help university officials ensure the venue is not overcrowded and that adequate spacing can be maintained during the event. Each graduate will be allotted one ticket for themselves and a maximum of six guest tickets for their respective ceremony. Students must reserve tickets by 5 p.m. Nov. 20.
Graduates may reserve tickets by completing a Commencement Registration Form. Students will receive instructions on how to access the form via email.
May and August graduates who wish to participate in the in-person December ceremonies must notify the Office of the Registrar by Nov. 1. Instructions on notifying the registrar were emailed to eligible students.
The winter 2020 commencement ceremonies will take place Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12. May and August graduates, as well as candidates from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, will participate at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11. Candidates from the College of Fine Arts, as well as the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, will participate at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.
Three ceremonies will take place Saturday, Dec. 12. The first will begin at 9 a.m. and will honor candidates from the Rusche College of Business and the Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership.
The second will begin at noon for candidates in the Department of Education Studies and the Department of Human Sciences. The final ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. and will honor candidates from the College of Sciences and Mathematics, as well as the Department of Kinesiology.
All ceremonies will be streamed live on the SFA Facebook page, facebook.com/sfasu, for guests who are unable to attend for scheduling or health reasons.
For more information about the events, visit sfasu.edu/registrar/455.asp.
For SFA Director of Student Engagement, work is based on experience.
September 18, 2020 - Saville Harris meets a lot of students.
Saville Harris, assistant director of student engagement and Greek life, is one of four President’s Achievement Award recipients for 2020, as recently announced by Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president.
In his role as assistant director of student engagement and Greek life, and in the years leading up to his current position, Harris has befriended, inspired and even consoled hundreds of Stephen F. Austin State University undergrads.
The names and faces might change each year, but Harris’ go-to mantra remains the same: “A few simple words can make someone’s day.”
Harris is one of four President’s Achievement Award recipients for 2020, as recently announced by Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. Harris, known for his towering height and booming personality, has been winning campus awards since 2012. But this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps news of the accolade arrived a bit more sweetly than it had in the past.
“I was shocked,” he said. “It made my heart smile.”
Reading through Harris’ résumé takes a few minutes: adjunct professor of kinesiology, author and presenter of scholarly publications, Purple Santa actor, orientation facilitator, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity member, Jack Camp and Spirit Rally host, and lifetime member of the SFA Alumni Association. He also was recently appointed to the committee leading the search for SFA’s next vice president for student affairs.
The question should be, what hasn’t he done? And the simple answer is, earn his PhD. But if you ask him, that just might be the next frontier.
According to the letter of nomination, Harris is “a living, breathing definition of what SFA stands for in our mission statement and goals.” He has definitely earned that characterization, but that’s not why he came here. Harris, then a teenager coming to grips with the fact that his gridiron dreams had been shattered by a serious injury, followed his older brother Robert to Nacogdoches from hometown Livingston in 2006.
After earning his bachelor’s in 2010, he considered leaving. He applied for and received callbacks for a few jobs. But a campus contact convinced him to stay in town for his master’s, and since 2013, he has established himself as a fixture in student engagement. Along the way he fell in love and married wife Ashley, herself an SFA alumna, and had two daughters, ages 1 and 7. In his spare time, he operates a food truck, Big Fella’s BBQ, which in normal times can be found on weekends at Fredonia Brewery or the Nacogdoches Public Library.
By any measure, Harris has a great life, one that started 14 years ago when he headed north on Highway 59.
“Everything that I wasn’t, I found here,” he said.
While that may be true, it’s not the whole story.
His parents, Florida and Sylvester Harris, own and operate a restaurant in Livingston, Florida’s Kitchen. Since Harris is only 32 years old and the restaurant has been around for 35 years, it’s safe to say that Harris grew up in the hospitality industry. And that experience helped shape who he is and what he means to SFA.
“It taught me how to work with people,” he said. “You have to learn how to take the good with the bad and learn how to make people happy. I learned that at an early age. You can always treat somebody well.”
By Richard Massey, Senior Marketing Communications Specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University
September 18, 2020 - There is a positive outlook among administrators at Stephen F. Austin State University, as fall 2020 enrollment numbers were much better than many educational forecasts had predicted, based on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fall enrollment totaled 12,620 students, a decrease of 349 students, or 2.7%. However, there was a 10.7% increase in SFA’s graduate enrollment, from 1,475 students in fall 2019 to 1,633 students in fall 2020.
“Among the graduate students, there was a 36.5% increase in the number of new graduate students, so that is especially encouraging,” said Erma Brecht, executive director of enrollment management. “SFA’s commitment to flexible course and program offerings allowed graduate students to select options that best fit their needs, such as 16-week or 8-week terms and face-to-face, online, Zoom or a hybrid delivery.”
Within undergraduate enrollment, administrators believe the decrease in freshman students, from 3,643 in fall 2019 to 3,109, is due to pandemic-related uncertainty. Enrollment of junior-level students increased 2.1%, from 2,639 in 2019 to 2,694; there was a 3.8% increase among seniors, from 2,895 to 3,005.
Each of the six colleges experienced growth in their graduate-student headcount, with the Perkins College of Education enrolling 874 students, an 8.2% increase since fall 2019, and the College of Liberal and Applied Arts enrolling 287 students, a 22.1% increase. There are 143 graduate students in the Rusche College of Business, 79 in the College of Fine Arts, 91 in the Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, and 159 in Sciences and Mathematics.
SFA administrators were especially pleased with retention rates, which indicate a potential 7% increase, from 70% in fall 2019 to 77% this fall.
“We are pleased to see our students return to continue their educational goals at a higher rate,” Brecht said.
Brecht added that SFA faculty, staff and administrators understood this fall was going to look and feel different than normal.
“Faculty and staff prepared course offerings in multiple modalities to meet students' needs and provided student services virtually,” she said. “We thank them for their dedication, and we also thank our students and their families for their commitment to SFA.”
For more information about SFA enrollment, visit sfasu.edu/admissions.
September 16, 2020 - As National Family Day, Sept. 26, approaches, the School of Human Sciences at Stephen F. Austin State University wants to remind you about a bachelor’s degree that you can earn online to serve families at all stages of life.
The Bachelor of Science in human sciences with a concentration in human development and family studies was the first completely online bachelor’s degree at SFA. As part of its online study, the program offers opportunities to connect with alumni and industry professionals virtually.
“This flexible learning experience is a great option for those who do not want to relocate to Nacogdoches,” said Dr. Rachel Jumper, assistant professor of human sciences at SFA.
Those who earn this degree pursue careers as adoption and foster specialists, childcare workers, early intervention specialists, marriage and family enrichment program coordinators, patient advocates, senior center activities coordinators and youth program coordinators.
Adrian Gutierrez, a 2016 graduate of the program, is now a juvenile case manager for the City of Baytown Municipal Court.
“Each course provided knowledge of every aspect of lifespan development while expanding my understanding of the value of communication and relationships,” Gutierrez said. “I highly recommend this program to anyone with a passion for working with and helping children and families grow.”
The human development and family studies program offers new, returning and transfer students the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree online. It provides an in-depth understanding of growth, change and development in children, adults and families. It also features a lifespan, multicontextual and family systems approach, which has proven essential for service-oriented professions.
For more information, contact Jumper at jumperr@sfasu.edu, or visit sfasu.edu/sfaonline.
September 15, 2020 - Teacher candidates in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Community Responsiveness and Engaged Advocacy in Teacher Education program, or C.R.E.A.T.E., have partnered with the Nacogdoches Public Library to provide free real-time drop-in homework help for local students.
“We know there is a lot of need in the community right now, with so many parents, grandparents and caregivers working to help their children learn from home,” said Dr. Heather Olson Beal, professor in SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education. “We also hope this service is helpful to teachers, who can recommend that their students join the homework help sessions.”
The library is hosting free virtual drop-in sessions for teacher candidates to answer quick homework questions from 9 to 11 a.m. on Mondays and from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays throughout September on the Discord meeting platform.
The homework sessions are open to all local students, but students age 13 and younger will need a caregiver or guardian to register for them. To participate, visit sfasu.edu/create-hwhelp.
The library also is hosting a continuation of the free virtual activity lessons teacher candidates in C.R.E.A.T.E. began last spring when schools were shut down because of COVID-19. While providing a fun break during the day for children and their families and caregivers, these activities help teacher candidates give back to the community while gaining valuable online teaching experience.
Students can participate in these activities from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Fridays throughout September. The lessons include art activities and science experiments designed for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Caregivers and guardians can register students for these activities at sfasu.edu/create-activity.
“We think this is a great way to promote community while helping both local families navigating virtual learning and SFA teacher candidates working to gain real-world experience during the pandemic,” said Crystal Hicks, librarian at the Nacogdoches Public Library.
Depending on response, the sessions may continue beyond September, said Dr. Lauren Burrow, an associate professor in the Perkins College of Education.
“C.R.E.A.T.E. always tries to prioritize community needs and respond, creatively, so as the school year progresses, we’ll assess interest in these sessions and continue them as needed,” Burrow said.
To learn more, email Burrow at burrowle@sfasu.edu.
September 10, 2020 Nacogdoches — In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens is introducing a modified version of its popular fall plant sale known as the Fabulous Fall Festival.
Plant sale patrons will have the opportunity to reserve a two-hour window to shop in the SFA Gardens plant nursery throughout the month of October. Up to six plant sale patrons may shop during the same two-hour window, and all physical distancing measures must be observed.
Reservation windows will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday October 1 through 30, with two Saturday opportunities on October 3 and 17.
The sale will feature more than 300 varieties of hard-to-find, “Texas-tough” plants, including Texas natives, edibles, heirlooms, perennials, shrubs and trees, with an emphasis on pollinator friendly selections, as well as exclusive SFA introductions. The featured plants are extensively trialed before being offered to the public and are produced by SFA Gardens staff and volunteers.
All proceeds support staff members and operations within the Mast Arboretum, Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden and Gayla Mize Garden.
Reservations will begin September 18 and may be made online at sfagardens.org and on SFA Gardens’ Facebook and Instagram pages. Reservations are required, and participants must wear a mask in all buildings. Additionally, the much-anticipated plant list will be released in conjunction with the reservation. Cash will not be accepted, but checks and all major credit cards are welcome.
Parking will be available at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. Carts will be provided. For more information, email dawnstover@sfasu.edu.
September 1, 2020 - All online degree programs in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business will be converted to an eight-week format by spring 2021. The college has already started the process of moving classes to the new model, which will replace the traditional 16-week schedule.
“The advantage with the eight-week course format is that if offers our online students more flexibility within their academic schedules,” said Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the Rusche College of Business. “They can focus on a couple of classes at a time and still be full-time students. It also provides options for students who may need to temporarily stop and restart their program of study due to unforeseen circumstances. Many college students today balance work, family and other issues while pursuing their degree. We want to make sure that our course offering structure is not an obstacle, but an asset to students as they seek flexible ways to complete their degree.”
By spring, the college will host three undergraduate degree programs in this format – General Business, Sports Business, and Business Communication and Corporate Education. While flexible options are the goal, research also indicates that shorter course delivery may improve student outcomes.
“Studies show that students have a higher rate of success with the eight-week courses versus extended weeks, said Dr. Steve Bullard, SFA provost and VP of academic affairs. “Our ability to meet students where they are is essential to student success. With the flexibility, potential cost savings, and favorable outcomes, it makes so much sense for our online programs to offer the 8 week schedule.”
Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president, said the pro-active steps being taken by the college provide an outstanding example of educational leadership.
“Providing ultimate flexibility to our students through the innovative use of technologies and flexible course design and delivery is a foundational component of the new model for higher education,” Gordon said.
For more information about the eight-week online class format, contact Dr. Tim Bisping at bispingto@sfasu.edu or 936.468.3101.
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