SFA University
The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine officials and Stephen F. Austin State University representatives sign an early assurance program agreement to create a pathway for students between their undergraduate degree and medical school.
August 22, 2023 - On Aug. 16, 2023 Stephen F. Austin State University joined seven local colleges and universities to celebrate The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine’s early assurance program signing day.
“This is a significant milestone for UT Tyler School of Medicine and our partnering colleges,” said President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP. “The Pathways program reflects our commitment to recruiting local talent and promoting excellence in medical education. Through this program, we are creating a pathway for East Texas students to pursue a career in medicine.”
The early assurance program, known as “Pathways to Medicine,” will prepare 40 students each year from local colleges and universities for a successful career in the medical field by providing clinical exposure and developing necessary study skills for medical school. Up to 15 will be admitted into the School of Medicine.
The eight partnering institutions include:
- East Texas Baptist University
- Jarvis Christian University
- LeTourneau University
- Stephen F. Austin State University
- Texas College
- Texas A&M University – Texarkana
- The University of Texas at Tyler
- Wiley College
“The Pathways program is an excellent opportunity for SFA to strengthen partnerships and help address health care needs in our region,” said Gina Oglesbee, SFA interim president. “Through this program, our selected SFA students will have additional resources and support to help achieve their goal of attending medical school. We are proud to be part of this initiative with the UT Tyler School of Medicine.”
The Pathways program encompasses a one- to two-year curriculum for junior and senior years. Program activities include professional development, speakers and panel discussions, standardized test prep including MCAT, volunteering and physician shadowing. Participants undergo the same rigorous admissions process and interviews as other prospective students, and their selection is based on a holistic evaluation of their qualifications.
“With a strong emphasis on community engagement and preventive care, the early assurance program will encourage and support greater numbers of students interested in medicine,” said Dr. Gisele Armond Abron, UT Tyler School of Medicine associate dean of admissions. “This initiative is not only shaping the future of health care but also ensuring that our region welcomes more dedicated and competent physicians.”
If you attend a participating institution and are interested in enrolling in the Pathways program, email sompathways@uttyler.edu to obtain contact information for your institution’s early assurance program designee.
Pictured are muscadine grapes from the SFA Gardens Jimmy Hinds park.
August 16, 2023 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host a fruit research field day from 9am to 3pm Friday, September 29 featuring kiwifruit, muscadine grapes, blueberries, figs, feijoas and other fruits.
Speakers will include Dr. David Creech, director of SFA Gardens; and Dr. Tim Hartmann and Dr. Justin Scheiner, both faculty members in Texas A&M University’s Department of Horticultural Sciences.
“While east Texas has suffered through several climate challenges in the last few years, the region has many comparative advantages for the fruit grower,” Creech said. “Low-cost land, easy access to high-quality water sources, big nearby population centers, and more folks interested in growing their own fruit all point to promise in the years ahead.”
The day will start at 9am with presentations at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building in the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. There will be a break for attendees to leave for lunch. After the break, participants will then go to the fruit research plots at SFA Gardens around 1pm.
The cost of the field day is $15 per person. Register on-site the day of the event or in advance online at sfasu.edu/sfagardens.
For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
August 15, 2023 - In an event that happens once in a lifetime, Stephen F. Austin State University is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a full slate of months-long initiatives that will culminate in a weekend of celebrations in September.
“Since SFA first opened its doors in 1923, it’s been a place of transformation for thousands of students eager to forge a bold path for themselves,” said Gina Oglesbee, SFA interim president. “SFA’s first class totaled just 270 students. Today, more than 115,000 alumni continue to make a difference using the lessons they learned here on our beautiful pine-covered campus. I am excited to welcome them back to celebrate their alma mater alongside our current students, faculty, staff, SFA friends and Nacogdoches and regional community members.”
Schedule of events
An all-are-welcome birthday party Sept. 18, SFA’s Founders Day, will cap off a four-day weekend of events celebrating the university’s 100 years. The official Centennial Celebration kickoff begins with the SFA Alumni Association’s annual awards ceremony Sept. 15, which is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at sfaalumni.com.
The weekend celebration’s second day, Sept. 16, will be dedicated to honoring the relationship the university has long held with its host town, Nacogdoches. Visitors, returning alumni, students and community members are encouraged to attend events and initiatives taking place throughout the city. A complete list will be shared closer to the event.
“Planning for our Centennial Celebration has been ongoing for years because we understood the gravity of this immense milestone,” said John Branch, SFA Centennial Committee chair and interim assistant vice president for finance and administration. “We made sure the weekend of events honors the university’s past while celebrating its bright future.”
The Griffith Fine Arts Building grand reopening will be the focus of festivities Sept. 17. A ribbon-cutting will take place at 1:30 p.m. followed by plaque unveilings at 2 p.m. The $53 million expansion more than doubled the size of the existing building and added state-of-the-art performance spaces, rehearsal halls, and dance studios, among many other additions in the Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts. The full scope of the project can be viewed at finearts.sfasu.edu/expansion.
The world premiere of a composition commissioned for the university’s centennial — and created by Dr. Stephen Lias, professor of composition in SFA’s School of Music — will take place at 4 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Griffith Fine Arts Building’s Turner Auditorium.
The open house also features self-guided tours of the building before the auditorium is opened for its first public viewing and concert. While all activities of the day are free and open to the public, the concert is a ticketed event due to limited seating. Complimentary tickets, available while they last, can be obtained by contacting the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or boxoffice@sfasu.edu starting Sept. 1.
The final day of the centennial weekend, Sept. 18, will begin with the dedication of the Centennial Ring Plaza at 10:30 a.m. and the unveiling of a new campus statue gifted to the university by the SFA Alumni Association. Guided and self-guided tours will be ongoing into the weekend’s grand finale: a sprawling centennial birthday party on and along Vista Drive, which will take place at 4 p.m. that day.
“We’re planning to give a nod to the way celebrations occurred during the beginning years of the university by having long communal tables lining the road for Lumberjacks to meet up and celebrate our history and our future,” said Heather Howell, SFA Centennial Committee member and SFA director of advancement services. “The area near Vista Drive will be set up similar to a festival, filled with vendor booths, activities, memories and more so visitors can truly acknowledge what this university means to them.”
During the festival, visitors will be invited to partake in birthday cake and ice cream, take self-guided tours of campus, and participate in games and activities set up in the area. Guests will also be invited to tour the Centennial Axe Handle Exhibit, which will be set up in the Pearman Alumni Center’s Hall of Honor.
Centennial initiatives
Lumberjacks are encouraged to continue participating in and contributing to several ongoing initiatives and projects meant to honor the university’s 100th anniversary:
- Centennial Axe Handle Exhibit — Alumni can submit their decorated axe handles to SFA’s Centennial Axe Handle Exhibit. The exhibit will feature axe handles loaned by the university community, and a digital slideshow ensures that distant Jacks can also participate.
- 100K Service Hours for 100 Years — Students, alumni and SFA employees are competing to see who can log the most volunteer hours in honor of SFA’s centennial year. Keep up with totals and log volunteer hours at sfasu.edu/centennial.
- Planting 100 Pine Trees — SFA has a goal to plant 100 pine trees in honor of SFA’s 100 years. Individuals, organizations, fraternity and sorority chapters, groups of friends and the public can make a donation to have a tree planted on the SFA campus in honor of another person or group.
All SFA Centennial Celebration events are open to the public, and all except the SFA Alumni Association awards ceremony are free.
View the up-to-date SFA Centennial Celebration schedule of events, read about the university’s history, find downloadable graphics and more at sfasu.edu/centennial.
August 4, 2023 — Lumberjacks and friends of Stephen F. Austin State University are encouraged to participate in the university’s third-annual Giving Day, which is also happening in conjunction with SFA’s centennial celebration.
SFA welcomed its inaugural class of students Sept. 18, 1923. To celebrate the university’s 100th anniversary, this year’s campaign goal is $192,300.
“Since 1923, generations of alumni and friends have supported SFA to ensure the Lumberjack experience is available to today’s students,” said Trey Turner, associate vice president for university advancement. “Coinciding with the university’s centennial, Giving Day provides a perfect opportunity to celebrate SFA while simultaneously investing in its future.”
Some areas that donors may consider helping include colleges or departments from which they graduated, student organizations they participated in, athletics, scholarships and more.
“The centennial Giving Day is a one-day event that will bring together alumni, friends, parents, students, faculty and staff, both online and in person, to support SFA and celebrate 100 years of Lumberjacks,” said Mallory Marshall, coordinator for annual giving.
The Giving Day webpage will go live in the upcoming weeks, and everyone interested can follow Giving Day announcements and updates on SFASU Foundation’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. There will also be opportunities to give in person at the centennial celebration events taking place throughout the day. Campaign progress will be actively updated on the @SFASUFoundation social media pages.
Donations can be made online during the day through Giving Day platforms, and links will be provided through emails and shared on social media. All donations are tax deductible.
For more information about SFA’s Giving Day, contact Marshall at Mallory.Marshall@sfasu.edu.
August 3, 2023 — Join Stephen F. Austin State University’s Health and Wellness Hub staff members at Nac Safe Place’s suicide awareness walk, scheduled for 5 p.m. September 23 at Festival Park in downtown Nacogdoches.
Nac Safe Place is a collaboration of community agencies, schools and law enforcement officials dedicated to reducing the stigma associated with suicide in order to increase each person’s ability to seek help and prevent further loss of life.
The Hub is partnering with Nac Safe Place and other organizations to host the inaugural “OK to Not Be OK” walk for suicide awareness and prevention.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and is the second for college-aged people, said Clare Fite, director of SFA Counseling Services at The Hub.
“Helping to reduce the stigma by talking openly about mental health and ensuring that our services are easily accessible, especially to those in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide, has always been part of The Hub’s mission,” Fite said. “We know that suicide prevention is everybody’s business and that even the smallest gesture can help to prevent the tragedy of suicide. Being able to participate in the Nac Safe Place suicide awareness walk is an honor.”
The event will feature live music, food and education materials. It also will promote 988, the number of the national suicide and crisis hotline launched in July 2022 that can be reached via phone and text.
Alana Culpepper, founder of Nac Safe Place, said she hopes the event will help community members learn to pay attention to the warning signs and act when someone is in crisis.
“Until we rip the Band-Aid off and help break the stigma, suicide numbers will continue to increase,” Culpepper said. “If we can be that point of contact to make someone feel safe, then we are fulfilling the vision of Nac Safe Place.”
Culpepper said a memorial garden will be created at Festival Park to honor lives lost to suicide. Families who would like to honor their loved ones with a sign in the garden may email info@nacsafeplace.life.
To register for the walk, sponsor the event or become a vendor, visit the Nac Safe Place website at nacsafeplace.life.
Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host its annual Fabulous Fall Festival Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 7 and 8 at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. Four types of lantana will be available this year: Miss Huff Hardy, Chapel Hill Yellow, Lantana urticoides and Lantana montevidensis (Imperial Purple).
August 1, 2023 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host its annual Fabulous Fall Festival Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 7 and 8 at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center in historic Nacogdoches.
The sale will feature an array of hard-to-find, “Texas-tough” plants, with an emphasis on native, pollinator-friendly selections, garden favorite perennials and trees, including Japanese maples, magnolias and bald cypress. A list of all available plants will be posted on the SFA Gardens website two weeks before the sale.
This very popular event raises money for the operations of areas under the SFA Gardens umbrella, including Mast Arboretum, Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, Gayla Mize Garden and Kingham Children’s Garden.
During this year’s sale, attendees will also have the opportunity to donate to SFA Gardens’ environmental education program to help bring children’s events back to the gardens as the program recovers from the 2020 closure.
Parking will be available at SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, located at 2428 Raguet St. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon for their plants.
For more information and a list of available plants, call (936) 468-4404 or visit sfasu.edu/sfagardens.
July 28, 2023 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation along with the Texas Forest Country Partnership will host the Nacogdoches Forum on Rural Economic Development from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Nacogdoches County Courthouse Annex.
The public event will provide a platform for community stakeholders, business leaders and local elected officials to discuss their role in the economic development of their city/county. Presenters include Mary Ann Rojas, executive director of CARRI; Nancy Windham, TFCP president and CEO; and Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of SFA’s Department of Economics and Finance. The forum also features a collaboration session facilitated by Kelly Hall, president and CEO of the Longview Chamber of Commerce. A complimentary lunch will be provided.
“These events bring together all of the major stakeholders in each county into one room for a frank discussion about the relevant issues, challenges and opportunities ahead,” Kouliavtsev said. “It is our plan to summarize the results of all 12 of these forums and share some feedback with each county’s representatives. We also need to establish a baseline of conditions in our area against which we can measure any future improvements in growth, innovation, quality of life — ultimately, that’s the goal of CARRI.”
Kouliavtsev will kick off the forum by providing a snapshot of economic conditions in Nacogdoches County and comparing them with those in deep East Texas and the entire state. According to Kouliavtsev, this information will focus on workforce availability and preparation as well as job attributes that employers are seeking to fill: occupations, specific job titles, and the skills employers are looking for and whether prospective workers have them. The second part of the event will be Hall’s facilitated discussion.
Community members and local municipal officials such as mayors, county judges, economic development representatives and industry leaders are encouraged to attend.
“Anyone with an interest in local economic issues would find the event helpful, including the discussions among presenters and attendees,” Kouliavtsev said. “I am also looking forward to learning from those in attendance — business leaders, elected officials — about what their experience is like navigating the challenges of local economic development.”
Some economic challenges attendees will discuss are similar to those other counties in the region are facing, including declining population, few employment opportunities for young workers and access to health care. However, according to Kouliavtsev, Nacogdoches County offers areas of growth including attainable real estate and educational opportunities.
Monica Loa, associate project director of CARRI, hopes different cities and counties can learn from each other at these sessions.
“This event is designed to provide each city and county a platform for discussion so they can increase their understanding of their role in the economic development of their communities,” Loa said.
Sessions are being offered in 12 deep East Texas counties. To register for this or the remaining county sessions, visit https://forms.office.com/r/RGs4cSHbkA. For more information, contact Loa at loamm@sfasu.edu.
July 28, 2023 — As one of its final duties, the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents named Dr. Dan Bruton, professor of physics and director of the SFA Planetarium, the 2023-24 Regents Scholar.
The title of Regents Scholar is the highest honor the university can bestow upon a faculty member. The honor is reserved for faculty members who are exemplary role models to the university community. The title is not an academic rank but an honorary title held for the duration of the recipient’s service to the university.
As part of the recognition, Bruton received a $2,000 grant to support his research efforts, which involve the search for minor planets as well as engineering design projects.
Previously named Regents Professor, SFA’s Regents Scholar program was established in 1979. Bruton will be the last to receive this recognition as SFA joins The University of Texas System this fall and becomes governed by the system’s board.
“As the final recipient of the Regents Scholar award, I am filled with profound gratitude and a heightened sense of responsibility,” Bruton said. “Joining the ranks of distinguished individuals who have received this honor before me is a humbling experience. Receiving this award is truly a highlight of my career, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement of my colleagues and mentors who have helped me reach this point.”
Bruton earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from SFA in 1988 and 1990, respectively, and obtained his doctoral degree in physics from Texas A&M University in 1996. Shortly after, he joined the SFA faculty and now teaches astronomy, engineering and physics courses. A recipient of SFA’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2003, Bruton was integral in the establishment of SFA’s engineering program, including the electrical engineering and mechanical engineering degree programs.
“Throughout his service as a faculty member, associate dean, director of the planetarium, director of engineering, and Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accreditation team leader, Dr. Dan Bruton has performed and led with conviction, compassion and excellence,” said Dr. Kimberly Childs, dean of SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics. “He is a servant leader, a visionary and a trusted colleague.”
Bruton also helps develop curriculum for younger students, including STEM Academy educational modules on engineering for the Nacogdoches and Lufkin independent school districts. He has involved students in Near Space projects that take instruments to the edge of space with high-altitude balloons, and he is currently working with students on an engineering design project for the collegiate Society of Automotive Engineers’ Baja national competition.
“Fostering a curiosity for science among all generations in the community is of utmost importance,” Bruton said. “Embracing curiosity not only fuels our thirst for knowledge but also empowers us to understand the world around us and tackle its challenges.
“By nurturing this inquisitive spirit, we inspire lifelong learners, promote scientific literacy and pave the way for innovative solutions that can positively impact society and create a brighter future for all. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to engage with both K-12 students through our planetarium educational programs and assist college students in achieving their career aspirations in engineering and physics.”
Bruton has worked with students to discover 11 new asteroids and make observations of over 40 other minor planets. He also has written free astronomy educational computer programs and made them available online. In addition, he educates the whole community through SFA Planetarium programming.
“Dr. Bruton has the unique ability to build and sustain sound relationships, serving as a valuable, dependable resource to countless students and colleagues across the SFA campus and beyond,” Childs said. “I have great respect and admiration for him, and I believe he is the quintessential SFA Regents Scholar.”
July 19, 2023 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. August 10 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Denyse Cummins, retired extension horticulture agent from the Louisiana State University AgCenter, will present “All About Bulbs.”
Cummins, who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a lecturer for the Louisiana Farm to School Program. She also has been a commercial cut flower grower, a botanical illustrator and an indigo dyer.
“I’ve been a lifelong lover of bulbs since age 9, when the first pink surprise lily popped up in my family’s new garden,” Cummins said.
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.
Officers of Stephen F. Austin State University’s police department take a formal oath for dual commission with The University of Texas System’s police force during a ceremony Monday in the Baker Pattillo Student Center.
July 10, 2023 - Officers of Stephen F. Austin State University’s police department received a dual commission with The University of Texas System’s police force during a ceremony Monday on the SFA campus.
The University Police Department officers became jointly commissioned as both SFA and UT System officers, which will hold until Sept. 1 when SFA officially becomes a member of the UT System. At that time, UPD officers will be commissioned only with the system, though their primary role will remain serving the SFA campus.
John Fields, SFA’s chief of police, said the department will continue to serve SFA and the campus community in the manner in which it has built its reputation — with professionalism and ethical decision-making.
Commissioning the officers into the UT System “will bring a sense of humanity to and a mutual respect with the campus community, which we see across the state already,” Michael J. Heidingsfield, UT System director of police, said during the Monday ceremony held in SFA’s Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom. “SFA officers are motivated by the same things that motivate the UT System police across Texas, so I think we’ll see a very nice marriage of people.”
SFA will join the UT System officially on Sept. 1 following the signing of Senate Bill 1055 earlier this year by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Along with additional support resources, SFA’s University Police Department will have access to the system’s police academy that will be critical to develop new recruits and for veteran officers who need to continue a high level of training. The department will join a collective police force of over 600 sworn officers once affiliated.
Created in 1967, the UT System’s police force is the third largest law enforcement agency in Texas. Upon their official commission into the UT System police force on Sept. 1, SFA’s UPD officers will report to the system’s Office of the Director of Police, or ODOP.
According to UPD’s Chief of Police John Fields, who was chief of police at Albany State University during a similar affiliation with the University System of Georgia in 2016, the mission of UPD will remain the same: to provide a safe environment to the campus community, particularly its most important asset — the student body.
Fields also confirmed the department will maintain a direct contact approach, or an open-door policy, so students, faculty and staff can swiftly access the assistance they need. Additionally, all UPD-hosted events and trainings, such as the Citizens’ Police Academy, active shooter trainings and charitable initiatives like Shop with a Cop, will remain.
“I want to make sure everyone knows that our services are not going to change; it’s going to get better,” Fields said during the ceremony Monday.
Joining the UT System also will bring with it an update to UPD’s physical presence. Following the ceremony, UPD debuted police vehicles outfitted with decals emblazoned with both “Stephen F. Austin State University” and the UT System name. Current vehicles will gradually be phased out and replaced by the newly designed vehicles. SFA officers also were provided a new University of Texas System police patch during the ceremony, which will later be accompanied by system police uniforms.
“Stephen F. Austin State University will always be here,” Fields said. “You’ll see it on the vehicles as a reminder. I want people to understand that SFA’s police will continue to maintain SFA’s vision and culture.”
Fields, who has established a familial atmosphere within UPD while at the helm, expects the transition to the UT System to add to that atmosphere and, ultimately, add to the department’s success.
“It’s OK to be a team, but the important thing is treating the department like a family,” Fields said prior to the ceremony. “Sometimes, a team functions like a robot. But if you operate as a family, you will have better results. And now we’re joining a bigger family, which will lead to bigger results.”
Pages
