SFA University
April 28, 2017 Nacogdoches – Dr. Brad Meyer, director of the percussion studio at Stephen F. Austin State University, will continue his “In the Trees” contemporary/new-music concert series with a performance of his original composition “For Whom …” featuring the carillon atop the Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus.
The performance will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6, with audience outdoor seating in the green space between Griffith Fine Arts Building and the entrance to Cole Concert Hall in Wright Music Building.
Specifically written by Meyer for the restored carillon, “For Whom …” is a chronological representation of a tsunami striking a coastal city/town, Meyer explained.
“The tsunami in this composition is a metaphor for the big changes that happen in each of our lives,” he said. “The composition represents the calm before the storm, followed by the feeling of impending doom, the mass exodus of animals that can sense the impending disaster better than humans, the actual strike of the tsunami, the physical and emotional aftermath, and finally the feelings of total uncertainty and loss,” Meyer said.
The performers will include the SFA Percussion Studio, as well as students from the other instrumental areas in the SFA School of Music, with Meyer playing the carillon.
The recent restoration and expansion of the bell tower of Griffith Fine Arts Building was completed through a campus-community partnership with funding provided by the Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation. The project added 10 new bells to the original 15 installed when the Griffith Building was constructed in 1959. The addition created a full two-octave chromatic carillon.
After a short introduction by Meyer, the performance should last 45 minutes. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic items and umbrellas to keep out of the sun. If there is inclement weather, the performance will be canceled due to the necessity of the carillon.
Admission is free. For more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
April 26, 2017 Nacogdoches – Stephen F. Austin State University theatre students, from left, Daniel Hicks, Richmond sophomore; Kara Bruntz, Southlake senior; Avery Tindol, Tenaha senior; and Sarah Lovelady, Leander sophomore, perform in a scene from Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth” being presented at 7:30 nightly through Saturday, April 29, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. The play is about the Antrobus family, which narrowly escapes one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present, Single tickets are $15 for adult, $10 for senior and $7.50 for student/youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu.
Photo credit: Lane Davidson
Submitted by Robbie Goodrich
April 26, 2017 Nacogdoches — Through a new partnership, Stephen F. Austin State University students will have the opportunity to gain tangible corporate experience and become the next generation of information technology talent while simultaneously completing their degrees.
During the SFA Board of Regents quarterly meeting Tuesday, regents approved a partnership between SFA and Fenway Group, a company dedicated to training college students to become the next generation of IT talent. Employees of Fenway Group teach college students how to work in corporate America, which often leads to employment upon program completion and graduation.
Martin Santora, founder and president of Fenway Group, said the company has a 100-percent job-placement rate. He explained to regents that program completers are recruited to work with the company, a corporate client, or a public or private entity within the graduate’s area of study.
Dr. Steve Bullard, SFA provost and vice president for academic affairs, called the program a great opportunity for students and the university.
“Partnering with Fenway Group is a win, win, win,” Bullard said. “At SFA, our goal is to provide students with transformative experiences. Students who work for Fenway Group will not simply work a job — their lives will be transformed.”
Fenway Group serves as an alternative to corporate business-related offshoring, working to keep IT careers in America. Using a unique business model, Fenway Group partners with select universities to provide business services for major corporations that include managed services, talent pipeline and collaborative projects. Some of its clients include Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and CenturyLink.
Students who participate in the program will work 20 hours a week, with SFA alumni serving as coaches and mentors to the team. The team will work daily with a corporate client, and the students will be paid $10 to $20 an hour, depending on the position.
“Fenway Group provides students real-world opportunities while giving constant guidance and mentorship, and we are looking forward to incorporating the group’s expertise into our university culture,” Bullard said. “This partnership will help our students attain the necessary first two years of experience for entry-level positions and begin establishing their careers before leaving SFA.”
Fenway Group will have an on-campus office in the McGee Business Building, and the program will be open to all majors.
In continuation of providing students with transformative experiences and hands-on learning opportunities, regents also approved the purchase for the Department of Biology of state-of-the-art equipment, including a Tecnai 12 transmission electron microscope and a silicon drift detector X-ray microanalysis system.
“This equipment will provide students access to cutting-edge technology, as well as position SFA uniquely among peer institutions to be able to train students on these pieces of scientific equipment,” Bullard said.
Additionally, regents voted to exempt students enrolled in online-only, off-campus-only or a combination of these course-delivery methods from charges for recreational sports and university center fees beginning fall 2017. Also, students taking study-abroad courses lasting longer than four weeks will be exempt from the recreational sports and university center fees.
The board also approved fees for a three-week Summer High School Academy for international high school students focusing on English as a second language, science and math for summer 2017. The $4,495 participant fee will cover program costs, excursions, housing, meal plan, insurance and local transportation.
A $1,900 fee for the Proyecta 100,000 program, a one-month ESL program for Mexican teachers and students, was approved. This fee will cover teaching, lab modules, excursion and local transportation.
Regents approved a summer budget of $3.6 million for fiscal year 2016-17, which covers two regular summer semesters and a mini-semester. Regents ratified $368,162 in additional grant awards allocable to fiscal year 2017. The funds are a portion of approximately $6 million for the fiscal year.
Board members approved an audit charter and acknowledged the receipt of the audit services report. Regents approved an extension of the William & Fudge contract through June 30, 2018, and the Windham Professional debt collection contract through Aug. 31, 2018, as well as a contract with People Admin, a human resources application system that enables the electronic handling of SFA’s employee recruitment and onboarding processes. Regents also approved a contract renewal with Ad Astra scheduling software.
An amendment to the Aramark contract, which will allow for Chick-fil-A renovations in the Baker Pattillo Student Center, also was approved.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved a proposal to increase the tuition bond debt service budget by $3.5 million for the fiscal year 2017.
Additionally, the board approved the establishment of the Alfred and Madeline Danheim quasi-endowments, which will allow for student scholarships and support of the School of Music.
Regents approved policy revisions, curriculum changes and minutes from the January and March meetings. They received updates on Senate Bill 20, NCAA revenue distribution, the fine arts architecture project by Kirksey Architecture, current university construction, planned maintenance, the Carillon Bells Project and the university’s marketing campaign. The board also heard reports from the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association and the university president.
April 25, 2017 Nacogdoches — Nurses across the state now have access to an online family nurse practitioner program that will be offered this fall by Stephen F. Austin State University. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Board of Nursing recently approved the Master of Science in Nursing program.
“The new program will help the whole community as well as the School of Nursing,” said Dr. Sara Bishop, director of SFA’s DeWitt School of Nursing. “We are already one of the best-known schools of nursing in Texas – our graduation rates are excellent, and our students perform remarkably on their state board exams. This program will offer nurses access to graduate nursing education and provide much-needed primary care to citizens in Deep East Texas.”
The Master of Science in Nursing with focus as a family nurse practitioner requires 46 credit hours and 720 minimum clinical hours to complete. Students will be allowed to utilize preceptors for clinical experiences in their home communities, when possible.
A $750,000 grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation strengthened development of the online program, which includes a few on-campus clinical experiences. “We could not have gained momentum if it were not for the support of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, and we are most thankful,” Bishop said.
Admission to the program will occur only during the fall semester. Priority deadline for fall admission is July 1 for the 2017-18 academic year. After 2017-18, the priority deadline will be April 1.
There are several specific requirements for program admittance, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited institution, a current unencumbered Texas registered nurse license, one year of full-time or equivalent experience practicing as a registered nurse, and more.
The SFA nursing administrators stated that access to health care is a growing concern across the nation. Many Texas counties have a shortage of primary care providers, including the counties in Deep East Texas. The leaders believe this program will connect SFA and East Texas communities through learning opportunities.
“Many of the students will be working with area nurse practitioners and primary care physicians in clinical sites where they will receive assistance and training,” said Dr. Janice Hensarling, associate professor of nursing and Master of Science in Nursing assistant program coordinator. “We have already received so much support from the community, and our program will focus on the needs of rural East Texas.”
For additional information about admission requirements and other details, contact Hensarling at (936) 468-7732 or jhensarling@sfasu.edu.
April 24, 2017 Nacogdoches – The bands at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the annual “Concert in the Park” Sunday, April 30, in the wooded area along Vista Drive and in front of the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus. The concert begins at 2 p.m. and is free to the public.
SFA alumnus Doice Grant, owner of Tatum Music Company in Longview, will be honored with an induction into the SFA Band Directors’ Hall of Fame. Grant earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SFA where he was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band fraternity and was selected “Outstanding Bandsman” of the Lumberjack Marching Band. Grant taught at Carthage and Center ISDs before joining the leadership of Tatum Music in 1994.
All four SFA concert bands will perform. Opening the concert will be University Band, under the direction of David Campo, associate director of bands, and graduate assistant Teresa Powell. The University Band will perform “Coast Guards March” by Karl King and “Autobahn” by Ryan George.
The Symphonic Band, under the direction of Tamey Anglley, assistant director of bands at SFA, will perform “Cajun Folks Songs” by Texas composer Frank Ticheli. Graduate assistant Brandon Beavers will conduct “Sea Songs” by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The Wind Symphony, also directed by Campo, will perform three selections, including “Inglesina,” a march by Davide Delle Cese.
The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Fred J. Allen, director of bands, will close the concert and will perform four pieces, including music from the movie “Star Wars” and a march by John Philip Sousa, “The Globe and Eagle.” Guest conductor and honoree Grant will conduct “Procession of the Nobles” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
KKY and Tau Beta Sigma, honorary band service fraternity and sorority, will sell hamburger plates beginning at 1 p.m. Plates are $5 each and will include a burger, chips and beverage.
For more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
April 22, 2017 - The Stephen F. Austin State University of Music has announced that SFA Alumnus and former Center High School Band Director, Doice Grant, will be the newest inductee into the SFA Band Directors' Hall of Fame.
A ceremony is set during this year's Concert in the Park, scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30, 2017, on the lawn in front of the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus in Nacogdoches.
Mr. Grant earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from Stephen F. Austin University in 1982. Doice was the treasurer and President of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band fraternity while attending SFA. The chapter won the first of two "Founder's Awards" (outstanding chapter in the nation) during this time as President of the chapter.
Grant was a member of Pi Kappa Lambda national music society and Alpha Chi National college honor society. He was also selected as the "Outstanding Bandsman" as a member of the Lumberjack band.
As a KKY active and officer, Doice helped form the SFA Band Alumni Association and the SFA Band Director's Hall of Fame, which makes this year's award presentation to Grant all the more meaningful. While a member of KKY, Doice presented to his father, Neil Grant, the Hall of Fame award. Now Mr. Grant's daughter, Rachel Grant, a member of the SFA Band, will watch her father receive the same honor.
Mr. Grant is a life member of both the SFA Band Alumni Association and the SFA Alumni Association.
Grant was the director of the middle school band in Carthage from 1983-1985, during which time the band won sweepstakes awards each of those years.
Grant directed the Center High School Band from 1985-1993, where his bands also received the sweepstakes award each year. During those years the Center band was also a three-time honor band finalist and two-time winner of the Outstanding Band in its class at the National Association of Military Marching Bands contest at Texas A&M University. The band also won numerous awards at national contests in Gatlinsburg, Tennessee and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Grant says, "The school and community support of the Roughrider Band as well as the outstanding students I had the privilege to work with made being the band director at Center High School the most rewarding job I have ever had."
Mr. Grant served as the NAMMB President for two years, the SFA Band Alumni Association President, and the TMEA region 21 chairman. He was selected as a member of the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity in 1992 and was awarded the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Contributor to Texas Bands Award in 2009.
Grant is the owner of Tatum Music Company in Longview and Tyler. For the last twenty-three years, he has worked with bands in the East Texas area as a service provided by Tatum Music Company, just as his father did before him.
Doice and his wife, Beth, live in Longview. Their daughter is earning her music education degree and their son, Levi, a member of the Longview Lobo band, is a junior at Longview High School.
April 20, 2017 Nacogdoches – The SFA Friends of Music will accept reservations through noon Monday, April 24, for Extravaganza 30, Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music’s annual gala banquet. The event, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, in the Grand Ballroom of SFA’s Baker Pattillo Student Center, will honor Dr. Peggy Wright of Nacogdoches as Outstanding Music Alumna.
This year’s Extravaganza, “Golden Stars of SFA,” celebrates the 30th anniversary of the gala and fundraiser, which features gourmet dining, performances by student soloists and ensembles, and the presentation of student awards in an exciting evening of music, according to Dr. Gary Wurtz, director of the SFA School of Music.
“There is no better way to experience a cross section of what the SFA School of Music has to offer than at our annual Extravaganza,” Wurtz said. “While enjoying a good meal, those in attendance hear performances by the top choir, band, orchestra, jazz band, student recitalists, opera performers, and more. Our fantastic students provide both dinner music and a dance to end the evening. It is really a lot of fun!”
Part music student awards ceremony, part formal dinner, and part musical potpourri, Extravaganza will feature jazz, wind ensemble, choir, opera, string quartet and orchestra. Additional highlights include awarding Outstanding Music Alumni and Outstanding Recitalists of the year.
As is tradition with Extravaganza, the music faculty has selected an outstanding music graduate to honor, and this year’s recipient is Dr. Peggy Wright.
“Mrs. Wright is a stalwart of the Nacogdoches community and an avid supporter of all things SFA,” Wurtz said, “but many people may not realize that she has a bachelor’s degree in music from SFA, as well. This year, the committee voted unanimously that Mrs. Wright must be our honoree, and, in fact, they all agreed that it has been an oversight to not award this to her much sooner! Mrs. Wright’s support of the School of Music over the years has been overwhelming, and we are excited to have this opportunity to honor her in this way.”
Wright’s work on behalf of SFA includes her service as president of the SFA Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1974-75; member of the SFA Board of Regents from 1973-83 and 1987-93, serving as chairman of the board for four years; member of the SFASU Foundation Board of Trustees, serving as secretary/treasurer from 1987-2006 and chairman from 1985-87; and member of Friends of Music and the Dean’s Circle. She was named the SFA Distinguished Alumna in 1985 and Nacogdoches Woman of the Year in 1989. In 1997, the SFA Board of Regents selected her as the second recipient of an honorary university doctorate.
Along with her late husband Tom, Wright’s philanthropy to SFA has been extensive, including the creation of the Wedgeworth-Wright Endowment for the Arts. In recognition of the Wrights’ longstanding commitment and love for SFA, the music building was named the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building in 1999. She also has been highly involved in the Nacogdoches community, serving in numerous leadership roles, including president of the Cum Concilio Club, regent for the Nacogdoches Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and member of the Texas Council of Economic Education Board of Directors, Citizens 1st Bank Board of Directors, Heritage Club, Dallas Woman’s Club and National Society of Colonial Dames of America. In 2004, the Wrights shared the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizens of the Year award. The Wrights are longtime members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, and they have two daughters, Kitty Dippel of Brenham and Peggy Pollock of Dallas, six grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
The Extravaganza 30 committee includes John and Melinda Rohrer, co-chairs, Carolyn King, Caryl and Harold Hall, MaryAnn and Farrar Bentley, Kimberly LaGraff, Gloria and Cecil Settle, Barb Stump, Shirley Watterston and Gloria Williams.
“We want to invite everyone to come and celebrate this 30th Extravaganza with us,” Melinda Rohrer said.
This year’s Friends of Music officers include Caryl Hall, president; Marinell Booth, president-elect; Missy DeVine, secretary/treasurer; and Jackie Warthan, past president.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $10 for SFA students. Patron level tickets range in prices from $65 to $140, and donations will be accepted for the Friends of Music scholarship fund. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
April 20, 2017 Nacogdoches — A child and adolescent psychiatrist and a licensed clinical psychologist will be the featured speakers during the Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Psychology’s speaker series, “Topics in Child and Adolescent Psychology,” beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 27, in the McKibben Education Building, Room 131, on the SFA campus.
Dr. Iqnoor Bains, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Tri-County Behavioral Health in Conroe, and Dr. Rachel Wolfe, a licensed clinical psychologist practicing at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine, will each present during the event.
Bains’ topic, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Mood Disorder vs. ADHD and ODD in Children,” will begin at 4 p.m. Bains’ practice specializes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders and autism spectrum disorders.
Wolfe’s presentation, “Diagnosis and Treatment of AFRID, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa in an Interdisciplinary Setting,” will begin at 4:45 p.m. Wolfe’s research has focused on the treatment of eating disorders and other psychological issues in adolescents.
“We are excited to have Dr. Bains and Dr. Wolfe visit our department and share their expertise and experiences with our students, faculty members and the community,” Dr. Scott Hutchens, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at SFA, said. “The topics they will discuss concerning children and adolescents are intriguing and relevant to many people.”
The speaker series is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Hutchens at (936) 468-1464.
April 18, 2017 Nacogdoches - The Garden Capital of Texas will showcase some of its most beautifully landscaped gardens during the Tour of Home Gardens, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20 and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday May 21. Tickets are $20 and will be on sale beginning Wednesday, April 5 at the Charles Bright Visitor Center, 200 E. Main St., The Blue Horse Bakery, 112 N. Church St., The Liberty Bell, 422 E. Main St. and International Tours, 3208 N. University Dr.
This exclusive tour is thoughtfully curated by the Garden Capital of Texas Committee and includes four stunning private home gardens, including two at Lake Nacogdoches, and public gardens in the downtown area. Details for each garden destination are on the ticket.
“This year's garden tour offers something for everyone," said Diana Walker, Garden Capital of Texas Committee member. "We have some wonderful home gardens out at Lake Nacogdoches, so folks can enjoy a little drive in the country. They can stop at other gardens on the way back into town, and then they can park downtown and enjoy a walking tour and maybe take a break at The Liberty Bell or Blue Horse Bakery."
Sponsors of the Home Garden Tours are StretchER, BancorpSouth, The Liberty Bell and Blue Horse Bakery.
The money raised by the tour will help fund the Garden Capital committee's planting efforts. The Arbor Day Foundation officially designated Nacogdoches as a Tree City in 2015, after the city partnered with the Garden Capital committee and Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful to meet four core standards of urban forestry management. The Garden Capital Committee planted more than 300 trees last year in honor of Nacogdoches' 300th anniversary, and recently planted flowering shrubs and other plants around the chapel at Millard's Crossing.
Gardens featured on this year’s tour include:
Kim and Gary Bass, 161 Shoreline Dr., Lake Nacogdoches
The Bass home is a beautiful, heavily wooded 2.5 acre lot with a private walking trail and three bridges built by the homeowners. The trail is lined with informative tree markers, birdhouses, and feeders. The landscape includes fences, decking, stonework and vegetable garden.
Judy and Jim Buckingham, 541 Country Road 755, Lake Nacogdoches
Dr. Jim Buckingham planned his garden around the stone house that he and his wife Judy built in 2012 on The Bluffs at Mill Branch at Lake Nacogdoches. Initially designed and landscaped by Kimberly Wright from Dragonfly Nursery, the garden has further evolved with the advice and assistance of Jeff Abt. Winding stone paths, terraces, and seating areas within the garden all help achieve the goal of having a house that “looks like it belongs at the lake.” Dr. Buckingham has chosen shade-loving plants for the wooded site — hydrangeas, azaleas, ferns, Japanese maples, and loropetalum. Roses, daisies and palmetto palms are also repeated throughout the garden. Varieties of maple trees have been added for fall color. A unique potting shed/greenhouse made of vintage materials was designed and built by Mark Gaynor.
Greg Patterson Studio & Gallery, 122 N. Mound St.
This garden is part of Greg Patterson Studio & Gallery and is located behind the main building. It is used for photographing clients in natural settings. It features a pond and gazebo at its center, surrounded by several flower beds and walking paths. Outside the white picket fence are other photography “props,” such as an old red truck, a plane, trees, walls and fences. The garden was designed by Texas Gardens. It is now lovingly cared for by the owner’s father-in-law.
TJR Elementary School Garden, 411 Mound Street
The TJR Elementary School Garden serves as an outdoor classroom for students and has various raised beds dedicated to growing fruits and vegetables. Each week elementary students enjoy an hour of fresh air and learn the art of growing their own food. Gardening strategies that foster resilience and nutrient- dense food are utilized to demonstrate an ecologically diverse and chemical-free garden. Some strategies include lasagna gardening, mulching, square-foot gardening and companion planting. This program runs entirely on volunteer support from Resilient Nacogdoches and a generous grant contribution from Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful.
City of Nacogdoches Downtown Planters
The city's gardener, Christy Wright, will discuss how the downtown planter program got started. Wright will discuss the plants and the watering program for the 40 planters in the downtown area.
Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners Association Demonstration Garden, corner of University Drive and Main Street
The Demonstration Garden was established in 2007 when then County Extension Agent Chad Gulley petitioned the city to turn an ugly piece of property into a beautification project and a demonstration garden to educate the public. The property, which is in the flood plain and had been the site of a chicken processing plant, was taken on by the Nacogdoches County Master Gardener Association and is half way into a 20-year beautification project. It is one of the largest of its type in the country, and like everything else in Nacogdoches is very historic.
The demonstration garden was once known as Aqua Vitae Park. In 1909 it was the site of a medicinal water business and people came from great distances for the healing properties. Today the garden contains a rain water harvesting model, a sun dial where you can stand on a month marker and tell the time, a butterfly garden, a memorial walk (a project of East Texas Hospice) and many beautiful plants and alternate gardening methods.
Downtown Pocket Garden, 111 N. Pecan Street.
Jana and Gary LaFour bought the building at 207 E Main in 2013. They primarily used the back entrance to access their loft and decided to transform the alley from an eyesore into a garden cottage. The couple planted flower beds and hanging baskets. In an effort to cover an ugly concrete hump, they built a small deck and a fountain, and then moved in lots of flower pots and planted some hydrangeas and roses. The next project they tackled was the corner of the alley on Pecan St. where the dumpster is located. They dug up that area, uncovering more of the brick street that had been hidden, and built another flower bed.
The couple purchased the Cox Building on the corner of Pecan and Main in 2015. During the nine-month renovation, they went to work building flower beds around the trees and planning the flower boxes for their third-floor balcony.
For more information about the Garden Capital Tour of Home Gardens, contact the Garden Capital of Texas Committee at Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful, 936-560-5624 or by email at info@keepnacbeautiful.org. You can also friend them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gardencapital. The Garden Capital of Texas Tour of Home Gardens, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20 and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday May 21. Tickets are $20 on sale now at the Charles Bright Visitor Center, 200 E. Main St., The Blue Horse Bakery, 112 N. Church St., The Liberty Bell, 422 E. Main St. and International Tours, 3208 N. University Dr.
The mission of the Nacogdoches Garden Capital of Texas Committee is to educate, engage and inspire Nacogdoches area citizens to become involved in beautifying their community green spaces. The Nacogdoches Garden Capital Committee is a part of Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful.
April 17, 2017 NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host a garden seminar focused on beginner beekeeping from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 22, at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.
Dave Gallager from the Pineywoods Beekeepers Association will discuss the basics of getting started with bees, hive management and necessary equipment.
“I will cover different methods of how to get started with beekeeping and bring equipment for people to see and learn how to use effectively,” Gallager said.
An experienced, local beekeeper, Gallager has managed up to 50 hives. He volunteers his time to maintain and stock the observation hive at the SFA Arboretum and lends his support to the Bugs, Bees, Butterflies and Blossoms field trips.
During the seminar, Elyce Rodewald, education coordinator at the PNPC, also will explore bee anatomy and behavior and discuss great pollinator plants for the garden.
Rodewald has been the education coordinator at SFA Gardens for 15 years and enjoys teaching about bees. With a background in science education and zoology, Rodewald is eager to share many fascinating facts about these pollinators.
There is a $5 suggested donation. To register, call (936) 468-1832.
Pages
