Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Alive and Kicking” at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Directed by Susan Glatzer, “Alive and Kicking” is a feature-length documentary that takes an inside glance into the culture of swing dancing and the characters who make it special. It explores the culture surrounding swing dance from the emergence of the Lindy Hop to the modern-day international phenomenon. The film looks at the lives of the swing dancers themselves to find their personal stories and why this dance fills them with joy, according to information at http://aliveandkickingfilm.com.

Run time is 88 minutes.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal, Richard Orton, Nacogdoches Junior Forum and Main Street Nacogdoches.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Several Stephen F. Austin State University students from the Rusche College of Business were among the top award winners during the recent Phi Beta Lambda Texas State Leadership Conference.

During the conference, students compete in events that test their business knowledge and skills. These competitive events include objective tests and/or performance-based activities on a variety of topics, such as computer and entrepreneurship concepts, forensic accounting, strategic and statistical analysis, sales, website design, and more.

SFA students placed in 18 categories, with some students receiving multiple awards. The awards included 10 first-place finishes, eight second-place wins and five third-place awards. The students who placed first and second will compete in the National Leadership Conference in June in San Antonio.

“This is a huge success for all the members who competed and for our chapter overall,” said Manuel Guerrero, lecturer in SFA’s Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies and advisor of the professional business student organization PBL.

First-place winners include Bailey Garner in contemporary sports issues and sales presentation; Michael Kugler in forensic accounting, sports management and marketing, and strategic analysis and decision-making; Johanna Bruhn and Brittney Upstill in website design; Max Reynolds in future business executive; Miguel Silva in statistical analysis; Clay Cyr in macroeconomics; and Regan Humphreys in business communication.

Second-place winners include Nicholas Law in business presentation; Cyr, Victoria Garza and Leah Salazar in business ethics; Salazar in microeconomics; Laci Logan in sports management and marketing; Fil Escobedo in retail management; Christopher Weir in entrepreneurship concepts; William Gervasi in macroeconomics; and Aaron Lee in contemporary sports issues.

Third-place winners were Scott Moore in computer concepts; Sergio Jaimes in job interview; Gervasi in microeconomics; Lauren Garcia in organizational behavior and leadership; and Matheus Carneiro in business presentation.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

When one door closes, another often opens. This is true for Stephen F. Austin State University senior Catherine Lard, who discovered her true calling after changing her major from nursing to orientation and mobility.

A Baytown native, Lard has been a member and now president of the Braille and Cane Club and SFA Adaptive Sports Club. Members in both organizations utilize various events and outreach projects to advocate for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

“I’m so glad I found this major,” Lard said. “One of my biggest fears was to sit in an office all day, and with this degree I’m outside all the time moving.”

Lard’s efforts were recently recognized during SFA’s Annual Leadership and Service Awards hosted by the Office of Student Affairs. Lard was named the Baker Pattillo Student Leader of the Year, an award honoring a student who demonstrates outstanding commitment to his or her academic endeavors and peers as shown through the student’s activities and significant contributions to the university and community.

“It is a huge honor to receive this award. I really have worked hard, and it’s an amazing feeling to be recognized,” Lard said. “Being in these clubs has pushed me to do what I never thought I could. It’s been a huge blessing to see the clubs grow and accomplish so much this year.”

DJ Dean, clinical instructor and advisor for the orientation and mobility program, explained Lard is an active participant in all transformational experiences offered through SFA’s orientation and mobility program, such as assisting or leading in the new employee blind mobility training at the Lufkin State Supported Living Center, participating in area events for students with visual impairments, and attending state and regional conferences.

“Catherine is an exceptional student who goes above and beyond inside and outside the classroom,” Dean said.

To learn more about SFA’s orientation and mobility program, visit sfasu.edu/humanservices/122.asp.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University