Everything Nac

Dr. David Kulhavy, Laurence C. Walker professor of forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, has been named the recipient of the prestigious William T. Hornaday Gold Medal Award, recognizing his more than four decades of service and leadership in the conservation field.

The national award, presented by the Boy Scouts of America, is the organization’s highest conservation award presented to adults.

“Dr. Kulhavy has devoted more than half of his life to conservation and has assumed the role of a mentor for many young minds, including my own, who are interested in the field of forestry and conservation,” said Brian Humphreys, Lufkin Eagle Scout who nominated Kulhavy for the award. “His dedication to the environment and desire to inspire new ways of teaching and thinking about the world around us have touched lives in more ways than one can imagine.”

The William T. Hornaday Awards are a series of awards created by the Boy Scouts of America to honor the conservation and scouting legacy of Hornaday, past director of the New York Zoological Park and founder of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. According to the Boy Scouts of America, Hornaday was an active and outspoken champion of natural resource conservation and a leader in saving the American bison from extinction.

Kulhavy said he feels that the award also reflects upon the mission of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, which is to contribute to academia and conservation.

“Dr. Laurence C. Walker, former dean of SFA’s School of Forestry, which would later become the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, also received the award in 1986,” Kulhavy said.

“As an Eagle Scout, I recognize the significance of the William T. Hornaday Gold Medal that Dr. Kulhavy is receiving,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “The Hornaday Gold Medal represents Dr. Kulhavy’s lifetime of extraordinary commitment and achievement to scouting and conservation.”

Kulhavy’s contribution to the field of entomology and conservation spans continents with more than 900 insect-based educational programs for children delivered across America and Europe. He also directed an exhibit displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History celebrating the migration of the monarch butterfly, holds the Distinguished Teaching Award in Entomology from the Entomological Society of America and has been recognized multiple times for his contributions to teaching, research and outreach at SFA.

Kulhavy will receive the medal at an award ceremony at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, in Room 117 of the Forestry Building on SFA’s campus.

Story submitted by Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for the Stephen F. Austin State University Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

A group of Stephen F. Austin State University students spent the semester creating “Qué Tiene la Música: Canciones, Poemas y Dibujos de Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy,” a book of poetry, song lyrics and art pieces for their History of Latin American Culture course.

Dr. Juan Carlos Ureña, professor of Spanish, instructed his students to select song lyrics and poems to accompany art produced by Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, a prominent Nicaraguan musician and artist. Godoy’s work covers topics on Nicaraguan popular culture, including love, nature and life’s struggles. His art honors historic Latin American heroes and fighters.

Ureña, who is a musician himself, said he tries to incorporate genuine Latin American art and music into his teaching. “I have always combined art with literature and culture.”

Godoy’s art is heavily influenced by the pre-Colombian era and contains many faces and symbols that pay homage to indigenous cultures and folklore, according to Ureña.

Throughout the semester, students in Ureña’s course studied the cultural, poetic and historical aspects of various songs. They then paired many of the songs with the different art pieces they complemented.

“Students had to study the lyrics of songs and the meaning of the art,” Ureña said, “and I think it helped them better understand how the arts influence culture.”

The class members collaborated for five weeks with the LaNana Creek Press to produce 50 artistic copies of the book containing the songs and artwork. A commercial version of the book also will be available for purchase in the spring.

A majority of the proceeds from book sales will go to families and individuals in Nicaragua who have been affected by the political unrest the nation is facing. “This book was created in solidarity with the Nicaraguan people, and it was created to promote their culture,” Ureña said.

“It was really nice to bond with my classmates and also work together to see the final product. Just looking at the book reminds me of the time I spent with my classmates, so it’s been a very beneficial project,” said Cynthia Villarreal, a psychology major with a minor in Spanish.

Students played a key role in the creation of the book, as they decided on its look and style, including the type of paper used. Charles Jones, director of the LaNana Creek Press, taught students how books are made with a printing press. During the semester, students visited the press and gained experience. Many helped print pages, glue bookbindings and create the book covers.

Overall, the project accomplished one of Ureña’s main objectives: Students finished the class with a deeper appreciation and understanding of the role art plays in culture.

For more information on SFA’s Department of Languages, Cultures and Communication, visit sfasu.edu/langcomm.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.