Everything Nac

Tickets are still available for the much-anticipated performance of the Olga Vocal Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University. The concert is part of the SFA College of Fine Arts’ University Series.

Hailing from the Netherlands with members also from Iceland and Russia, Olga is known for its unique programs, in which moving classical music comes together with popular songs, according to Scott Shattuck, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and director of the University Series.

“Our upcoming concert features a super-charming quintet of European guys singing up an a cappella storm,” Shattuck said. “They’re best known for their classical repertoire as well as Icelandic, Ukranian and American folk tunes, but they’ve also been known to perform a variety of pop songs, from Bruno Mars and Alicia Keys to the doo-wop hits of the 1950s.”

Prior to the performance, Dr. Tim King, director of choral activities at SFA, will present an informative talk about Olga’s music style at 7 p.m. in Griffith Gallery. The gallery is located across the hall from Turner Auditorium in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. The audience is invited back to the gallery for a post-performance reception to meet the performers and to honor the event’s corporate sponsor, BancorpSouth.

Single event ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for non-SFA students/youth. Tickets for SFA students are $3. An advertisement for the concert currently running in The Daily Sentinel offers a buy-one, get-one of equal value coupon.

For tickets or more information, visit finearts.sfasu.edu, stop by the Box Office in Room 211 of the Griffith Fine Arts Building, or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.

Universities.com, a website specializing in helping students discover the best university for them, has ranked Stephen F. Austin State University’s hospitality administration program as the third best in Texas.

Universities.com editors evaluate colleges and universities by interviewing admission officers, professors and students to learn about the application process, networking opportunities, financial aid, online learning and more.

“It is excellent to be recognized as one of the top programs in the state,” said Dr. Lynda Martin, director of SFA’s School of Human Sciences. “There are several hospitality programs available in Texas, and it is wonderful to see the strength of our faculty members and program being recognized.”

Students enrolled SFA’s program can choose from a variety of focus areas, including lodging, restaurant, meeting planning, travel and tourism, and culinary.

Program coordinator Dr. Chay Runnels said SFA has the only four-year hospitality program offering a culinary focus. With its state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor kitchens and student-run Culinary Café — where students prepare three-course meals and serve guests throughout the semester — SFA’s hospitality administration program engages students in hands-on learning opportunities to help prepare them for their careers.

“We work closely to align our students with industry experiences that will launch them into their careers,” Runnels said. “One of the biggest reasons we stand out is because our faculty members take the time to get to know our students.”

The outdoor kitchen is used to teach students new cooking techniques and is equipped with infrared burner-grills, a convection oven, a pizza oven and an iron-plate burner set.

“Students are able to prepare food items in a different and unique way rather than in the traditional, commercial kitchen,” Martin said. “The outdoor kitchen allows for a broader range of educational experiences.”

SFA’s hospitality administration program is focused on academic attention with industry-trained faculty members. In addition to the set curriculum, students can earn certifications to make them more marketable, including certifications from Texas Friendly, ServeSafe, National Restaurant Association and more.

Outside the classroom, students also have access to domestic and study abroad opportunities, such as working at the Cannes International Film Festival in France and interning with Disney in Florida or California.

Faculty members also maintain partnerships with industry professionals and businesses, including Marriott and Omni, to provide students with job opportunities. Students also can participate in regional, state and national conferences.

For more information, contact SFA’s School of Human Sciences at (936) 468-4502 or visit http://www.sfasu.edu/hms/102.asp.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. Bob Byers, the director of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, will present, “Great Perennial Borders Don’t Just Happen; They’re Always Works in Progress.”

Byers holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University. He worked professionally in Wisconsin, Florida, Alabama and Arkansas before joining the staff at the University of Arkansas. Beginning in 1994, he served as curator and then associate executive director of Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he helped build new gardens and facilities totaling over $18 million.

Byers has published articles in a number of regional and national publications and presented programs at several state, national and international conferences. He became director of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in April 2015 and is currently focusing on getting to know the garden and its many supporters.

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 Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Brundrett Conservation Education Building.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

Building upon its seventh successful MLK Day of Service, Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting an MLK Celebration for the campus and Nacogdoches communities to honor the life and work of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Our hope is that the MLK Celebration educates attendees on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Veronica Weaver, director of the OMA. “In addition, we hope that the speaker, Dr. Antoine Moss, motivates and inspires attendees to positively transform their lives and promote unity.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed each year on the third Monday of January to “celebrate the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America,” according to The King Center’s website. “On this holiday, we commemorate the universal, unconditional love, forgiveness and nonviolence that empowered his revolutionary spirit.” The upcoming celebration is an extension of the MLK Day of Service organized by the OMA and held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

SFA students and community members will present music, dance and art pieces during the event. Moss, a national motivational speaker and success coach, will conclude the event with a keynote address.

“Dr. Moss will be discussing the teaching and principles of Martin Luther King Jr. while also inspiring people to overcome obstacles and failures and encouraging positive transformation in their lives,” Weaver said.

The MLK Celebration will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom. Tickets are $5 for faculty, staff and community members and $3 for students. Tickets include the cost of dinner and can be purchased at the Baker Pattillo Student Center Information Desk.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens and the university’s student chapter of the National Association for Interpretation are sponsoring the Great Backyard Bird Count from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a national event to capture real-time bird populations around the nation.

Participants will count birds with assistance from the Pineywoods Audubon Association and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department non-game ornithologist Cliff Shackelford.

The event also will have activities designed to increase knowledge and appreciation of birds. The event will offer a variety of family-friendly, hands-on learning activities, including using binoculars, learning bird identification skills, playing games and making crafts.

Shackelford will lead guided hikes along the Tucker Woods trails at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

The event is free and open to the public. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.

For more information, call (936) 468-1832 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.