Everything Nac

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.

Members of Stephen F. Austin State University’s professional business student organization Phi Beta Lambda won 12 awards during the 2017 State Leadership Conference in Houston.

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. SFA students brought home wins in various categories from cost accounting to impromptu speaking.

“Overall, it was a very meaningful experience for all of SFA’s Phi Beta Lambda students who attended the state conference,” said Dr. Ann Wilson, associate dean in the Rusche College of Business. “Many members competed for the first time, and some members faced and overcame their fears of competing. Most of all, the members had the opportunity to be surrounded by other students who share a drive to succeed.”

Eight of the students who placed first, second or third at the conference qualified for the annual National Leadership Conference, which will be held June 22-27 in Anaheim, California.

“Expectations are high for another positive experience for SFA’s PBL students. This event will assess and promote business leadership principles and practices on the global scale,” Wilson said.

John Cohen, SFA’s chapter treasurer, was appointed state vice president for the second time and was recognized for outstanding leadership during the conference. Additionally, Kristi Clifford, the current chapter vice president at SFA, also was recognized for outstanding leadership. Fil Escobedo, the current SFA chapter president, was elected state president.

“These students exemplify leadership and professionalism, as proven by these impressive leadership appointments at the state level,” Wilson said.

Students were required to present during the state conference. Cohen presented “Wanna be Social,” and Clifford gave a public-speaking presentation titled “7 Principles of Public Speaking.”

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

A dedication ceremony celebrating the naming of the Robert and Kathy Lehmann Chemistry Building was held Tuesday in conjunction with a meeting of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents.

Dr. Robert Lehmann established Lehmann Eye Center in Nacogdoches and is recognized for his contributions to the advancement of surgical techniques in the management of eye diseases. His wife, Kathy, attended SFA and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She serves as the administrator of Lehmann Eye Center and also as an SFASU Foundation trustee.

The Lehmanns have contributed to SFA student scholarships and to the advancement of university programs, including fine arts, modern languages, hospitality, athletics, nursing, the College of Sciences and Mathematics, and the Women in STEM initiative. Pictured are, from left: David Alders, chair of the SFA Board of Regents; the Lehmanns; and Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA president.

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.