Everything Nac

How does the government define extremism and is that definition fair? And what is the difference between terrorism and self-defense?

Hundreds of Fort Bend ISD seniors gathered at Safari Texas Ranch this month to posit these and other probing questions to academic and federal officials during the 2016 Global Citizenship Series. This year’s conference, held Oct. 7, was titled “Intolerance and Violence: A Global Perspective.”

“The topics of discussion are great and really fit into what’s going on today: terrorism and things the kids might perceive as domestic terrorism,” said Melissa Smith, a Fort Bend ISD teacher at Hightower High School in Missouri City, Texas. “We are a very diverse district. So when these topics come up, a lot of these kids are well versed in the topic. They follow it themselves.”

The annual conference, organized by the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Liberal and Applied Arts and sponsored by the Office of the Provost, included one morning and two afternoon panels.

The two morning panels touched on concepts, forms and responses to violence as well as violence in the United States. The afternoon panel opened a discussion about international violence. Panelists included professors from SFA, Houston and New York universities, and also personnel from the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Six-time former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker served as a lunch-time guest speaker where he discussed his 37-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service and time spent in some of the more turbulent Middle Eastern countries.

“Terror is a tactic,” Crocker explained. “It’s not a philosophy. It’s also known as asymmetrical warfare. I know a lot about this because (as an ambassador) I’ve had some pretty close calls. One of (my predecessors) in Lebanon was assassinated by a group called the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine. I mention this because the leader of the group and his theology surprised a few people. It was headed by George Habash (who) was not a Muslim. He was a Christian, as was the leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

“The ideology of both groups, such as it was, was not based on any theology whatsoever. They were communist. So decades later when we hear this awful commentary that Islam and Muslims inherently gravitate toward violence and terror, it is just wrong,” Crocker added.

This is the sixth year for the Global Citizenship Series. For the first five years, the conference focused on specific geographic regions, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. The series was developed as a means for SFA to bring high-quality academic programs that improve international understanding to Texas students and residents.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s human development and family studies program recently hosted a networking luncheon in the Culinary Café on the university’s campus for representatives from community agencies interested in providing internships to SFA students.

During their senior year, SFA students in the human development and family studies program complete 200 internship hours in a practicum course. Therefore, having a network of available sites is essential to the students’ and program’s success.

“The luncheon was designed as a relationship-building opportunity to get to know the agencies our students work with,” said Dr. Rachel Jumper, assistant professor in SFA’s School of Human Sciences. “We believe strengthening our relationships with these agencies is mutually beneficial for both them and the students, resulting in better hands-on, professional-development experiences.”

Human development and family studies senior Shonda Hortness of Nacogdoches coordinated the event as part of her practicum requirements for Dr. Lisa Mize, coordinator for the human development and family studies program. Hortness said she collaborated with Mize, and that the event was a learning experience as well as beneficial to the program.

“Our goal was to broaden the choices of internship sites for students,” Hortness said. “To achieve this goal, we invited representatives from prospective and current sites to share the needs and expectations of our students and ask for feedback from site supervisors.”

Program faculty members spoke during the event and visited with attendees to answer questions. Faculty members within the program hope to make the event into an annual affair.

“We gained a few more sites that offer excellent opportunities for students and more have reached out to us asking how to get involved,” Hortness said.

Dozens of Stephen F. Austin State University students recently participated in Wetland Adventure, an outdoor science field investigation, at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas.

Under the direction of Drs. Paula Griffin, assistant professor, and Alan Sowards, professor, in SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education, 85 SFA face-to-face and online students participated in the project, which the university has offered for 15 years.

SFA students were responsible for teaching three 45-minutes science lessons concerning aquatic plant adaptations, water quality and food chains to 750 fifth-grade students from Nacogdoches and Crockett Independent School Districts.

“This project provides SFA students with teaching strategies on how to use field investigations to teach hands-on and place-based elementary science lessons,” Sowards said. “SFA students learn the importance of planning, collaborating, teaching and modifying their lessons to different-ability students. It also introduces them to the importance of using outside resources to accomplish their education goals.”

The project is a partnership between SFA, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

Additionally, members of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department filmed one day of Wetland Adventure and interviewed SFA students and Sowards about the experience. The video may be used in November to celebrate the 20th anniversary of education programs offered at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

Stephen F. Austin State University will host its third annual Purple Premium Cattle Sale beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center.

The sale is planned and completed by students enrolled in Dr. Erin Brown’s advanced beef science class. According to Brown, associate professor of animal science in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, students are instrumental in all aspects of the sale, from obtaining cattle consignments to sale marketing and setup.

This year, the sale offers 27 bull lots and 112 registered and commercial females. While a number of the lots are consigned by cattle owners throughout the region, cattle from SFA’s herd also are included. In addition to cattle, semen from high-quality stock also will be auctioned.

Buyers may view sale cattle from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, or beginning at 8 a.m. on sale day. The Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center is located on County Road 123 off U.S. Highway 259 in Nacogdoches.

To learn more about the sale, visit the Stephen F. Austin State University Purple Premium Sale Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram; or email Dr. Erin Brown at browneg@sfasu.edu.

The annual Stephen F. Austin State University Homecoming celebration begins Friday, Nov. 4, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6. This year’s theme is “Life, Liberty and Lumberjacks.”

The weekend festivities start at 11 a.m. Friday with the SFA Alumni Golf Tournament at the Piney Woods Country Club. The entry fee is $150 and includes tournament play, golf cart, refreshments, box lunch and post-tournament hors d’oeuvres.

The fifth annual Homecoming online auction runs through Nov. 6. Visit www.biddingforgood.com/sfahomecoming to view and bid on your favorite items. Some items up for bids include Clint Dempsey signed sports memorabilia, a chair from the 2016 NCAA tournament, a custom SFA Yeti cooler, destination getaways and travel packages, artwork, jewelry, gift cards, unique SFA items, sports tickets, autographed sports memorabilia and more.

The Homecoming Friday evening festivities begin with a Lumberjack basketball exhibition game at 6:30 p.m. against Huston-Tillotson University in Johnson Coliseum. The Torchlight Parade follows at 8:30 p.m. beginning at the SFA statue, “Surfing Steve,” and concludes at the intramural fields where the bonfire, pep rally, fireworks and David Nail concert will be held. Representatives from the SFA Alumni Association will be in attendance distributing free 3-D fireworks glasses from the alumni tent.

The fun resumes Saturday morning with the Flap “Jack” Breakfast prepared by members of the Nacogdoches Kiwanis Club from 8 to 10 a.m. in the lobby of Commercial Bank in downtown Nacogdoches.

Children can decorate their flapjacks with special toppings, receive coloring books and have their photo taken with the SFA Lumberjack and Ladyjack mascots and other members of the SFA spirit teams. Flapjacks are free to participants in the Homecoming 5K. The cost is $6 per person for those not participating in the run.

The seventh annual Lumberjack Homecoming Certified 5K begins at 8 a.m. at the Student Recreation Center. Pre-registration is available online at www.active.com.

The Homecoming Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. in downtown Nacogdoches where onlookers will line the streets to watch colorful-themed floats and pageantry, and listen to music.

After the parade, the action moves to Alumni Corner (junction of Hayter and Raguet Streets) beginning at noon for pre-game tailgating. Admission to Alumni Corner is free for Alumni Association members and $15 for non-members. Entry for children ages 10 and under accompanied by an adult is $5 and for children 5 years old and younger is free.

Alumni Corner will again feature the Suddenlink “Bundle U” Viewing Lounge, live entertainment sponsored by Premier Kia, Lumberjack-themed tailgate food, games and the second annual Fall Fest where children can enjoy a bounce house, face stickers, hair painting and other fun festivities for free. The first 100 children to attend the Fall Fest will receive a “Future SFA Alumni” T-shirt. The Fall Fest is sponsored by Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry.

Benefit drawing tickets will be sold at Alumni Corner until 2 p.m. for $100. The winner of the benefit ticket drawing will receive $5,000 to apply toward the scholarship of his/her choice. Ticket purchases are tax deductible; however, tickets other than the winning ticket cannot be designated to a specific scholarship.

Hundreds of yellow rubber ducks will race at the Ag Pond at 1 p.m. for more than $1,750 in prizes during the 26th annual Duck Dash. Proceeds from the Duck Dash benefit the SFA Alumni Scholarship Fund administered by the SFA Alumni Association. Ducks may be sponsored for $5 each or six ducks for $25. Ducks may be sponsored until Nov. 4.

The highlight of Homecoming weekend is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. at Homer Bryce Stadium when the SFA Lumberjacks take on the Bears of the University of Central Arkansas. General admission tickets are $12 and available by calling (936) 468-JACK, online at www.sfajacks.com or at the gate on game day.

For more information about Homecoming events, contact the SFA Alumni Association at (936) 468-3407 or visit www.sfaalumni.com/events. Event and benefit tickets and Duck Dash sponsorships may be purchased online at www.sfaalumni.com/events or in person Monday through Friday at the Pearman Alumni Center on the SFA campus.

The SFA Alumni Association would like to thank the following Homecoming event sponsors: Liberty Mutual, Premier Kia, KTRE, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, University Rental, Suddenlink, Party ’N Things, First Bank & Trust East Texas, XETX Business Solutions, Lettermen’s Association, Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry, Simpson Real Estate, Olivia King-Realtor; Nacogdoches CVB, Nacogdoches Kiwanis Club and Heritage Texas Properties, Natalee Kelaher.

Slipping on HTC Vive goggles, Stephen F. Austin State University senior Alexandra Caballero is immediately transported hundreds of leagues under the sea. Without flippers or the typical wetsuit associated with scuba diving, Caballero stands on a wooden sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean. A tiny, silver fish swims up to her mask, and to her right, a school of manta rays zips past. Without warning, a massive figure approaches — a 32,000-pound, 67-feet-long sperm whale.

“It blew my mind. I couldn’t believe how real it was or how immersed I felt,” said Caballero, an Austin early childhood through sixth grade education major. “It was the most incredible feeling. I don’t think an amusement park could have given me that thrill.”

Recently, Dr. Lauren Burrow, assistant professor in SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education’s Department of Elementary Education, took her class on a virtual field trip in the Steen Library on campus.

During the summer, Steen Library staff members began renovating two rooms on the library’s first floor into an Emerging Technologies Lab with two virtual-reality rooms and two 3-D printers and scanners.

“We are trying to create an ecosystem with this new technology,” said Edward Iglesias, web services librarian who has been instrumental in operating the new facility.

Although the lab is still under construction and won’t officially open until the spring semester, students and faculty and staff members may preview the lab by contacting Iglesias. The lab will feature four stations that provide a seated virtual- reality experience using Oculus Rift. Currently, the lab has two virtual-reality rooms where users move about using HTC Vive goggles.

Burrow took advantage of the opportunity to preview the lab and brought students enrolled in her social studies methods course to sample the technology.

“One of the pedagogies we learned about was field trips, so I wanted to take my students on a field trip,” Burrow said.

Students each had three minutes to dive into a simulation that brought them under the sea and to coral reefs. They read about the Great Barrier Reef and worked through reflection prompts.

“We now have the capabilities as teachers in the 21st century to take field trips to places we never would have imagined,” Burrow said. “This technology opens so many doors for students.”

Burrow hopes this assignment encouraged her students to “think outside the box” and exposed them to ideas they can use in their future classrooms.

The Rockin’ Axes and the Contemporary Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform a Halloween night concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, at Maklemore’s Ale House & Bistro. “The Rockin’ Axes and Contemporary Ensemble’s Halloween Night ’80s Rock Show” will feature the Contemporary Ensemble performing the music of pop king Michael Jackson and the Axes performing music by Toto, Prince, U2, Van Halen, The Who, Rush, Yes, Journey, the Police, Sade, Billy Joel and Earth, Wind and Fire. There is no cover charge.