Everything Nac

Phoenix, Arizona, artist David Shannon-Lier won first place in the 2016 Texas National Competition and Exhibition at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Commenting on the high quality of work entered in the 22nd Texas National event, Juror Abelardo Morell selected Lier’s piece titled “Grassland Moonset, Gla National Forest, New Mexico” the top honor.

Second place went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, artist Serena Stevens for “Just Keep Swimming,” and third place went to Portland, Maine, artist Betsy Lewis for “Finale (3).”

Honorable mention entries were by Houston artist Kathy Drago for “Pre-Contact,” Hattiesburg, Mississippi, artist John Lawler for “Innocence and Violence,” and Gainesville, Virginia, artist Raphael Warshaw for “Rio Douro 18.”

The SFA School of Art’s annual juried competition and exhibition attracts entrants from across the United States, providing artists an opportunity to have their work juried by highly acclaimed artists and critics, such as Morell. The exhibition includes photography, painting, sculpture and mixed media pieces.

Texas National 2016 and an exhibition of Morell’s photographic work will show through June 11 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, located at 329 E. Main St. in downtown Nacogdoches.

For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s James I. Perkins College of Education recently hosted its end-of-the-semester celebration to honor teacher candidates as they reach the culmination of student teaching and their educator preparation, according to Dr. Jannah Nerren, associate dean of assessment and accountability.

During the event, representatives from the college of education’s educator preparation program presented several SFA seniors with awards for their work during the semester.

Dr. Deborah Buswell, associate professor of kinesiology at SFA, presented Yaneli Cortez with the Dr. June Irwin Outstanding Women’s Kinesiology Graduate Award.

Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan, chair of the Department of Elementary Education, presented Caryn Berkowitz with the Hilda M. Barfield Outstanding Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Award.

Dr. Neill Armstrong, associate professor of secondary education and educational leadership, recognized Hillel Davis, who was named the Exemplary Secondary Student Teacher.

Also, Dr. Paula Griffin, assistant professor of elementary education, presented Deanna Anders with the Janice A. Pattillo Outstanding Early Education Graduate (early childhood through sixth grade completer) Award.

Dr. Michelle Williams, associate professor of elementary education, and Dr. Jannah Nerren, associate dean of assessment and accountability, presented Brooke Taylor-Johnson with the Olds Family Outstanding Elementary Student Teacher Award.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Nelson Rusche College of Business awarded $2,500 each to top scholars in its Student Success Passport Program.

The program, which began in fall 2015, aims to help students hone their professional skills through workshops, conferences and online assignments while competing for scholarships.

Braxton Berthot, an SFA freshman general business major from Douglass, Texas, received a scholarship.

“It was definitely a surprise, and I’m very honored to receive this,” Berthot said. “Whenever I had free time, I would go online and complete small-point projects, such as building a résumé, submitting a cover letter and completing sessions.”

The Nelson Rusche College of Business and Student Advisory Council hosted a mock career fair in February as part of the Student Success Passport Program. Berthot helped orchestrate the fair and said it was one of the most beneficial events the program offered.

“It was fun to see everyone taking advantage of the resources,” Berthot said.

SFA junior international business and economics major Rebecca Miller from Houston was surprised to learn she also received a scholarship.

“I didn’t think I was going to get it, but I’m really glad I did,” Miller said. “I’ve been trying to save up to go to France to study abroad, so I’m really excited because now I can go.”

Miller plans to study for a semester in France at La Rochelle Business School. She is the president of the Economic Reading Group and secretary of Phi Beta Lambda, SFA’s professional business student organization.

Tanya Moreno, a sophomore international business major from Houston, was another of the program’s scholarship recipients.

“This is a great honor,” Moreno said. “I put a lot of work into it. I stayed organized and went to as many events as possible.”

Moreno added the Student Success Passport Program is a great opportunity for students and it gives them an incentive to work on career-readiness skills. Moreno also will be studying in France at La Rochelle Business School.

Stephen F. Austin State University professors in several departments were recently awarded a second round of funding from the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program totaling just over $1 million.

The Noyce program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 STEM teachers.

“We are honored that the National Science Foundation values the work that we are doing with STEM teacher recruitment and support,” said Dr. Lesa Beverly, SFA professor of mathematics and statistics and principal investigator. “This is a collaborative project with a leadership team from mathematics, biology, and secondary education and educational leadership with 11 community college partners as well as with the Region 7 Education Service Center.“

SFA faculty members Dr. Keith Hubbard, professor of mathematics and statistics, Dr. Chrissy Cross, assistant professor of secondary education and educational leadership, and Dr. Dennis Gravatt, associate professor of biology, are also serving as co-principal investigators. Dr. Ray Darville, professor of sociology, is acting as the project evaluator to help ensure program impact and continued success.

“We are working together for a common goal,” Beverly said, “to recruit STEM majors into a teaching career by providing support, financial and otherwise, during their junior and senior years and as they transition from student to professional educator.”

The recent Noyce program award is the second phase of funding. The original award was made in August 2011 for a total amount just under $1.5 million. With the new award, the program will be carried forward until 2021.

“I am so proud of the 20 scholars from Phase I of the project,” Beverly said. “Each scholar was awarded $30,000 in scholarship funds. In some cases, the students would not have been able to complete their degrees without this financial support. Most will tell you, however, that community support was truly what has made the most significant impact on their lives.

“The scholars have had the advantage of the multi-mentoring strategy employed in the project,” she added. “Our mentoring team consists of the faculty leadership team, a retired teacher with more than 25 years of experience, and master teachers from neighboring districts. In addition, the scholars have formed lasting relationships with each other as well as with other education professionals they have met through the program.”

Ten T4 scholars are now teaching as a result of the first round of funding. Six will graduate in May and are being sought by school districts, and two are in graduate school.

“They are an amazing group, and we receive feedback from their supervisors asking for more just like them,” Beverly said. “Principals tell us that our scholars are ready to hit the ground running and are more advanced than most first-year teachers. From the researchers’ point of view, this project has led to three published journal articles and a wealth of additional data. Phase II extends this research effort.

“Phase II will provide scholarships and support for 20 additional students and also will allow us to continue to study the impact of the first 20 scholars,” Beverly said. “In addition to the scholarships, we have two additional recruitment initiatives, including the Job Shadow Experience, which was a success during Phase I. Ninety students from across the state will have the opportunity to shadow master STEM teachers for a full week to provide a realistic picture of the teaching career.”

Phase II also will serve as the impetus for a new initiative that will begin in the fall, she added. Two new courses are in development for SFA STEM freshmen wishing to explore teaching as a career option.

“Funds from the T4 project will provide 80 students tuition reimbursements for these two courses, which we are calling STEM Teacher Test Drives,” Beverly said. “This is truly an exciting time in STEM teacher recruitment and preparation!”

This material is based upon work supported from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1556983. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Christopher Talbot, director of the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University, announced the recipients of SFA and Friends of the Visual Arts Scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year at the recent opening of the 33rd Annual Art Alliance Spring Show. More than $34,000 in scholarships was awarded.

Recipients included:

• Tristan Brewster-Arnold, Cleveland junior, awarded a Patricia Roberdeau Mast Scholarship.

• Sarah Jentsch, Etoile sophomore, awarded a Patricia Roberdeau Mast Scholarship.

• Shelby Locklin, incoming freshman from Southlake, awarded a Regents Scholarship for housing.

• Emily Attebery, incoming freshman from Tyler, awarded a Regents Scholarship for housing.

• Gabriela Alejandra Hijar Soto, Creel, Mexico, graduate student, awarded the Piero Fenci Scholarship for Ceramic Arts.

• Korey Burns, Grayson, Louisiana, graduate student, awarded the Eloise Chambers Adams Art Scholarship.

• Jacob Moffett, Hockley sophomore, awarded the Robert Kinsell Art Scholarship and the John and Doris Daniel Art Scholarship.

• Alexandra Rodrigues, Montoursville, Pennsylvania, graduate student, awarded the Brian Philip Joseph LaBarbera Memorial Art Scholarship, the Debbie Simpson/Terry Miller Memorial Art Scholarship and the Stephen Weeks Memorial Art Scholarship.

• Amber Law, incoming freshman from Pasadena, awarded the Art Alliance Scholarship and the Diane, Casey and Court Fouts Art Scholarship.

• Krystal Hornung, incoming sophomore from Garden City, Kansas, awarded the Elsie Arscott Art Scholarship.

• Jacqueline Morales, Plano junior, awarded the Gary Q. Frields Art Scholarship.

• Josh Welch, Nacogdoches junior, awarded the Gary Parker Art Scholarship.

• Victoria Sturm, Katy senior, awarded the Charles D. Jones Art Scholarship.

• Julia Lott, Rockwall sophomore, awarded the Melba Cranford Memorial Art Scholarship.

• Bailey Idom, Nacogdoches graduate student, awarded the Snyder Family Art Scholarship.

• Jordan Weaver, incoming freshman from Buda, awarded the Jack R. and Claudine W. McKinney Memorial Art Scholarship.

• Sherry Snowden, Nacogdoches sophomore, awarded the Barbara Brown Shoenewolf Art Scholarship.

• Jessica Massey, Center junior, awarded the E. Diane Ford Art Education Scholarship.

• Carlton Herbert, Longview graduate student, awarded the Carolyn and Richard Skurla Graduate Scholarship.

The Art Alliance student organization at Stephen F. Austin State University recently held its 33rd Annual Spring Art Show in the School of Art galleries. Forty-three art students entered 86 works.

Abelardo Morell, distinguished photographer and juror of Texas National 2016, juried the show. He chose 41 works for inclusion.

The winners Morell selected included DeAnndra Mercer, Texarkana senior, first place for “No More,” acrylic on paper; Lindsay Hill, Nacogdoches senior, second place, for “Window in Garrison,” archival inkjet print; and Bethany Sailer, Mineral Wells junior, third place, for “Carriage Ride,” oil on panel.

Honorable mentions went to Randi Vinson Davis, Henderson senior, for “Bedroom Shadows,” relief print; Megan Henderson, Nacogdoches senior, for “Static,” laser cut woodblock print; and Jalonni Weaver, Fort Worth junior, for “Intensity,” inkjet print.

Each winner received a cash prize.