Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s hospitality administration program is showcasing the artwork of SFA Professor Emeritus of Art and former Regents Professor Charles D. Jones this semester in the Culinary Café. 


An opening reception will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, in the Culinary Café located in the James I. Perkins College of Education Annex, 1620 Raguet St. The reception is free, open to the public and celebrates Black History Month. Light refreshments will be served.

The exhibit highlights portraits by Jones of African-American blues musicians who are featured in the book, “My Black Angel,” which was released by the SFA Press in fall 2014. The book also includes poetry by Kim Addonizio and will be available for purchase and Jones to sign during the reception.

Jones, who now serves as director and master printer for the LaNana Creek Press in SFA’s College of Fine Arts, taught printmaking, drawing, Mexican art history and the “Art of The Book” in SFA’s School of Art from 1971 to 2011. During his tenure, he was named a Regents Professor, received the Distinguished Professor Award from the SFA Alumni Association and was honored with a Teaching Excellence Award.

Jones has been an exhibiting artist throughout his career with his work featured in more than 30 one-person exhibitions. His solo exhibitions have been showcased at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico; The Museum of Printing History in Houston; Tyler Museum of Art; the Museum of East Texas in Lufkin; Longview Museum of Fine Arts; and the Galveston Art Center.

His exhibition “The Vietnam Suite” toured the Midwest under the auspices of Mid-America Arts Alliance and Europe during 1987-88 with exhibitions in England, the Netherlands and France. His recent international exhibition record includes England, Holland, Italy, Mexico, and several cities in Russia and France.

Jones was co-curator for “Octopus Dreams: Contemporary Native American Works on Paper,” an exhibition sponsored by the American Consulate in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

A retrospective exhibit “East Texas Impressions: The Art of Charles D. Jones” is currently on display at the Cole Art Center in downtown Nacogdoches. The exhibit features drawings, prints and paintings by Jones.

The opening reception and book signing are sponsored by the Texas Forest Region and SFA’s hospitality administration program.

For more information about the event or hospitality administration program, contact Dr. Chay Runnels, program coordinator, at runnelsc@sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University partnered with Cotton Incorporated again in the fall to collect denim for the Blue Jeans Go Green Denim Recycling Program. The program’s prior success prompted Cotton Incorporated to select SFA as a location to produce a new video detailing information about the program.

“It was such an honor for Cotton Inc. to choose SFA to film and highlight on their corporate website for the promotion of Blue Jeans Go Green,” said Jamie Cupit, instructor in SFA’s School of Human Sciences. “Many universities across the country have participated in this program, so being selected speaks volumes about our students and the success we have experienced here.”

The video follows SFA students around campus as they donate and collect recyclable denim. It can be viewed by accessing http://bluejeansgogreen.org/Spotlight/ and clicking on “Colleges join the cause.”

As part of their efforts to enhance recyclable awareness, SFA students orchestrated the “Green is the New Black” recyclable fashion show. Admission to the show was one piece of used denim clothing, and the top clothing designs were featured on the runway and in exhibits showcasing the students’ talents.

“I have received nothing but positive feedback from Cotton Inc. about the creative ways in which our students execute the program on campus, particularly the fashion show, which was planned as the community event for denim collection,” Cupit said.

Cotton Inc.’s collection goal for participating universities is 500-1,000 pieces of denim; however, SFA far surpassed that goal by collecting 5,750 denim items. The collected denim is repurposed into UltraTouch Denim Insulation, which is distributed to communities in need.

Cupit said the large number of donated denim items would not be possible without the partnership of Goodwill Industries and the Hospice of East Texas, which both donate items to add to SFA’s collection.

Stephen F. Austin State University has been chosen as one of 44 campuses across the nation to take part in a three-year initiative created by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Aimed at redesigning the first-year experience to embolden students’ success in undergraduate years and in the 21st century workplace, Re-Imagining the First Year of College will assist SFA in implementing sustainable changes to help increase student retention and graduation rates.

“Stephen F. Austin State University’s selection as one of the 44 institutions in the Re-Imagining the First Year of College program is an honor and an exciting opportunity for our campus,” said Dr. Mary Nelle Brunson, associate provost.

Additionally, the initiative provides the opportunity for SFA representatives to attend national conferences and participate in educational webinars to learn best-practice goals. RFY offers one-on-one mentoring, idea sharing, and online tools and resources to their network of selected campuses.

“Participation in this AASCU project will provide SFA with an opportunity to collaborate with other institutions across the nation to evaluate current first-year initiatives and identify those practices that are most promising for SFA students,” Brunson said. “Through this project, we will redesign the first year of college at SFA to provide transformational experiences that support the academic success of all Lumberjacks.”

The RFY initiative is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USA Funds. It officially began Feb. 2, at the AASCU Academic Affairs Winter Meeting in Austin, Texas, and will run through the 2018 calendar year. During that time, it is the initiative’s goal to have developed a comprehensive first-year program that engages the entire campus and can be carried forward.

“RFY seeks to inspire redesigned approaches that work effectively for all members of an increasingly diverse, multicultural, undergraduate student body,” according to the AASCU website, “eliminating the achievement disparities that have plagued American higher education for generations. Ultimately, redesigning this critical first year will allow for broader reform of the undergraduate experience in the future.”

The initiative is meant for all undergraduates, but focuses particularly on those who have been underserved historically in higher education, including low-income, first generation and students of color, according to the AASCU.

“We are pleased that these AASCU institutions will commit their enormous talent and knowledge to the success of this initiative, which I believe will have a profound effect on undergraduate education in the 21st century,” said George Mehaffy, vice president for academic leadership and change at AASCU. “The state colleges and universities we selected for RFY represent a broad swath of the institutional landscape and exhibit strong leadership and other qualities that are conducive to effecting broad-scale and sustainable change. Together, with the engagement of all campus stakeholders — from students to academic leadership — we will strive to transform the first-year student experience and ensure student success.”

For more information, visit the AASCU website at www.aascu.org.

Dr. Linda Bobo, program director for the professional Master of Science in athletic training at Stephen F. Austin State University, received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award for 2016.

This award recognizes NATA members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to leadership, volunteer service, advocacy and distinguished professional activities as an athletic trainer. Additionally, the award recognizes NATA members who have been involved in service and leadership activities at national and district levels.

“I was wonderstruck,” Bobo said in reaction to receiving the award. “After seeing the list of names in the 2016 induction group, I am humbled knowing that I am included in this group of first-class professionals.”

Bobo has worked at SFA for 14 years, and she has been an athletic trainer for 20 years working in multiple settings, including high school, college, clinic/outreach and national/international Olympic athletic competitions.