Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University will host its second annual Purple Premium Cattle Sale beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center.

The sale is planned and executed 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 will offer 33 purebred lots of Beefmaster, Angus and Hereford cattle, as well as 138 head of 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 being auctioned, attendees also may bid on semen from high-quality stock donated by several cattle breeders.

Interested buyers may view the cattle from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, or beginning at 8 a.m. on the day of the sale. The SFA Beef Farm is located at the Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center on County Road 123 off of Highway 259 in Nacogdoches.

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

Students in Dr. Karol Chandler-Ezell’s cultural anthropology course at Stephen F. Austin State University recently received the Public Anthropology Award for Excellence in Writing on Public Issues with the Community Action Website, a site designed to help students explore ethical issues of anthropology.

The students researched and reviewed case studies and journals focused on regulating human research before writing opinion editorial pieces. Students presented arguments on how Institutional Review Boards in the U.S. and/or Review Ethics Boards in Canada should enforce a set of common rules regarding human research. More than 38,000 students from 25 schools in North America competed for these awards.

The Loblolly Railroad Model Train Display returns for a fifth year to the historic Nacogdoches Railroad Depot.

Sponsors for this year’s event are Stephen F. Austin State University, SFA Center for Regional Heritage Research, City of Nacogdoches, Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver and Union Pacific.

All model trains will be on display at 101 Old Tyler Road, starting Friday, Nov. 27, and will operate from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 and Dec. 11; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented by the Loblolly Crew, the three-rail O-gauge train layout is 12 feet by 16 feet and features two mainline loops of track, one designed to travel in a figure eight and another in a point-to-point trolley line. Spectators can enjoy watching vintage model steam and diesel engines pull passenger and freight cars around the depot’s scenic display.

The Holiday Toy Trains display features buildings and attractions, all depicting a typical East Texas town. Scenery includes oil fields and industrial areas, a rail yard, a main street, and much more. This year’s display also will feature brick streets. Additionally, representatives from Union Pacific Railroad and Operation Lifesaver will be on hand to discuss the importance of railroad safety.

Organized in 1999, the Loblolly Crew is a group of East Texas men who enjoy promoting and sharing their model train hobby with railroad enthusiasts and visitors alike.

For more information, contact the Center for Regional Heritage Research at (936) 468-3953.

Dr. Nathan Nabb, professor of saxophone at Stephen F. Austin State University, will perform a recital with guest pianist Chialing Hsieh when the artists present “Sonata” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Nabb selected two of his favorite pieces to be performed – the Sonata in A major (originally for violin) by César Franck and Sonata by William Albright.

“I chose these pieces because they are two of my all-time favorite works,” Nabb said, “but also because I have the privilege of performing with my long-time friend and collaborator, Chialing Hsieh, who brings such a depth of understanding and nuance to this music.”

Originally written as a wedding present for the young virtuoso violinist Eugene Ysaÿe, the four-movement Sonata in A major received its premiere in December of 1886, and has since been performed on many other string and wind instruments, though Franck only officially approved the alternate cello version, Nabb explained. This version is an adaptation by French saxophonist Jean-Yves Fourmeau.

Nabb described Albright’s Sonata as “a very personal piece,” which was written shortly after one of his close friends and mentors, George Caccioppo, passed away. It is dedicated to his memory.

“This work, characteristic of Albright’s style, blends ancient music and aesthetics with modern sounds and compositional devices,” Nabb said. “I think this dramatic work is a fascinating counterpart to the Franck piece.”

Hsieh is an active solo and collaborative pianist with a large repertoire of both standard and lesser-known works from the Baroque to the present. She is a music instructor at Morehead State University in Kentucky where she also directs the piano accompanying program, and she also serves on the faculty of Lutheran Summer Music Academy. She performs at a variety of regional and national conferences and accompanies at competitions throughout the United States.

The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

With their smartphones in hand, marketing majors Holli Harrison and Tori Thurman are busy at work promoting Stephen F. Austin State University’s Nelson Rusche College of Business on social media. A status update on Facebook, a tweet on Twitter and a post on Instagram help spread the news of upcoming events, accomplishments and fun facts within the college.

Since August, Harrison and Thurman have been social media interns for the Rusche College of Business. The interns work under the direction of Chelsea Heidbrink, adviser in the college, and Dr. Charlotte Allen, professor of management, marketing and international business.

“It’s really amazing for us to utilize our own student talent for this,” Heidbrink said. “Social media use and marketing has grown tremendously over the past two years in this college. This opportunity not only gives our students real-world experience with real-work expectations, but it also gives our college the student edge we need to make our social media and marketing plans more dynamic as we appeal to current and prospective students.”

Harrison and Thurman meet every Monday to plan their weekly posts and discuss upcoming events.

“I think our job is important because we see situations from a student’s perspective, and it is better to connect with students through social media,” Harrison said.

Harrison and Thurman have taken several classes together and have realized they make a great team. Both agree their classes at SFA have helped prepare them for this internship.

“A lot of our classes are hands-on with a lot of group projects,” Thurman said. “The professors want us to succeed, and I think that’s why SFA business students do so well when they graduate.”

Harrison agrees the professors are integral to student success.

“They are not just professors; they are industry professionals who have worked in the field. They have lived it and can prepare us for things a book can’t,” Harrison said.

The rapidly changing technology also has prepared the students for their fast-paced work.

“We grew up when social media was getting more and more popular. Right now, it is at a high point and still steadily gaining popularity,” Harrison said. “Technology changed so much and it taught us that business changes a lot, life changes a lot, and you have to keep up.”

As part of their training, the two reviewed previous posts on the college’s social media sites to understand the tone of the accounts.

“We try to keep the content as interesting as possible. We want to stay consistent with our tone and style because we are trying to portray a certain reputation and culture for the Rusche College of Business,” Thurman said.

Through this process, Harrison and Thurman have noticed a difference between professional and personal use of social media.

“You need to think about what kind of perception you want people to have of you. As far as personal social media goes, it is more relaxed, but you don’t want to post something that could possibly taint people’s perceptions of you,” Thurman said.

Harrison commented on the professional side of running social media accounts.

“If you are working for a company and doing its social media, you are promoting a brand. You need to keep posts appropriate and more business like,” Harrison said.

Harrison plans to graduate in summer 2016. She hopes to work in the business industry with social media and marketing.

“This internship has helped me learn the basics and hone my skills,” Harrison said.

Likewise, Thurman is set to graduate in May 2016. She plans to attend Liberty University and earn her master’s degree in international business.

“My goal is to work for a non-profit organization, specifically with children, and to hopefully do social media for them,” Thurman said.

Both are taking 12 credit hours and are involved with additional organizations on and off campus.