Everything Nac

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.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Residence Hall Association will ring in the holiday season at its annual Holiday Extravaganza from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, on the SFA campus. This event is free and open to the public.

From 6-7 p.m. SFA’s Pep Band and local music groups will perform on the front steps of the Austin Building. Jacob Lusk, RHA president, said the performances will be a treat, and the association always looks forward to the shows.

Following the performances, Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA president, will address the community and introduce special guests from the North Pole. Attendees will be able to meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus after the address.

From 7-8 p.m. visitors can enjoy a variety of child-friendly games and activities on the Baker Pattillo Student Center Plaza.

“We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to host this event on the first day of December. In my opinion, there is no better way to jump into the holiday spirit than to drink hot chocolate, listen to performances from some of Nacogdoches’ finest musicians, meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus and enjoy some fun games and activities on the plaza,” Lusk said.

RHA has hosted this event for decades, and it has become a Lumberjack tradition.

“Many students say this event reminds them of the holiday season and pushes them to finish off the semester so they can travel back home to be with their families,” Lusk said. “I highly recommend that everyone come be part of this annual tradition.”

For more information, contact Lusk by email at rha@sfasu.edu or RHA at (936) 468-2700.

Dr. Kasandra Keeling will present a guest piano recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in Cole Concert Hall in the Wright Music Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

Keeling, who is associate professor and coordinator of keyboard studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, will perform a Spanish-themed concert that features the music of Domenico Scarlatti, Astor Piazzolla, Octavio Pinto and other noted composers.

She chose a theme of Spanish music because, in addition to her solo recital performance, Keeling will serve as judge for the Nacogdoches Music Teachers Association Fall Fiesta Festival Nov. 20 and 21, according to Dr. Andrew Parr, professor of piano at SFA.

“Pianists from elementary grades through high school will perform Spanish piano works for Dr. Keeling, receive critiques, and possibly perform on a festival student recital earlier on Saturday,” Parr explained. The student recital is slated for 4 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall on campus.

Also appearing in duet with Keeling on Pinto’s “Scenas Infantis” will be Linda Parr, piano instructor in the SFA Music Preparatory Division.

Keeling has had an active career as a performer and clinician throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and China. In 2014, she was awarded the American Prize for Piano Performance for her recording of Serge Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.” In 2008, she was awarded the Outstanding Collegiate Teaching Award by the Texas Music Teachers Association and in 2015 received the UTSA President’s Faculty Excellence Award for Creative Production. Last year, Keeling joined the summer piano faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp, and in 2016 she will celebrate 15 years as director of the Summer Music Institute for Piano and Strings at UTSA.

The recital is a joint presentation of the 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.