The Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association will honor eight alumni at its annual awards banquet at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.
The Alumni Association awards its highest honors to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their professions, the community and who advance the goals and values of SFA.
The association named the following as recipients of the 2015 Alumni Awards: Bob Sitton, Hall of Fame Alumnus; Susan Roberds and Ron Collins, Distinguished Alumni; Nick Pesina and Travis Turner, Outstanding Young Alumni; Jaclyn Partin and Jim Drennan, Lumberjack Pride Award; and Dr. Brian Oswald, Distinguished Professor.
Sitton is a 1960 graduate of SFA and a longtime director of the SFA Alumni Association. Under his leadership, the Alumni Association endowed more than 530 scholarships that generated more than $13 million. His family and friends have endowed two Sitton Scholarships at SFA in his honor. Sitton continues to serve as an SFA ambassador in his retirement through his work on alumni-related projects.
Roberds served on SFA’s Board of Regents from 1997-2003, including terms as vice chair and finance chair. The former Miss SFA also has served on the SFA Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, including appointments as president and vice president. She is currently a field supervisor for SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education, a licensed real estate agent for Roberds Realty Advisors, and a sales representative for Brad Hughes and Associates. Roberds is active in many community service organizations, including the Junior League of Dallas and the Dallas Women’s Club.
Collins is a senior vice president of BancorpSouth and a 1979 graduate of SFA. He serves as the immediate past president and board member of the Rotary Club of Nacogdoches, and as an officer and board member of the SFASU Foundation, the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation and Friends of Millard’s Crossing. He also serves on the boards of the Blood Center of East Texas, Volunteer Service Council of the Lufkin State School and the East Texas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Pesina is an attorney for Roberts & Roberts in Tyler. He was named a partner in the firm after practicing law for three years. Pesina earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2004 and a master’s degree in public administration in 2006 from SFA before receiving his juris doctorate in 2012 from the University of Texas. Pesina serves on the board of directors of CASA for Kids of East Texas and People Attempting to Help in Tyler.
Turner serves as the athletics marketing coordinator for SFA Athletics. He is the senior graphic designer and creates promotional materials for SFA Athletics to distribute to media and a variety of audiences. Turner also coordinates athletic events to help promote the university and SFA Athletics. He received two degrees from SFA: a bachelor’s degree in 2005 and a master’s degree in 2011. Turner is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators.
Partin is an assistant marketing coordinator for Commercial Bank of Texas in Nacogdoches. She received her bachelor’s degree from SFA in 2008 and her master’s degree in 2014. A dedicated Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks fan, Partin supports SFA Athletics and its student-athletes by attending almost every home game as well as many away competitions. She served on the steering committee of the SFA Alumni Association’s Nacogdoches Chapter and was a driving force behind establishing the group.
Drennan is a charter member of the SFA North Texas Alumni Association Chapter and has been a tireless university advocate since his graduation in 1973. He regularly works with his employer to recruit SFA students to fill internships, and he devotes his time to pursuing the establishment of SFA scholarships to help promote these programs. Drennan also volunteers his time to reach out to initiates and members of Tau Kappa Epsilon to promote SFA campus and regional events.
Oswald is a professor of fire ecology, silviculture and agroforestry in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture at SFA. He was the recipient of the SFASU Foundation Faculty Achievement Award for Research in 2013 and selected as Regents Professor in 2012. Oswald has served as author or co-author for dozens of refereed publications, books, book chapters, and oral and poster presentations. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters, the Society for Range Management and the Torrey Botanical Society.
For information about the annual awards banquet, contact the Alumni Association at (936) 468-3407 or (800) 765-1534.
To view and download photos of the award recipients, visit http://www.sfasu.edu/alumni-awards-2015.zip.
