Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University students in the Advertising Cases and Campaign class in the Department of Mass Communication and the Sound Recording Technology class in the School of Music collaborated to create jingles for Nacogdoches’ soon-to-open waterpark, Timber Falls. Splash Kingdom Director of Sales and Marketing Mickey Lewis, center of the front row, said all six jingles will be utilized on the website and in radio and TV ads. In addition, class members will tour the Timber Falls construction site with Lewis to observe the progress on the waterpark. Faculty members pictured are Drs. Linda Bond and Kevin Kelleher.

Lt. Col. David Miller, chair of the Department of Military Science at Stephen F. Austin State University, will offer the commencement address during the university’s spring graduation ceremonies Saturday, May 16.

Miller, a resident of Nacogdoches, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science in safety engineering with an environmental emphasis from Murray State University.

The lieutenant colonel’s previous assignment was at U.S. Army Pacific Command, where he served as the facility and construction branch chief, deputy chief of staff for engineering.

Following his commission in the U.S. Army as an armor officer, Miller attended the armor officer’s basic course and graduated on the commandant’s list at Fort Knox, Kentucky. His additional assignments included serving as a platoon leader, executive officer, assistant operations officer, company commander, battalion operations officer and military transition team leader.

In addition, Miller served three years as an assistant professor of military science at New Mexico Military Institute followed by an assignment as the G3 mobilization officer for the 416th Engineer Command in Darien, Illinois. During this assignment, Miller completed the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Miller has received more than 20 awards and decorations while serving his country, including a Bronze Star Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Furthermore, he was permanently awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation, two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards and is the recipient of the Bronze order of the de Fleury Medal as an honorary member of the engineer regiment.

Miller said he has never missed a commencement ceremony in his three years at SFA or an opportunity to carry on the tradition of recognizing ROTC officers established by his predecessor.

“I have been at every graduation to shake the hands of my officers as they exit the stage after receiving their diplomas,” he said. “I am proud of them.”

As the commencement speaker, Miller said he hopes to inspire the graduates by speaking from his heart. “I plan to encourage the graduates to further their education and lead by example. They should learn to never take ‘no’ as an answer and to also stay true to their moral compass. And, if given the opportunity, they should give back to their families, the community or this university that has given so much to them.”

Miller was recently selected for the Broadening Opportunities Program to attend the British Advanced Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, England. He will leave his post at SFA this summer. Miller has been married to his wife, Sara, for 15 years, and the couple has three children.

More than 1,400 SFA degrees are expected to be awarded this spring, making it the university’s largest graduating class to date. Miller will provide the commencement address at the morning ceremony and the afternoon ceremony.

Candidates from SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education and College of Fine Arts will participate in a 9:30 a.m. ceremony. Candidates from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, the Nelson Rusche College of Business, the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony. Master’s and doctoral candidates will graduate with their respective colleges.

During spring graduation, 1,094 bachelor’s degrees, 290 master’s degrees and 18 doctoral degrees are expected to be awarded. Students graduating with honors include 126 cum laude, 98 magna cum laude and 108 summa cum laude.

Two members of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music faculty will be soloists in the end-of-semester Choral Masterworks Concert to be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 8, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

Under the direction of Dr. Tim King, director of choral studies at SFA, the A Cappella Choir, Choral Union, Women’s Choir and the Orchestra of the Pines will perform “Ein Deutsches Requiem” (A German Requiem) by Johannes Brahms as part of the SFA College of Fine Arts’ University Series. Guest soloists will be Debbie Berry, soprano, and Chris Turner, baritone.

Berry is a native of Wichita Falls. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in voice performance from SFA. After teaching at Wayland University, she moved to Kansas City where she did post-graduate work at the Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Following her study in Kansas City, she spent five years in Denver, performing and teaching. She returned to Nacogdoches from San Antonio where she was a private voice instructor at John Marshall High School. She teaches studio voice at SFA. Her performance credits include solo performances with the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Civic Orchestra of Kansas City, the Longview Opera Company, the Central City Singers (of the Central City Opera House Association), and regular appearances as a recitalist in Denver, Kansas City, and in various regions of Texas. She has performed extensively in musical comedy, with more than a 20 roles in productions of Nacogdoches’ Lamp-Lite Theatre.

Turner is a native of Pascagoula, Miss., where he began singing at the age of 5. Having studied at Mississippi College, Louisiana State University and the Eastman School of Music, he is an experienced and award-winning vocalist. His performance experience is in a wide variety of genres from opera and oratorio to contemporary settings. Turner is a recipient of the Governor’s Award and a five-time state and regional award winner with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Among other honors, he was finalist in the Lois Alba Opera Aria Competition and finalist in the Lyndon Woodside Solo Competition. Turner is an assistant professor of voice at SFA.

Although the work will be sung in German, surtitles will be provided.

Prior to the performance, King will give a 7 p.m. informative talk in Griffith Gallery located across the hall from Turner Auditorium.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $7.50 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.

Students in the Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will continue to present their spring recitals through May 22.

“The students have worked hard this semester in order to bring their gift of music to parents, families and friends,” said Pat Barnett, division director.

Piano students of Mary Cooper will perform at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, in Cole Concert Hall.

Violin students of Brenda Josephsen will perform at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, in the Music Recital Hall.

On Saturday, May 16, piano students of Linda Parr perform at 2 p.m. in Cole Concert Hall, and piano students of Theresa Moon perform at 2 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall.

Josephsen’s violin students will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17, in the Music Recital Hall.

The Piney Woods Youth Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Evgeni Raychev, will perform with guests at 7 p.m. Monday, May 18, in Cole Concert Hall.

On Thursday, May 21, violin students of Dr. Jennifer Dalmas and cello students of Raychev will perform at 7 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall.

Spring performances will conclude with recitals for Parr’s senior students at 7 p.m. Friday, May 22, in Cole Concert Hall.

Admission to all recitals is free.

Registrations for summer classes are being accepted. Forms are available online at www.music.sfasu.edu/prep. For more information about the SFA Music Preparatory Division, contact Barnett at (936) 468-1291.