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State Rep. Trent Ashby will offer the commencement address during Stephen F. Austin State University’s fall graduation ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 13.

A native of Rusk County, Ashby represents District 57 in the Texas House of Representatives, which includes Angelina, Houston, Leon, Madison, San Augustine and Trinity counties. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University in 1996.

During his freshman term, Ashby was appointed to the House Appropriations and Natural Resources Committees and was selected by his colleagues as Freshman of the Year. Additionally, he serves on the Select Committee on Economic Development Incentives.

Ashby said he was deeply honored that SFA President Baker Pattillo asked him to address the graduating class and that he is able to take part in the special day.

“It’s hard to underscore just how important a college degree is in today’s increasingly competitive and global economy,” Ashby said. “A college diploma doesn’t guarantee success, but it’s a wise and prudent investment for ensuring a bright future.”

Ashby also said the best way to participate and be successful in today’s economy is to obtain the knowledge and skills acquired through higher education.

“I want to remind graduates of the old adage that the only thing constant in life is change,” he said. “I want graduates to understand how important it is to recognize the change going on around us so that they are prepared to not only adapt and respond but also to potentially take advantage of unforeseen opportunities.”

Ashby also said he encourages those individuals nearing graduation to remain committed to their pursuit of academic excellence.

“You are not your job. You are not the amount of cash you have in the bank. You are not your possessions. Find your passion. Look for what inspires you, and then pursue it with all your heart,” he said.

Ashby resides in Lufkin and is the Angelina County chairman for Citizens National Bank. He has been married to his wife Nickie for 17 years, and the couple has two sons.

Commencement exercises will be split into two ceremonies for fall graduation, and Ashby will provide the commencement address at both ceremonies.

Graduates 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.

An estimated 1,063 degrees will be awarded, including 861 bachelor’s degrees, 192 master’s degrees and 10 doctoral degrees. More than 190 students will graduate with honors, including 76 cum laude, 63 magna cum laude and 52 summa cum laude.

Two outstanding Stephen F. Austin State University faculty members will be honored during the 26th annual SFA Gala on Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

The faculty awards presented during the Gala recognize innovation and excellence in teaching and research. Dr. Matthew McBroom, associate professor of forest hydrology in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, is the recipient of the 2014 Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching. Dr. Kefa Onchoke, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, has earned the Faculty Achievement Award for Research.

Dr. Matthew McBroom

McBroom has been part of the SFA faculty for more than seven years, teaching a variety of courses including forest hydrology, environmental hydrology, water resources management, wood science, and harvesting and processing. He has taught more than 700 SFA students during his tenure and developed several courses for the college, including a new online course. He received the Kenneth G. Waterston Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Forestry and Agriculture in 2014.

A certified forester, McBroom is a member of the Texas Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters, earning the latter’s national Young Forester Leadership Award in 2010. In addition, he received the Texas Forestry Association’s Research, Development and Innovation Award in 2013. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in forestry from SFA, completing his doctorate in 2005 after working as a geographic information systems forester for Temple-Inland Forest Products Corporation.

“As a teacher, the most rewarding times are when the ‘ah-ha’ moment occurs, and a student’s eyes light up with excitement of learning,” he said. “The next most rewarding time is when former students come back and tell me how they are applying concepts learned in class to problem solving in the workplace or in their graduate studies.

“Finally, it is extremely fulfilling to watch students transition from student to peer in their knowledge and ability to solve real-world problems. To facilitate students in becoming self-learners is part of what sustains my passion for teaching and learning.”

Dr. Steven Bullard, dean of the College of Forestry and Agriculture, called McBroom’s teaching style “exuberant,” adding the professor can often be found wading in chest-high water while informing his students about sedimentation, dissolved oxygen, pollution, water flow and related topics.

“Dr. McBroom never wavers in his pursuit of excellence in teaching across both our forestry and environmental science disciplines,” Bullard said. “He has the demeanor and the keen mind to align the fabric of our curriculum with the many needs of a society-ready forester, integrating climate change, endangered species, marketing, population change and communication skills into both his writing and lecturing styles.”

Dr. Kefa Onchoke

Onchoke has been at SFA since 2006 and teaches multiple courses in instrumental analysis as well as general, environmental, organic, analytical and introductory chemistry. His research emphases include plant bioremediation studies, metal speciation in composted wastewater sludges, computational chemistry of various molecules of biological interest, carcinogenicity of particulates and electronic structure calculations.

Onchoke said he is proud of the fact that the bulk of his SFA research has been conducted alongside student researchers.

“I have involved nine undergraduate students in research, and I am currently directing one undergraduate and three master’s students,” he said. “Of the 11 papers I have authored, these students are co-authors in five peer-reviewed journal papers and in many poster and oral presentations. We continue to showcase the research findings every year in local and regional meetings and conferences as opportunity arises.”

Onchoke earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Nairobi in Kenya and a Master of Science in chemistry from Hampton University. He completed his doctorate in analytical chemistry at Ohio State University in 2006.

A member of the American Chemical Society, Onchoke has made significant contributions to the field of computational and spectroscopic analysis of polycyclic aromatic compounds and their effect on the environment. His publications have been cited by other researchers around the world.

According to Dr. Michael Janusa, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Onchoke “combines excellence in research with complete loyalty, dedication and love for SFA.”

“Not only is Dr. Onchoke conducting quality research but he also is instilling in his students the passion for lifelong learning and discovery,” he said. “Usually professors are dedicated to either teaching or research, but Dr. Onchoke finds a way to do both effectively to complete the education of our majors through teaching students how to conduct quality research.”

The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a candlelight dinner at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by In10City, featuring eight of Dallas’ most accomplished musicians. Known for its versatile repertoire, the group performs everything from dance music to rock, jazz, country and hip-hop.

Tickets are $175 for orchestra seating and $125 for ballroom seating. Proceeds from the Gala help build a permanent endowment created by the SFASU Foundation to honor faculty achievement. For more information or to purchase tickets, call April Smith at (936) 468-5406.

The application process for the prestigious George and Peggy Schmidbauer Young Artist Competition at Stephen F. Austin State University has begun, and among the first contestants accepted for the 2015 event is a talented cellist from New York studying in the pre-college division at Juilliard.

Celebrating its eighth year, the Schmidbauer Competition holds the highest standards in artistry and performance. It is designed to attract young high school musicians ages 15 to 18 who are beginning to plan their future careers and are looking at schools that may be best suited toward helping them reach their goals. It is SFA’s goal to be that institution, according to Dr. Gene Moon, director of orchestral studies at SFA and of the competition.

This year’s strings and piano competition is slated for Jan. 31 in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus and is open to any high school violinists, violists, cellists, double bassists and pianists. Applications are accepted worldwide. Past competitions have brought young musicians from South Korea, Russia, Finland and locations across the United States to Nacogdoches to compete.

A valuable recruiting tool for SFA, the Schmidbauer Competition offers a unique performance opportunity for young musicians, offering prizes that include cash awards, scholarship incentives from the SFA School of Music and performance opportunities with orchestras.

“Concerto performances with orchestras are very rare for a musician at any stage of their professional career, let alone a budding high school student,” Moon said. “Our hope is that eager young students will be attracted to such lucrative opportunities.”

Cash awards are $750 for first, $500 for second and $250 for third. The remaining prize money will be awarded in the form of scholarships contingent upon successful admission to SFA’s School of Music. First prize also includes an appearance as a guest soloist with SFA’s prestigious Orchestra of the Pines.

Several years ago, George and Peggy Schmidbauer, California residents who founded Cal-Tex Lumber Company in Nacogdoches more than 25 years ago, wanted to give a donation to SFA to foster and promote classical music. As a result, Moon was asked to formulate a competition.

“The School of Music is forever indebted to Mr. and Mrs. Schmidbauer for their generosity and artistic leadership offered through our Schmidbauer Competition,” said Dr. Manny Brand, director of the School of Music. “Our music faculty is devoted to identifying and cultivating musically talented students, and the Schmidbauer Competition extends SFA’s role as one of the premier schools of music in Texas and the nation.”

The Schmidbauer Competition continues to serve as one of the highest benchmarks in the competition circuit and is a catalyst for launching successful careers. Past winners have continued their careers to perform with professional artists and orchestras all over the world. As evidence to the caliber of musician the Schmidbauer Competition attracts, the 2011 winner, Ying Fu, won a position in the first violin section with the Cleveland Orchestra while studying at Rice University. Last year, Ying took a new position as associate concertmaster with the Philadelphia Orchestra, an orchestra regarded as one of the top five in the world, according to Moon.

“Ying’s accomplishments are reflective of his personal hard work as well as the time he spent with master teachers throughout his career thus far,” Moon said. “Competitions such as the Schmidbauer have served as a catalyst to help further his career. Past winners of the Schmidbauer Competition have made similar strides and thus show a proven track record that those involved with it move on to greater career changes.

“The Schmidbauer Competition attracts hard-working, charismatic musicians who remain on the forefront of the classical music industry, and it serves as a stimulus for continued growth in the field,” he said.

Deadline for application is Jan. 2. For more information or to apply to the competition, contact Moon at (936) 468-3885 or moongh@sfasu.edu or visit www.schmidbauercompetition.org.