Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved faculty and staff changes during its quarterly meeting Tuesday.

Faculty appointments within four academic colleges were approved, including Jason Reese, assistant professor of management, marketing and international business in the Nelson Rusche College of Business; Cala Coats, assistant professor of art in the College of Fine Arts; Adam Akerson, assistant professor of elementary education, and Daniel McCleary and Lisa McCleary, assistant professors of school psychology, in the James I. Perkins College of Education; and Courtney Wooten, assistant professor of English, and Lauren Brewer, Kyle Conlon, Gregory Drury and Nathan Sparkman, assistant professors of psychology, in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts.

The Board of Regents approved numerous staff appointments, including Emily Penney, teacher for the Early Childhood Laboratory in the Perkins College of Education; William Caldwell, development officer for the Office of Development; Kimberly Morris, assistant director of admissions; Michael Gillen, programmer/analyst I in Information Technology Services; Elaine Lambright, international programs coordinator; Michael Wicker, director of the Academic Assistance and Resource Center; Shawn Fisher, research development specialist; and Timothy Monzingo, communications specialist in University Marketing Communications.

Other staff appointments include: Kirk Turner, athletic marketing coordinator, and Christopher Vanhorn, assistant football coach, both for the Department of Athletics, and Taylor Duganne, Carrie Newman and Diane Nwokey, hall directors for the Department of Residence Life.

Regents approved the following changes of status within the Perkins College of Education: Nina Ellis-Hervey, from assistant professor of human services to assistant professor and intern supervisor; Gloria Gresham, from associate professor of elementary education to associate professor and coordinator of the elementary Master of Education program; Robert Patterson, from human services coordinator to coordinator and student supervisor; Julie Pipes, from financial aid specialist to academic adviser; Heather Olson Beal, from assistant professor of secondary education to assistant professor and coordinator of the Master of Education program; Pauline Sampson, from associate professor of secondary education to associate professor and coordinator of the Institutional Review Board; Janet Tareilo, from associate professor of secondary education to associate professor and coordinator of the Principal Preparation Program; Michael Walker, from assistant dean of student affairs for support services to assistant dean and intern supervisor for human sciences; and Kimberly Welsh, from associate professor of elementary education to associate professor and reading Master of Education coordinator.

The following changes of status also were approved in Information Technology Services: Scott Speichert, from database administrator I to database administrator III; Robert Thomas, from programmer/analyst II to database administrator I; and Jacquelyn Vose, from programmer/analyst II to programmer/analyst III.

Other changes of status approved Tuesday include: Craig Turnage, from development officer IV to executive director of alumni relations; Nathan Schneider, from assistant football coach to director of athletic corporate sales; and Trey Cartwright, from communications specialist to marketing communications specialist in the Office of University Marketing Communications.

In addition, Sylvia Middlebrook’s status changed from visiting assistant professor of psychology to visiting assistant professor and intern supervisor for human services in the Perkins College of Education, as well as from visiting assistant professor of psychology to assistant professor of psychology in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts.

The Board of Regents also approved numerous faculty promotions:

To assistant professor: Elizabeth Spradley, languages, cultures and communications.

To associate professor: Emiliano Giudici, economics and finance; Carolyn Conn, theatre; Lauren Selden, art; Jamie Weaver, music; Tara Newman and Chay Runnels, human sciences; Heather Olson Beal, secondary education; Claudia Whitley and Dawn Williams, elementary education; Alan Bailey, Lee Payne and Cindy Pressley, government; Courtney Carney, history; Linda Levitt, Gabriela Recinos, Jose Recinos, Sudeshna Roy, Robert Spradley and Louise Stoehr, languages, cultures and communications; Sarah Canterberry, biology; Odutayo Odunuga, chemistry; Kevin Stafford, geology; and Jane Long and Nicholas Long, mathematics and statistics.

To professor: Gloria Gresham, elementary education; Wendy Killam, human services; Mikahail Kouliavtsev, economics and finance; Nathan Nabb, Ron Petti and Deb Scott, music; Amanda Rudolph and Pauline Sampson, secondary education; Daniel Unger, forestry; and Ken Untiedt, English and philosophy.

To professor emeritus: Terry Box, English; John Dahmus, history; Mel Finkenberg, kinesiology and health science; and William Gibson, biology.

The following SFA faculty members were granted tenure by the board: Alan Bailey, Lee Payne and Cindy Pressley, government; Courtney Carney, history; Sarah Canterberry, biology; Emiliano Giudici, economics and finance; Linda Levitt, Gabriela Recinos, Jose Recinos, Sudeshna Roy, Elizabeth Spradley, and Louise Stoehr, languages, cultures and communications; Jane Long and Nicholas Long, mathematics and statistics; Nathan Nabb and Jamie Weaver, music; Tara Newman, human sciences; Odutayo Odunuga, chemistry; Heather Olson Beal, secondary education; Lauren Selden, art; Christine Sinclair, kinesiology; Robert Spradley, mass communication; Kevin Stafford, geology; and Dawn Williams, elementary education.

Jeremy Becnel of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and David Lewis of the School of Art, were granted faculty development leave for the fall 2014 semester. Alexandra Van Kley of the Department of Biology was granted faculty development leave for the spring 2015 semester.

In addition, Tim King of the School of Music was awarded a Regents Professorship for the 2014-15 academic year.

The following retirements also were approved by the Board of Regents Tuesday: Deborah DuFrene, associate dean of the Nelson Rusche College of Business; Ronald Anderson, music; and Michael Doughty, social work.

Stephen F. Austin State University will present the university’s flagship orchestral ensemble, Orchestra of the Pines, performing its final concert of the semester at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

“Broadway, Movies and Music III” will feature famous movie soundtracks and Broadway tunes, according to Dr. Gene H. Moon, director of orchestras at SFA.

“The pops concert has always been a highly anticipated event for the students and community,” Moon said. “The music of Broadway and motion pictures has become an important facet of our musical culture. While audiences enjoy hearing classical music, a dash of popular music always adds a special zing of flavor to our musical experience.”

Special guest performers will be Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, violin, and Dr. Ron Anderson, vocals. Dalmas will join the orchestra in a popular piece, “Por una cabeza” by Carlos Gardel, a work made famous in the movies “Scent of a Woman,” “True Lies” and “Titanic.” Anderson will sing a personal favorite of his, “How to Handle a Woman,” from the musical “Camelot.”

“We have a few more guest appearances that will be made,” Moon said, “but, as special as they are, they cannot be announced, and those who want to know must join us for the special evening.”

Famous movie soundtracks that will be performed include “Star Wars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Broadway tunes from “Camelot,” “West Side Story” and others are also on the program.

“Every work is popular and prominent in our classical music world and pop culture,” Moon said. “A special treat for the younger generation will include songs from the recent hit Disney children’s movie, ‘Frozen,’ including the widely popular ‘Let It Go.’”

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.

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts will recognize four students during the presentation of the annual Dean’s Awards at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Kathrynne F. Garcia, Houston junior art major; Clara E. Boyett, Jasper piano performance major; Tabitha M. Donley, Fort Worth junior music education major; and Daniel J. Miller, Houston area junior theatre major, were selected by the faculty of their respective schools on the basis of their potential to further develop their artistic and academic capabilities, according to Dr. A.C. “Buddy” Himes, dean of the College of Fine Arts.

The Dean’s Awards not only recognize the recipients for what they have already accomplished, but the awards are also designed to inspire them to reach deep from within to aspire to a higher level of excellence, Himes explained. The awards were established by the Dean’s Circle, an external support organization of community members founded in 2008 and “dedicated, in part, to nurturing potential young artists within the College of Fine Arts,” he explained.

“This is not about the externally visible ‘things,’” Himes said. “It is about inspiring students with pride and self-confidence to pursue the ideal – for each of them to dream what the ideal is for them, and to inspire them to use this award to go about making this their reality, and in doing so, inspire other students to reach for their dreams.”

Garcia, who will receive the Ed and Gwen Cole Dean’s Award in Art, is working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She came to SFA in the fall of 2011 to study the artistic side of moving images, with concentrations in cinematography and digital media. Over time, her love of creating grew to three dimensional art objects. In combining technical elements of film and 3D objects, she has learned her path as an artist and continues to explore new technologies within the visual arts. In her position at SFA Art Galleries, she is creating a digital archive of photographs of exhibitions and events and has produced two documentaries – one on the history of the galleries and another about the artists of the 2013 Day of the Dead exhibition, which premiered at the Cole Art Center in January 2014. At the recommendation of her film professor, she became a volunteer intern for the Nacogdoches Film Festival in 2012 and was recently elected secretary of their non-profit, the Nacogdoches Art Alliance. In 2013, Kat became student a representative for SFA Friends of the Visual Arts board. She plans on continuing her studies at SFA and entering into a graduate program.

Boyett, who will receive the Jack and Naioma Ledbetter Dean’s Award in Music, is in demand as an accompanist at SFA, having accompanied fellow students – both vocalists and instrumentalists – as well as serving as accompanist for graduate choral conducting recitals, appearing with the orchestra for SFA’s 2013 performance of the opera “Street Scene,” and with the SFA Wind Ensemble in its fall 2013 concert. She competed in the final round of the annual SFA Concerto Competition in both 2012 and 2013. Boyett is scheduled to present at the 2014 Texas Music Teacher’s Association’s annual conference in Houston this summer. She has been recognized on the President’s List every semester while at SFA, is the class of 2015 recipient of the Cole Scholarship, holds both the Shirley Watterston Accompanying Scholarship and the Mamie Middlebrook
Keyboard Scholarship, and received the 2013 high-ranking sophomore award from Phi Kappa Lamba. She serves as pianist at Northwood Baptist Church in Nacogdoches, and maintains a piano studio of 10 students through the SFA Music Prep Department.

Donley, who will receive the Dr. Robert Sidnell Memorial Dean’s Award in Music Education, has been a member of the Wind Ensemble and the Orchestra of the Pines. She is currently principal flautist in both ensembles. She has also participated in the SFA flute choir, operas, and the Lumberjack Marching Band. In addition to this, she was co-section leader of the LMB piccolo section last fall. Donley has been on the Dean’s List every semester, and on the President’s List twice. She is an active member of the Wesley Foundation where she is on the student council and has spent four semesters as a member of its praise team, led small groups, and through the Wesley Foundation has participated in various service events. Donley and the Flute Five Ensemble placed second at the Kentucky Flute Festival in 2013. She has also been the recipient of the John Phillip Sousa Award, the Cole Outstanding Achievement Award, and is a third-year recipient of the Academic Excellence Scholarship.

Miller, who will receive the George and Peggy Schmidbauer Dean’s Award in Theatre, is earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in acting and directing. His Mainstage credits include “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Three Sisters,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Stage Door,” “Romeo and Juliet” and, most recently, “Blood Wedding.” He appeared in the student-directed productions “Tunnel of Love” and “Adam and the Experts.” He was a cast member of The (New) Original Cast for one semester, and was also in the Fredonia Players’ “Christmas Show.” He is a member of Improv Strikes Back. Miller was the lighting designer for the student-directed production of “Lone Star.” He appeared in the Summer Repertory Theatre production of “How I Became A Pirate”, and he served as master electrician for the Summer Rep productions of “Godspell” and “Charlotte’s Web.” He recently served as one of the master electricians for this semester’s opera theatre production. In addition, he is treasurer of the Beta Phi cast of Alpha Psi Omega and will serve as vice president next year. He was recently honored as one of two national Alpha Psi Omega Scholarship recipients for 2014-15.

Each student will be awarded $2,000 to be used to further his/her artistic endeavors.