Everything Nac

Shiver me timbers and a yo ho ho! Hoist your sails with SFA Gardens for a morning of outdoor adventure and excitement at the Pirates of the Pineywoods Party from10 a.m. until noon Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Galya Mize Garden located on the corner of University Drive and East Starr Avenue on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

It will be all hands on deck as young pirates dress in their favorite pirate costumes and embark on a voyage through the forest to dig for buried treasure, battle sea creatures, walk the plank and partake in numerous other jolly adventures. Refreshments and treasures galore will be served up to the whole crew.

All swashbucklers must be accompanied by an adult, and advanced reservations are required. Tickets are $10 per person and can be picked up at 2900 Raguet St. prior to the event. Sponsored in conjunction with Nacogdoches Naturally Family Outdoor Adventures, all proceeds will benefit SFA Gardens’ educational programs.

“SFA Gardens hosts educational events and programs for more than 10,000 children each year,” said Elyce Rodewald, educational coordinator for the event. “This fundraiser supports these efforts and allows us to continue providing quality programs for the community. We are pleased to be offering another unique way for families to enjoy our beautiful gardens.”

Registration is limited. For reservations, contact Elyce Rodewald at (936) 468-1832 or erodewald@sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University will host the 2013 installment of its Global Citizenship Series on Friday, Oct. 18, in Houston.

The foreign policy conference will center on the future of the relationship between North America and Latin America. Keynote speakers will include Ambler Moss, professor of international studies at the University of Miami and former ambassador to Panama; Mark Langdale, former president of the George W. Bush Foundation and former ambassador to Costa Rica; and John Weekes, Canada’s principal negotiator for the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The event, titled “Latin America and North America: The Future of the Relationship,” will be the third international conference SFA has hosted in Houston in as many years. The relationship between the United States and Europe was discussed at the 2011 conference, and U.S.-Middle East relations highlighted the 2012 event.

“The goals of the event are to expose our students and faculty to world leaders, to enhance understanding of a region critical to the nations’ prosperity and security, and to create opportunities for international program development,” said Dr. Brian Murphy, dean of SFA’s College of Liberal and Applied Arts, which sponsors the conference series.

“This year’s event is bringing our highest-profile speakers to date,” he said. “It should be an informative, stimulating and thought-provoking day.”

Murphy said the relationship between Latin America and North America has taken a back seat in the public’s consciousness in recent years, a change that is potentially harmful to America’s long-term prosperity and security.

“This esteemed group of policy makers and specialists have their fingers on the pulse of Latin American and North American economic, political and security relations and will explore the future of the relationship in light of a vastly revised international landscape,” Murphy said.

The conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, in Chase Tower’s Travis Auditorium, located at 601 Travis St. in downtown Houston. There is no cost to attend the conference, which is open to the public. Lunch will be available at a cost of $25 for students and $40 for non-students.

For more information and to register, visit the conference’s website: sfasu.edu/laa/conference.asp.