Everything Nac

Dr. John W. Dahmus, former professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University, will offer the commencement address during the university’s summer graduation ceremonies Saturday, Aug. 10.

Dahmus, who resides in Nacogdoches, was employed with SFA for more than 40 years until his retirement in May. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and master’s degree from Penn State University, and he completed his doctoral degree at Cornell University.

Dahmus is a member of the International Medieval Sermon Studies Society, American Catholic Historical Association, American Society of Church History, Medieval Academy of America and the Sixteenth Century Studies Council. He also served as a past president of the SFA Branch of the Texas Association of College Teachers, an organization that worked closely with the legislature to help faculty members at Texas universities.

During his 43-year teaching career at the university, Dahmus authored dozens of articles, papers and reviews. His numerous awards include a Lehmann Fellowship, the Walter Craddock prize for best paper in European history from the Southwestern Historical Association, and several SFA faculty research and development grants.

Aside from his teaching, Dahmus says the most important service position he held at the university was chair of the SFA Faculty Senate from 1996 to 1997. “This position allowed me to promote the welfare of our faculty members and our university better than any other associations,” he said.

Dahmus said he is honored to give the commencement address for the August 2013 graduating class at SFA. “I hope my words will be beneficial to all students in attendance,” he said.

SFA recorded the highest number of graduates in school history during its spring 2013 commencement exercises. Approximately 1,285 students earned degrees in May.

SFA’s summer commencement ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. at William R. Johnson Coliseum. About 494 degrees will be awarded, including 351 bachelor’s degrees, 135 master’s degrees and eight doctoral degrees. More than 40 students will graduate with honors, including 16 cum laude, 19 magna cum laude and nine summa cum laude.

A number of scholarships and grant awards presented annually through the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art were announced earlier this year.

The recipients of SFA art scholarships and awards were announced during the opening of the 30th annual Art Alliance Spring Show. Those present to receive the awards were, front, from left, Le'Anne Alexander, Katherine Holmes, Ashley Martin, Rebekeh Kennedy, Emily Yeats; second row, Andrei Bucur, Pamela Erhardt, Heather Wobbe, Michael Mitcham, Cassandra Otto, Nicholas Palella, Daniel Baugh, Evan Davis, Christina Jimerson Herrera and Director of the School of Art Chris Talbot.

• Katherine Holmes, awarded a Patricia Roberdeau Mast Art Scholarship. Holmes is also the recipient of the Ed and Gwen Cole Dean’s Circle Award in Art.

• Kim Jenkins, awarded a Patricia Roberdeau Mast Art Scholarship.

• Christina Herrera , awarded a Patricia Roberdeau Mast Art Scholarship.

• Elizabeth Wisdom, awarded a Regents Scholarship for Housing.

• Michael Mitcham, awarded the Eloise Chambers Adams Art Scholarship, the John and Doris Daniel Art Scholarship and the Debbie Simpson/Terry Miller Memorial Scholarship.

• Emily Yeats, awarded the Jack McKinney Memorial Scholarship in Art, the Melba Cranford Memorial Art Scholarship and the Stephen Weeks Memorial Art Scholarship.

• Cassandra Otto, awarded a Piero Fenci Scholarship for Ceramic Arts.

• Ashley Martin, awarded the Brian Philip Joseph LaBarbera Memorial Scholarship and the Art Alliance Scholarship.

• Nicholas Palella, awarded a Piero Fenci Scholarship for Ceramic Arts.

• Justin Herring, awarded the Elsie Arscott Art Scholarship.

• Coy Lothrop, an incoming student, awarded a Regents Scholarship for Housing.

• Le’Anne Alexander, awarded the Carolyn and Richard Skurla Graduate Scholarship.

The SFA Alliance Spring Show was juried by internationally-renowned art historian and curator Peter Selz. Winners included:

First Place: Heather Wobbe for “Chandelier”

Second Place: Evan Davis for “Three Towers”

Third Place: Rebekeh Kennedy for “Robert Performing Surgery”

Honorable Mention: Rebekeh Kennedy for “Self-Portrait Revealing Scar”

Honorable Mention: Andrei Bucur for “Thinking”

Honorable Mention: Daniel Baugh for “Fish Frame”

Other awards announced recently included:

• Emilie Gaultier received the Karl Schlicher Outstanding Art Graduate for 2012-2013.

• Mia Sampietro received the Chris and Yvette Sidnell Highest GPA Award for 2012-2013.

The following awards were given by the Friends of the Visual Arts:

• Katherine Holmes was awarded the inaugural Gary Q. Frields Art Scholarship.

• Caleb Rose received the inaugural Charles Jones Art Scholarship for 2013-2014.

• Pamela Erhardt received a Graduate Art Scholarship for fall 2012.

• Brianna Deterling received the Graduate Art Scholarship for 2013-2014.

• Jesse Rodriguez and John Storm received incoming student scholarships for 2013-2014.

Friendship Grants were awarded to the following students and organizations for 2012-2013: Le’Anne Alexander to attend a national conference in New York City; Tyler Mitchan to attend a sculpture workshop in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Jill Albert, Jasmine Austin, Pamela Erhardt, Jacqueline Maher, Zach Maberry, Elizabeth Patino, Dylan Parkhurst and Blake Williams for Maymester traveling courses; Emily Grogan for her senior BFA exhibition; and Kat Garcia, Olivia Hopkins, Matthew Kane, Ashley Martin and Kelci Rolen for artwork expenses. Grants were also awarded to student members of Ad-Hoc, the national student advertising federation, to attend the advertising campaign competition in Oklahoma and to the SFA Art Academy for kindergarten through sixth-grade students to attend summer art camp.