Everything Nac

Students with little or no experience in the online learning environment will receive ­the coaching and mentorship needed to succeed outside the traditional setting of a brick-and-mortar campus through the Bridges to Business program offered by Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business.

The three-course Bridges to Business sequence, a mix of online and in-person instruction meant to transition students from the classroom to a fully online business degree program, will be offered at the Atascocita Center, which is affiliated with the Kingwood campus of Lone Star College, in spring 2022.

The program is designed for working students who have already completed their associate’s degrees. Courses in business ethics, marketing and business law, led by a team of established SFA professors, will launch students into a structured yet flexible curriculum that accommodates work and family.

“If you are a student who’s looking to enhance your value in the marketplace, this is the program for you,” said Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the college of business. “Through Bridges to Business, you can improve opportunities for advancement with your current employer, or increase your chances of being hired by a company of your choice.”

The college offers online bachelor’s degrees in general business, sports business, and business communication and corporate education, as well as an MBA.

Graduates of the college have gone on to work for Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Merrill Lynch, the Houston Texans and Peloton Interactive, and some have become entrepreneurs in tech and accounting. Many have found great employment with excellent salaries throughout the state of Texas, Bisping said.

Students already enrolled in Rusche’s online degree programs speak to the accessibility of the faculty, the peer engagement during class, and the ability to shape their college experience around a life that in many instances includes family and career.

“SFA’s online business program has enabled me to work toward completion of my degree at the university I always felt most connected to, even from afar,” said Rick Lowry, an online student based in The Woodlands. “The instructors are accessible, engaged and experienced. They want to help students succeed.”

Eligible students must have completed 15 transferable hours and have at least a 2.0 GPA. Apply at sfasu.edu/apply. For more information, contact cob@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-3101. Learn more about the Rusche College of Business and Bridges to Business.

By Richard Massey, Senior Marketing Communications Specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin State University bands will present the annual Kaleidoscope concert featuring all three concert bands and multiple faculty and student chamber ensembles at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus.

The idea of a “kaleidoscope” concert is for there to be no breaks between performers to make it “a seamless concert switching from one group to the next,” according to Dr. Tamey Anglley, director of bands at SFA.

The concert will open with the SFA Trombone Octet, conducted by SFA trombone professor Dr. Deb Scott, and performing Madeline A. Lee’s “La Cathédrale,” which was chosen as one of the winning pieces to be premiered at the 2021 International Trombone Festival.

The Symphonic Band, conducted by Dr. Chris Kaatz, will perform “Sea Songs” by Ralph Vaughan Williams and “October” by Eric Whitacre. According to Kaatz, “Sea Songs” was originally conceived as the final movement of Vaughan Williams’ “Folk Song Suite.” “Like the larger work to which it initially belonged, this pleasant British-style march utilizes English folk songs as its source material,” Kaatz said. Whitacre writes about his piece, “October is my favorite month. Something about the crisp autumn air and the subtle change in light always makes me a little sentimental, and as I started to sketch, I felt that same quiet beauty in the writing.”

The SFA Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of SFA percussion professor Dr. Brad Meyer, will perform “to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem” by Andy Akiho. Originally written for a chamber ensemble of flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, vibraphone and drum set for the 2008 Bang On A Can Summer Music Festival, the ensemble will perform the percussion arrangement.

The Pineywoods Brass Quintet, which includes SFA faculty members Jacob Walburn, trumpet; Gary Wurtz, trumpet; Andrea Denis, horn; Deb Scott, trombone; and J.D. Salas, euphonium, will perform the Chick Corea classic jazz tune, “Spain.” Composed in 1971 and released on his “Light as a Feather” record in 1973, “Spain” is Corea’s most recognized piece and is considered a jazz standard.

The Wind Symphony, conducted by Dr. Dan Haddad, will perform two selections, including Philip Sparke’s “Sunrise at Angels Gate” and Arturo Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego Nuevo.” Written in 2001, “Sunrise at Angels Gate” refers to one of the many named rock formations on the northern side of the Grand Canyon. Sparke tried to depict the sights and sounds of dawn there. Originally composed for orchestra in 2005 and arranged for band in 2011, “Conga del Fuego Nuevo” (Conga of the New Fire) refers to the music of street ensembles that perform during the carnivals in Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

Stone Fort Wind Quintet, including SFA faculty members Christina Guenther, flute; Graham Mackenzie, oboe; Margaret Fay, bassoon; Chris Ayer, clarinet; and Andrea Denis, horn, will perform “Chums!” by Karl Jenkins. The composer wrote this piece for his daughter-in-law’s woodwind quintet, which were all close friends.

The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Anglley, will close the concert with the wind band classic “La Fiesta Mexicana” by H. Owen Reed. The performance will feature the SFA mariachi group, Los Leñadores.

“Composed in 1949 while Reed spent six months in Mexico on a Guggenheim Fellowship, ‘La Fiesta Mexicana’ takes the listener through many of the experiences associated with a Mexican fiesta,” explained Anglley, “including the tolling of church bells, fireworks, a parade, religious celebration of Mass, a circus, a bullfight, and cantinas with the band of mariachis.”

Admission to the concert is free. For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

The Jacks of Steel at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the ensemble’s fall program at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Under the direction of Dr. James Vilseck, adjunct professor of percussion in the SFA School of Music, the steel band will perform a program that features “an energetic combination of traditional calypsos, sambas and popular music.”

“Some familiar hits include the ‘Cantina Band’ from ‘Star Wars,’ Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Margaritaville,’ and a special surprise at the end for all fans of SFA,” Vilseck said. “Come out and enjoy this fun and refreshing evening of world music.”

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.