Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s annual School of Art Faculty Exhibition will open with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Each year, the faculty exhibition features a wide variety of artworks in ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, prints, metals and mixed media, according to Christopher Talbot, director of the SFA School of Art.

“We look forward to another academic year and will start the semester presenting work from our talented faculty,” Talbot said. “I always enjoy seeing their creativity, and this is our opportunity to share it with the community.”

This year’s featured faculty artist is Eden Collins, assistant professor (sculpture) in the School of Art, who will present an exhibition of her unique body of work with “A Space for Traipsing.” Her work spans sculpture, installation, performance, video and photography. The exhibition will give viewers “a glimpse into the mind of one of my characters – The Bathtub Drag Queen,” she said. “Through installation, performance, sculpture, video and more, I am transforming the gallery into her ballroom – a space where all might traipse with her for just a moment.” The exhibition opening will also feature performances by students in the SFA dance program.

Collins’ exhibition will show in Cole Art Center’s Reavley Gallery, and the faculty exhibition will be in Ledbetter Gallery. The faculty show will be displayed through Sept. 28, and Collins’ works will be exhibited through Oct. 16, which is the night of the Friends of the Visual Arts’ 12 X 12 scholarship benefit. The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, SFA’s historic downtown gallery, is located at 329 E. Main St.

Admission to the exhibition and reception, which is sponsored in part by William Arscott, the Friends of the Visual Arts, Nacogdoches Junior Forum and The Flower Shop, is free. For more information, call (936) 468-5500.

The Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music has announced new classes that will appeal to younger musicians and adult hobbyists alike.

“Musical Moments” piano classes for adults begins Sept. 7. “Musical Moments” was written to create a stress-free, enjoyable learning experience for the beginning adult student, according to Alba Madrid, Music Prep director.

“Students will learn to read music, play by chords and create music with other hobbyists,” she said. “Join the growing number of adults across the country who are learning to play piano using this fun and innovative program.” Morning and evening classes are available.

Also new for the fall semester is guitar group instruction beginning Aug. 20 for students ages 9 through 16 who are interested in learning to play guitar. Emphasis is placed on classical technique, fundamentals and ear training using standard repertoire.

“Way Cool Keyboarding 4 Kids” for children ages 6 through 10 will begin Sept. 8. In this class, students will experience the fun of playing in their own piano band, Madrid said.

“This group environment provides many positive musical and non-musical benefits, including the development of concentration and listening skills as they learn to blend together as an ensemble,” she said. “Your child will look forward to each week as they make music with their friends.”

Piloted this past spring, Music Prep’s String Project continues this fall. The initiative includes the nine public school districts within Nacogdoches County and some surrounding districts. String Project students have the opportunity to learn to play a stringed instrument at a low tuition cost as part of an after-school activity. The project is grant and community funded. Lessons begin Sept. 2.

More information, including class times and dates and tuition costs, on each of these offerings is available online at sfamusicprep.com or by calling (936) 468-1291. Madrid can also be reached by email at madrida@sfasu.edu or musicprep@sfasu.edu. Program information is also available on Facebook and Instagram.

First-generation students at Stephen F. Austin State University will have two additional resources beginning this fall – First Generation Go and CareerSpring.

First Generation Go, a new organization for students whose parents did not complete a university degree, is housed in SFA’s Student Success Center and provides members with a cluster of classmates who share the same experiences and can together brave the ups and downs of college life. Students also have access to a national network of mentors and employers.

“The platform offers access to a video library, one-on-one conversations with professionals and the opportunity to build social capital,” said Dr. Hollie Smith, executive director of student life and interim director of the Center for Career and Professional Development. “Everything we can do to support our students is important.”

CareerSpring, a career portal offered jointly by the success center, the Rusche College of Business, and the Center for Career and Professional Development, will be available to incoming 2021 freshmen as a resource within the CCPD’s online career management platform, Handshake, and will offer exclusive job and internship opportunities to first-generation students.

Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the Rusche College of Business, was instrumental in bringing CareerSpring to campus.

“The services offered by CareerSpring are outstanding,” Bisping said. “Their mission aligns perfectly with ours in the Rusche College of Business, in that we seek to help our students launch great careers and become leaders in their fields. I am excited to see how this new partnership impacts the lives of our first-generation students.”

SFA is expecting approximately 835 first-generation students on campus this fall, with about 100 of these freshmen entering GenJacks, a cohort specifically designed for students who may not be familiar with college processes and standards.

The GenJacks curriculum comprises the first three semesters; Career Spring will support students in their junior and senior years and beyond, Smith said.

“Many GenJacks don’t have the resources or networks that other students have,” she said. “They don’t ‘know people who know people,’ so looking beyond college can be a challenge. With the two new programs, the hope is manifold: increase the number of GenJacks who enter the cohort their freshman year, retain them throughout college, and prepare them for a life and career after graduation.”

Kate Childress, Student Success Center coordinator, said the office is trying to connect with as many first-generation students as possible.

“It’s our job to keep them encouraged and be their supporters,” she said.

For more information about student success programs, visit www.sfasu.edu/ccpd.

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