Everything Nac

Despite the challenges of 2020, many community members have stepped up through various acts of service to help their family, friends and neighbors. In order to help better meet the needs of individuals near and far, Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is encouraging students to participate in its MLK Day of Service in Nacogdoches or virtually in their local communities.

“Due to social distancing regulations, we want to provide virtual students with a way to still participate in this important day,” said Star Jackson, OMA student ambassador. “Even though we can’t all be together, it is heartwarming to know Lumberjacks all over will be serving their community in a special way.”

Locally, OMA has partnered with 16 different agencies to complete projects, including SFA’s The Pantry and Appleby Community Farm, Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful, Nacogdoches Master Gardener’s Demonstration Garden and Millard’s Crossing Historic Village. Students also will complete projects for individual Nacogdoches residents.

The annual event will take place Jan. 18, 2021. Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. Dr. Kofi Smith, president and CEO of Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company, will deliver the keynote speech at 9 a.m. Students who participate in the MLK Day of Service in Nacogdoches will receive a free lunch, and T-shirts will be provided to all volunteers who complete their assigned projects.

Nacogdoches community members are encouraged to submit project proposals by Jan. 8. Past projects have included painting, landscaping and cleaning. Projects will be assigned to students on the day of the event.

The OMA also is inviting SFA faculty and staff and Nacogdoches community members to serve as site mentors who will work alongside students to complete projects. Site mentors are encouraged to share leadership advice and help educate students about the community. They can sign up to volunteer through Jan. 7 online at sfasu.edu/oma.

MLK Day of Service was initiated to honor the acts of service by the late civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, MLK Day was designated as a national day of service and is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

“This day is not a day of selfishness, but of selflessness,” Jackson said. “There is truly an opportunity for every member of the community to be involved.”

For more information, contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at oma@sfasu.edu, or visit sfasu.edu/oma.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist, at Stephen F. Austin State University.

A new certification program in the Stephen F. Austin State University James I. Perkins College of Education will help prepare students to become board-certified behavior analysts who apply behavioral principles to solve social problems.

“ABA-certified individuals provide services critical to our community,” said Dr. Luis Aguerrevere, interim chair of the Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership at SFA. “They teach children and adults specific behavioral skills, which include communication, self-help and social skills.”

Authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2020 and the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the Applied Behavior Analysis Certification program emphasizes critical thinking, communication, personal and social responsibility, empirical and quantitative skills and teamwork.

“We are dedicated to producing ethical, responsible and competent scholars in behavior analysis,” said Dr. Jaime Flowers, assistant professor of school psychology and coordinator for the certification program. “We will use a practitioner-scientist/scholar model of training in which practice, research and theory are considered integrated components.”

Beginning in fall 2021, the program’s classes will be taught face to face, either in person or via videoconferencing, during the evenings so individuals working full time can participate in the program.

“The classes will be offered in a cohort model to allow students to build relationships and progress through the program in a group,” Flowers said.

The program’s 315-hour course sequence meets the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s eligibility requirements for students taking the Board Certified Behavior Analyst or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst examination.

The certification is designed for individuals pursuing their master’s degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, speech and language pathology, psychology, teaching and counseling, among others.

“There are additional requirements to becoming a BCBA, but the courses offered will fulfill the coursework portion of the certification,” Flowers said. “This specific certification gives program graduates a specialty in behavior analysis that they can use in a variety of settings such as schools, mental health clinics, hospitals and business organizations.”

The certification is required by most health care companies to provide applied behavior analysis therapy to individuals with developmental disabilities.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning. They also must have a master’s degree or be enrolled in a master’s program in psychology, education or a related field. In addition, applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements.

For more information on the certification program, email Flowers at jaime.flowers@sfasu.edu or visit sfasu.edu/abacertification.

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.