Everything Nac

SFA student lands graphic design scholarship

Sarah Bone listened to her father’s advice. Himself an artist, he told her to do what she loved, and to figure out a way to make a career out of it.

The younger Bone, a lifelong creator of art and a graphic design major, figured out how to put dad’s advice into action. She switched her major to a Bachelor of Arts, a move that gave her the option to add a minor in marketing from the Stephen F. Austin State University Rusche College of Business.

The subtle shift in academic direction is working out fine. Bone just received a $5,000 Skyline Displays of Houston Graphic Arts Education Scholarship for the fall semester through the Advertising Education Foundation of Houston. The nonprofit awards scholarships to those working on undergraduate or post-graduate degrees in advertising, communications, interactive marketing, journalism, radio/TV, commercial art, public relations or related fields.

For Bone, who spends the better part of her days in the Adobe Creative Cloud with Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop, the scholarship opportunity was low-hanging fruit that had to be picked. She was encouraged to apply at the behest of marketing professor Dr. Marlene Kahla and graphic design professors Peter Andrew and Daniel Anguiano – a clear indication that business and art can work hand in hand.

While Bone still enjoys the fine-arts side of her life, she’s increasingly interested in marketing and advertising, the work she said will give her a salaried foothold in the workforce after graduation. So far, dad’s advice to Bone, backed by her advisors, has proven sage. All that remains is for Bone to make good on all of it.

“I feel blessed to have been chosen for the scholarship, and want to make everyone who got me there proud,” Bone said.

To view Bone’s portfolio, visit https://sarahnbone.wixsite.com/mysite-1/portfolio.

By Richard Massey, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University has been ranked No. 2 in a list of “hidden gem” universities in Texas by College Gazette for its outstanding academic programs, focus on student success and school spirit.

College Gazette ranks schools based on articles and other media, striving to help students find the best fit for their educational needs. SFA attained its high ranking for a number of programs, including its forestry and nursing programs, and its state-of-the-art academic buildings and workspaces like the Early Childhood Research Center and the Cole STEM Building.

SFA’s forestry program is nationally recognized in a large part due to the learning and living environment at the university, said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

“There is no better place to learn about forest resource management than at SFA, located right in the heart of the forest and water resources of Texas,” Williams said.

The Early Childhood Research Center houses SFA’s open-access charter elementary school, early childhood lab school and Department of Education Studies. This promotes professional contributions and experiences among the highly credentialed faculty members, mentors and coaches for the educator preparation students, as well as the infants and toddlers in the lab school and children in the charter elementary school.

“It is a remarkable blending of academic and pedagogic research and teaching focused on pre-K-16 learning,” said Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education.

To learn more about SFA and its academic programs, visit sfasu.edu.

By Joanna Armstrong, marketing communications specialist for Stephen F. Austin State University.