Everything Nac

Winners of Stephen F. Austin State University’s 2020 Graduate Research Conference were recently announced after organizers restructured the annual event as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

“COVID-19 brought an immediate halt to our university’s classes on campus as well as all events, including our annual Graduate Research Conference,” said Dr. Pauline Sampson, dean of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. “Our great committee jumped into action to change the format from a face-to-face to virtual conference.

“Because one of the conference’s main purposes is to prepare graduate students to present at other professional conferences after they graduate, we did not want them to lose the chance to showcase their work and also be able to include it on their résumés.”

Nineteen research posters and 15 research papers were selected for virtual presentation. They were chosen by members of the Graduate Research Committee, which comprised Dr. Sarah Savoy, associate professor of psychology; Dr. Linda Levitt, professor of communication; Dr. Perky Beisel, professor of history; Dr. Frantisek Majs, assistant professor of agriculture; Dr. Todd Whitehead, associate professor of kinesiology and health science; Dr. Alexandra Van Kley, professor of biology; Amanda Breitbach, assistant professor or art; Dr. Robyn Whitehead, assistant professor of kinesiology and health science; Dr. Leslie Cecil, professor of anthropology; Brooke Ashley, graduate student representative; and Sampson.

Best Poster was awarded to Liam Wolff for his research titled “Assessing Occupancy and Detection of Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) in East Texas.” Wolff is a graduate student in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, and his advisor is Dr. Christopher M. Schalk, assistant professor of forestry.

Best Paper was awarded to Sarah Whitfield for her research titled “Synthesis and Characterization of CO Releasing Bipyridine Palladium Flavonolate Complexes: Potential Anticancer Agents.” She was a graduate student in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, and Dr. Xiaozhen Han, assistant professor of chemistry, was her advisor.

By Christine Broussard, editorial marketing communications coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University.

A Stephen F. Austin State University art student and a recipient of the Ed and Gwen Cole Dean’s Award in Art has been accepted into a highly competitive Master of Fine Arts program at Texas Tech University, where she has also been awarded several scholarships.

Madeline Castillo, art major from League City who recently earned a B.F.A. with a concentration in metals-jewelry and a second concentration in sculpture, will pursue an M.F.A. in metalsmithing with a second emphasis in sculpture at Texas Tech, from which she received the Diversity Graduate Recruitment Fellowship, Helen Jones Foundation Scholarship, TTU School of Art scholarship and a teaching assistantship.

“I am extremely excited and grateful to have received such a great scholarship from TTU,” Castillo said.

“Madeline was our top candidate in jewelry design and metalsmithing at Texas Tech University,” said Robly A. Glover, professor of jewelry design and metalsmithing at TTU. “Based on her portfolio and interview, we were able to put together a significant fellowship and assistantship package of support for her.”

Through the TTU Graduate School, Castillo was one of the first students to receive a travel and research scholarship, Glover added. “This will help Madeline expand her research efforts and support her development of a nationally competitive M.F.A. portfolio,” he said. “Madeline is an intelligent and personable student who impressed everyone who met her. We look forward to working with her in the fall of 2020.”

Castillo said her time studying art at SFA helped prepare her for this next chapter of her education.

“I am immensely grateful to the wonderful professors at SFA,” she said. “Their guidance, patience and enthusiasm for teaching have allowed me to develop the skills I need to feel confident as an artist going forward after graduation. The bonds I made with my mentors and peers led me to grow, not just as an artist, but as a person. I want to thank my professors at SFA for all that they have done for me. Their constant support and belief in me always inspired me to do my best. I will always remember their lessons and continue doing my very best at TTU.”

In the future, Castillo hopes to apply to artist residencies to further develop her concepts and learn from new environments.

“Ultimately, I want to be in a position where I can teach others,” she said.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Human Sciences is now offering a Bachelor of Science in construction management.

A partnership among SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, College of Sciences and Mathematics, James I. Perkins College of Education and Rusche College of Business, the construction management program began in fall 2019.

The degree’s courses focus on management and design skills, as well as the knowledge of business, sustainability, building construction and safety codes necessary to succeed in this field. They also prepare students to take the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate exam.

“This degree provides students with a broad-based knowledge of the construction industry combined with a solid general education and extensive training in business management,” said Sally Ann Swearingen, associate professor of construction management and interior design in SFA’s School of Human Sciences. “Students pursuing this degree also examine the regulations, planning, design, theory and methods used in the construction field.”

The 120-hour, four-year degree plan includes a six-hour internship and teaches students how to coordinate and supervise workers, handle unexpected issues and delays, work with customers, and select personnel and subcontractors for specific tasks to meet demanding deadlines.

Students also learn about the construction methods and technologies they need to interpret contracts and technical drawings and discuss them with architects, engineers and building owners. In addition, they study how to write proposals, budgets and plans and how to document progress.

Swearingen said the school is working to make 90% of the degree’s courses available online within two years along with creating on-campus minisessions for labs. SFA also is creating an external board for the program that will include representatives from major construction companies.

Salary estimates for this industry range from $60,000 to $90,000 based on residential to heavy construction.

“The job outlook for this field is good because of the growing population and the new residences, retail outlets, schools and office buildings that go along with that,” Swearingen said. “The need to improve the nation’s infrastructure of roads, bridges and sewer pipe systems and to make buildings more energy efficient also makes this a great career choice.”

For more information, contact Swearingen at (936) 468-2048 or sswearingen@sfasu.edu.

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

COVID-19 has affected people in all aspects of their lives — socially, professionally and, for some, nutritionally. Thankfully, Nacogdoches Helping Other People Eat, the largest food pantry in East Texas, is receiving assistance from many community members in helping feed the hungry during this uncertain time, including Lizette Rojas, a Stephen F. Austin State University social work student and intern.

Following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s stay-at-home order and the closure of many businesses, HOPE has seen an 88% increase from this time last year in those asking for food assistance.

“The Nacogdoches community is extremely giving, particularly during times of a crisis,” said Wilma Cordova, SFA professor of social work and member of the HOPE pantry’s board of directors. “Many people are in a situation where they need food or may need help in the near future. Social workers adhere to a code of ethics, and Lizette has demonstrated those values by mobilizing a community in a time of need. Her ability to coordinate services and donations has made a difference for the food pantry.”

Although Rojas returned to her home in Fort Worth when SFA’s campus closed in March due to the pandemic, she’s still helping the food pantry and its clients.

“I call clients to ensure they have food to tide them over,” Rojas said. “I also contact area grocers to organize the collection of boxes the pantry uses to package food for distribution. What others may see as simple tasks can be much more. A phone call or cardboard box can make a difference in how many people we can feed in a given week.”

Rojas also mobilizes volunteers to help ensure the pantry is stocked and remains open.

“Lizette’s ability to be extremely organized and create order in a chaotic situation has impressed me throughout this pandemic,” Cordova said. “Nacogdoches is a unique community in that you must be able to network and do it well. Lizette came into an agency that was already well-respected, and she has worked very hard to bring it to a level that is now even more visible and appreciated.

Rojas said she has spent the majority of her internship closely working with individuals and families in need of food or financial assistance. Some of the areas she’s helped to address include working to stop family violence, closing the health-care gap, harnessing technology for social good and ending economic inequality.

“Those who receive services from HOPE come from all walks of life, and their priority is the need for food, but sometimes they need more. Some clients may need referrals to housing, employment, medical or transportation services, and some may just want someone to listen and offer them the motivation to continue along their paths.”

As the pandemic’s effects continue, Rojas said she is determined to stay focused on making a difference — from SFA’s campus or elsewhere. “Although I’m not physically in Nacogdoches, I’m there in spirit,” Rojas said. “It’s important to me to continue my work helping my East Texas community.”

For more information about Nacogdoches HOPE, visit www.nacogdocheshope.com.

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