Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Dr. Jeb Fields, assistant professor and extension specialist for commercial ornamental horticulture with the Louisiana State University AgCenter, will present “Gardening in the Deep South the Cajun Way: Observations from Plant Trials.”

Fields is located at the Hammond Research Station in Louisiana where he works closely with nursery, greenhouse and landscape industries. His research and extension program focuses on environmental nursery production and sustainable landscaping systems.

Additionally, Fields serves as Louisiana Super Plants Program chair, which identifies and highlights superior plant material for Louisiana landscapes. He also is director of the LSU AgCenter’s Ornamental Trial Gardens, where a variety of plant material is trialed annually, including seasonal bedding plants, hardy perennials, woody shrubs and landscape trees sourced from around the world.

Fields’ is motivated professionally by a passion for natural source stewardship in horticulture and incorporating sound practices to build a more profitable and sustainable green industry.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

A new sculpture outside the McGee Business Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus is a reflection of the work being conducted within the walls of the Nelson Rusche College of Business – offering educational opportunities that will “launch” students into successful business careers.

Made possible by a donation from Norman Schippers, a 1990 graduate of the college and current Executive Advisory Board member, the sculpture is eight-feet tall and stands directly outside the front entrance of the building with a purple arrow pointing up and away from the building. The structure is a representation of the mission statement of the college.

“Implementing our Learn, Launch, Lead mission has been transformational for the college, and this sculpture serves both as a testament to its success and its visual representation to all who pass by our building,” said Dr. Timothy Bisping, dean of the college. “We are so grateful to Mr. Schippers for donating this beautiful piece to the college.”

As an SFA student, Schippers was a member of the Lumberjack Basketball team. After a successful consulting career, he founded Alodia Sports Academy in 2008 with a goal of developing a new generation of leaders through sports. According to its website, the organization offers a safe environment where children can experience the joy of competition and learn the true meaning of sportsmanship.

The sculpture was crafted by local artist Jeffie Brewer, a former SFA faculty member in the school of art. With a five-month construction timeline, the artwork will help reinforce the college’s mission both locally and outside of East Texas.

“I am honored to give back to Stephen F. Austin State University and the Rusche College of Business,” Schippers said. “The education I received at SFA was instrumental in allowing me to launch into my professional career and various leadership roles. I’m pleased to support Dr. Bisping’s vision for this project, in which the sculpture serves as a daily reminder of the powerful mission statement and an opportunity for students to capture photos and create lasting memories.”

To learn more about the College of Business, visit sfasu.edu/business.

By Kevin Meyer, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

A herpetologist who has called snakes the “coolest animals ever” will deliver a seminar about cottonmouths at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Miller Science Building, Room 137.

Dr. William Lutterschmidt, professor of biology at Sam Houston State University, will present “The Ecology of Evaporative Water Loss in the Northern Cottonmouth” and will speak about how this process affects snakes.

“Snakes are wonderful models for studying the physiological ecology of cutaneous water loss because they shed their entire skin,” Lutterschmidt said.

The one-hour seminar is presented by SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, along with the Department of Biology, and is free and open to the public.

For more information about the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, visit atcofa.sfasu.edu. To learn more about the Department of Biology, visit sfasu.edu/biology.

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