Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will host the second annual Something to Chew On discussion series this month in partnership with the Lumberjack Cultural Association.

“The purpose of the event is to have open dialogue that focuses on topics of concern to the SFA community,” said Veronica Beavers, OMA director and interim director of student rights and responsibilities. “In addition to local issues, we also highlight issues that affect society worldwide.”

Participation has significantly grown since the series launched in fall 2018, Beavers added. The first event focused on equality while the subsequent spring 2019 event centered on the effects of generational trauma.

The theme of this fall’s series is SFA cultural climate.

“We chose this topic because some SFA students may feel uncomfortable around peers with different backgrounds and appearances,” said Elda Echeverry, LCA president. “We think it is important to lean into the discomfort and have open discussions to break stereotypes and typecasting based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and more.”

LCA is extending an open invitation to all members of the SFA campus community to stimulate dialogue by sharing their own experiences.

“In order for this event to be successful, we need students, staff and faculty who are willing to share their experiences and listen to the experiences of others,” Echeverry added.

The fall 2019 Something to Chew On will begin at noon Sept. 25 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center, Room 3102. Snacks and door prizes will be provided.

For more information, contact the OMA at (936) 468-1073 or oma@sfasu.edu.

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

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “The Great Alone” at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Written and directed by Greg Kohs, “The Great Alone” is an award-winning feature-length documentary film that captures the inspiring comeback story of champion sled dog racer Lance Mackey.

Billed as “The Last Great Race on Earth,” the Iditarod Trail is the toughest dog sled race in the world. Snaking through more than 1,000 miles of the Arctic’s harshest wilderness, the race is one of Alaska’s proudest traditions, and Mackey is its greatest champion, according to the film description at imdb.com. He’s a man with dog sled racing hard wired into his family, across generations. He’s battled homelessness, addiction and cancer, but he always returns to the sled.

The film won best feature at the 2016 Big Water Film Festival, and Kohs won the grand jury prize as director at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2015. The film runs 80 minutes.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal and Richard Orton.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s DeWitt School of Nursing will host a site review for initial accreditation of its Master of Science in Nursing family nurse practitioner program by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

The community is invited to meet the visiting site team and share comments about the program at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the DeWitt School of Nursing Complex, Room 101. Written comments may be submitted by Tuesday, Sept. 24, to Dr. Marsal Stoll, chief executive officer for ACEN, at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326.

“The faculty has worked diligently to ensure the curriculum reflects current advanced nursing practice standards and complies with all requirements of our governing agencies,” said Dr. Tamara Harris, associate professor and director of the school of nursing. “We anticipate a positive report for this new program, which will further complement the long-standing reputation of our Lumberjack nurses.”

The family nurse practitioner program prepares nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing to provide care with an emphasis on care for communities, families and individuals who live and work in rural and medically underserved areas. The curriculum is delivered online, but students gain hands-on experience in two immersion seminars and acquire knowledge and practice prior to the beginning of clinical courses. Students are required to complete 720 clinical hours prior to graduation.

The School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing is accredited by ACEN and approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care to patients of all ages and backgrounds. Students learn and practice in state-of-the-art facilities with the help of experienced faculty.

To learn more about the School of Nursing and the programs offered, visit sfasu.edu/nursing.

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