Everything Nac

Work is well underway to make this year’s 12×12 Scholarship Fundraiser for the Friends of the Visual Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University another success.

The silent auction features 12-by-12-inch pieces of art created by approximately 80 artists from Nacogdoches, Lufkin and other areas of East Texas. Anyone may silently bid on the unique one-of-a-kind pieces, according to Crystal Hicks, event committee chairwoman.

“The 12×12 event is the main fundraiser for the FVA,” says Hicks. “It’s a fun and lively night, and the FVA members work for months to collect the art and plan the evening.”

Silent bidding ($250 minimum) begins Tuesday, July 2, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House and will continue up to the day of the art party, which is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the art center. Starting bids drop to $100 the night of the event, and raffle tickets will be sold five for $20.

“You could possibly take home a valuable piece of art for a $20 investment,” said Lisa Steed, events coordinator for SFA art galleries.

The purpose of 12×12 is to raise funds for the FVA scholarships and grants that that are awarded to SFA art students. Between $12,000 and $15,000 is awarded annually in scholarships to deserving students in the School of Art.

The awards help students defray the costs of special projects for art classes or M.B.A./B.A. exhibitions. Some recipients have attended conferences or gone on school trips that will help with their professional development. This has included Maymester trips for art students to go to Italy. The organization also awards scholarships for elementary school students to attend the SFA Art Academy.

“The FVA’s mission is to support the arts in our community,” said Hicks. “Thanks to events like the 12×12 and other initiatives throughout the year, we’re able to see firsthand how the funds we raise benefit students and art lovers alike.”

The annual 12×12 art auction and party is a summer favorite of many East Texans, but no one appreciates the effort that goes into the planning and the donated art more than the students who benefit from the work of generous volunteers and artists.

“I became involved in the 12×12 event when I was an adult student at SFA,” said Michelle Filer, donating artist. “I saw firsthand how the scholarships and grants allowed students the opportunity to create art and follow their dreams by enabling them financially to afford to do so. I believe a sign of a strong and thriving community shows through the viability of its support of the arts.”

“Local artists, as well as former students and professors, provide original works of art for this event,” Hicks said. “It’s a blast to rub elbows with the artists and other art lovers. The 12×12 show is more than just a fundraiser; it’s a way to celebrate and grow the art community in the area.”

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information about 12×12 or to become a sponsor, call The Cole Art Center at (936) 468-6557.

Stephen F. Austin State University has received $1.8 million in funding from the Greater Texas Foundation, the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and the James I. Perkins Family Foundation to support the JacksTeach STEM teacher preparation initiative in the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

JacksTeach is a replication site of the UTeach Institute, a nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program. Students in the program earn a four-year bachelor’s degree and a secondary teaching certification without adding any additional semesters of coursework.

Immersing students in a curriculum geared toward STEM education and connecting them with master teachers, JacksTeach ensures students graduate prepared for a variety of career options, including teaching, business, industry or continued study.

“This targeted approach to STEM secondary-teacher preparation is a positive step toward alleviating the severe shortage of qualified secondary STEM teachers throughout the primarily rural East Texas region and across the state,” said Dr. Kimberly M. Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

The first two JacksTeach courses provide an opportunity for students to explore STEM teaching as a career option. Tuition rebates are issued upon successful completion of the courses with additional scholarships and internships possible for those who continue to progress toward certification.

“Our focus is on the support of JacksTeach students as they navigate through their own education to a career in teaching,” said Dr. Lesa Beverly, co-director of JacksTeach and professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We will provide mentoring and encourage a strong sense of community among the JacksTeach students while they are at SFA and after they enter their own classrooms.”

For more information, call (936) 468-3960, email jacksteach@sfasu.edu or visit the JacksTeach Center in the Bush Mathematical Sciences Building, Room 103.

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

A new program in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business is changing the face of online education.

By using Zoom video-conferencing technology, students pursing a Master of Business Administration can attend class virtually from anywhere in the world. This Flex M.B.A. program with Zoom technology is the first of its kind in Texas and blends technology, readily used in the corporate world, with education.

“This is not an ‘old-school’ online M.B.A. program. It is truly flexible and engaging,” said Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the Rusche College of Business. “Technology has now caught up with our teaching philosophy in the college. Through the use of Zoom video-conference technology, we are able to fully and synchronously engage students no matter their location in the state, country or world.”

Students can choose how they attend class. For example, students in the program can attend any or all of their classes on campus, none of their classes on campus or they can mix the two methods by “zooming” into classes virtually with Zoom.

“Students don’t have to commit to a delivery mode. They can attend any class however they wish on any class day,” Bisping said. “Some students might never set foot on campus and still be able to experience classes delivered on the SFA campus.”

All of the classes will be recorded, which allows students to review the material, as needed.

Dr. Robert Crocker, associate dean of the Rusche College of Business, has been instrumental in implementing the Flex M.B.A.

“We will be a leader in the area of offering our M.B.A. through this delivery system. We are pilot testing our classrooms, and every day we are finding new and exciting opportunities that are made possible through the use of the technology,” Crocker said. “We are excited to see more innovations in all of our programs as our faculty members employ this new delivery method.”

The M.B.A. is structured with 10 required courses and two electives for a total of 36 credit hours. Course sequencing allows students the opportunity to complete the degree in one calendar year. All M.B.A. courses taught in the classroom will be available via Zoom.

“We did not want to transition to a generic online M.B.A. We had to find a mechanism to take our classroom to the student,” Crocker said. “Zoom technology is the vehicle that enables us to deliver our classroom experience to the office or living room of students who may never enter our building.”

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/mba.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.