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Stephen F. Austin State University students received monetary awards — many donated by Nacogdoches-area financial institutions — during an April 17 ceremony.

Award recipients were chosen by faculty members from the SFA Rusche College of Business’ Department of Economics and Finance.

“Students were selected based on their academic achievement in their coursework, engagement in research projects, participation in conferences, and pursuit of their future career goals — whether employment, entrepreneurship or graduate study,” said Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of the department.

William King, finance senior from Nacogdoches, received the Entrepreneurship Award, and Ngoc Hoang, finance junior from Vietnam, received the Portfolio Management Award. Both awards were sponsored by Buchanan Wealth Management.

Other achievement award recipients included Brent Pigg, a finance senior from Lufkin, who received the Asset Liability Management Award sponsored by Citizens 1st Bank, and Hudson Heim, banking senior from Henderson, who received the Financial Institutions Award sponsored by Cadence Bank.

The Economics Reading Group presented Jessica Frasier, general business junior from Bay City, with the Economic Pursuits Award, and Nashally Arellano, first-year marketing major from Houston, with the Economic Interest Award. Both awards were sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation.

The High-Ranking Economics Major Award, sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation, went to senior Clay Patrick of Livingston. The High-Ranking Finance Junior and High-Ranking Finance Senior awards, both sponsored by Southside Bank, went to Cole Lemons of Gunter and Ethan Johnston of Montgomery, respectively. Tina Packard, finance and banking senior from Nacogdoches, received the High-Ranking Banking Major Award from SFA’s Chadwick Banking Program.

Dan Nguyen of Vietnam received the Outstanding Economics/Finance Graduate Award sponsored by Austin Bank. Hana Roers, sports business junior from Maple Grove, Minnesota, and Toby Sherman, economics junior from Gilbert, Arizona, received the Undergraduate Scholar Award. Those awards were sponsored by the ECON 3339 Packet Fund.

The Finance Club Award, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Texas, went to Whitton Malone, finance junior from Carthage, and David Kaiser, lecturer and director of the Chadwick Banking Program, was named Favorite Professor by the Finance Club.

“It is an honor to work with this great group of students, and I am so very appreciative of this recognition,” Kaiser said.

For more information on these awards and SFA’s Department of Economics and Finance, visit sfasu.edu/ecofin.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By University Marketing Communications

Stephen F. Austin State University’s chapter of the Bilingual Education Student Organization was given the Texas Association for Bilingual Education’s Unity Through Excellence Award during the 2024 BESO Spring Leadership Institute.

The award recognizes efforts to foster a supportive community for BESO members while passionately advocating for bilingual education. SFA’s chapter of BESO began in spring 2019.

“We are the only BESO chapter in the state that is not associated with an official bilingual education program,” said Dr. Sarah Straub, associate professor in SFA’s Department of Education Studies and the BESO advisor. “This makes it a major challenge to recruit and retain members, but we are honored that our hard work is recognized. Even if we aren’t as large or as prolific as other universities, we are committed to developing as bilingual educators.”

SFA’s BESO chapter members are graduate students Maria Almendzarez of Nacogdoches and Pedro Tovar of Marshall, alongside undergraduate student officers Juliana Martinez, senior from Farmers Branch; Elizabeth Turrubiartes Villa, senior from Bryan; Hilda Roberson, senior from Troup; and Nayeli Gonzalez, junior from Dayton, all of whom are interdisciplinary studies majors.

“I am so glad to see how far we’ve come,” Tovar said. “From the days when we had class in a literal closet to now being recognized at the state level, this award is validating on so many levels.”

Members of SFA’s chapter of BESO have organized professional development opportunities with bilingual guest speakers from across the state; presented at conferences, such as TABE and the National Association for Multicultural Education; and advocated for the inclusion of a special topics introductory course to bilingual education for SFA’s Department of Education Studies.

Because several of its members are online students — another trait that makes SFA’s chapter unique from others across the state — BESO has monthly meetings over Zoom and additional research-focused meetings to support their submissions to TABE. Each semester, they provide at least one opportunity for off-campus members to visit SFA’s campus and opportunities for on-campus members to visit other parts of the state. In 2019, for example, BESO members visited a bilingual elementary school in Houston to learn about opportunities in area districts.

This year, BESO hopes to present their Institutional Review Board-approved research at the TABE Conference this October in Round Rock, highlighting their dedication to scholarly inquiry and the advancement of bilingual education.

For more information about BESO, contact Straub at straubsm@sfasu.edu or follow them on Instagram @sfa_beso.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By Parastoo Nikravesh, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

Graduate students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business are gaining real-world experience by helping the East Texas Alliance of Hope increase its visibility as the go-to local resource for those who are battling cancer.

Ashley Berry, the founder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Lufkin, is about to mark a decade without cancer herself. To celebrate, she wants to help more East Texans impacted by cancer by increasing awareness of the nonprofit and its services in Nacogdoches.

“We have a few clients here, but we know the need is greater,” Berry said. “We want to get the word out, especially since American Cancer Society assistance here has stopped. We want to fill that gap.”

East Texas Alliance of Hope’s services include financial assistance to cover bills; transportation services, including gas vouchers to cover travel for treatment; and help navigating complex medical systems and social services, such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Social Security and unemployment benefits.

Berry turned to Dr. Marcus Cox, coordinator for SFA’s Business and Community Services office, which was created in fall 2022 to connect businesses, nonprofits and government agencies with SFA resources at no cost. Cox, associate professor of management and marketing at SFA, then assigned the project to his strategic management students.

“Our Master of Business Administration students analyzed the nonprofit’s strategy and examined its operations to offer suggestions on how the organization could increase its impact in the region,” Cox said. “The students really enjoy these types of projects because they are able to use their business skills to assist the local community and make a difference in other people’s lives.”

MBA students offered recommendations that can be implemented over the next six months, including increasing the nonprofit’s social media presence, optimizing its website, and creating partnerships with SFA athletic and student organizations to help with fundraising.

They also presented ideas to promote the nonprofit’s annual fundraiser, Race for Hope, an event runners use to qualify for the Boston Marathon. In addition, the event features a half marathon, 5K run, 5K walk and kid’s one-mile fun run. MBA students also suggested the nonprofit host pop-up stores during Nacogdoches events featuring clothing from Just Kiddin’ Around, a resale store for children in Lufkin that generates funds for the nonprofit’s clients.

Berry said all the students’ ideas are solid and doable.

“I knew they’d have good recommendations because they’ve been asking the right questions throughout this process,” Berry said. “My next step is to take these ideas to our board of directors.”

Cox and several of the students want to continue to help beyond this semester.

“We all feel passionate about this nonprofit’s vision and purpose,” said Jackson Pickard, an MBA student from Georgetown. “I lost my dad to cancer. We could’ve really used an organization like this.”

To learn more about East Texas Alliance of Hope, visit etxallianceofhope.org. To learn more about Business and Community Services, visit sfasu.edu/cob/services/bcs.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By University Marketing Communications