Everything Nac

The Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts and the School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University will present acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis in a compelling performance with SFA’s Swingin’ Axes jazz band at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

The final University Series event of the 2023-24 Centennial Season, the concert provides an exciting opportunity to see and hear this renowned New Orleans musician as he takes the stage with SFA’s outstanding jazz musicians. The concert is sponsored in part by Etech.

“The Marsalis family is modern jazz royalty, so any time you have the opportunity to hear one of them in concert, you are in for a treat,” said Dr. Gary Wurtz, dean of the Elliott College of Fine Arts. “Ellis Marsalis, the father of the four famous brothers, was a legendary jazz pianist. Following in his footsteps, Wynton, Branford, Jason and Delfeayo have all made their own name and mark in contemporary jazz, which is a remarkable achievement for one family. Our students will spend a couple of days with Delfeayo, as he teaches and performs with them, and it will be something they will never forget.”

A member of the legendary Marsalis family of musicians, Delfeayo was destined to a life in music, touring internationally with jazz legends such as Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Slide Hampton, as well as leading his own groups. He has founded three nonprofit organizations that strengthen the arts community in New Orleans: Uptown Music Theatre, Uptown Jazz Orchestra and Keep New Orleans Music Alive.

“We’re so thrilled to have Delfeayo Marsalis coming to work with our students,” said Dr. J.D. Salas, director of jazz studies at SFA and director of the Swingin’ Axes. “On top of his wealth of musical talent, Marsalis is an incredible advocate for jazz education and has also branched out to include work as a producer for other jazz artists. This makes him an ideal guest artist for the Swingin’ Axes, which has students majoring in performance, education, and sound recording technology. In addition to performing with the Axes, he will host a master class and a question-and-answer session with our students.”

Following the performance, the audience is invited to a reception to honor the guest performer and event corporate sponsor.

Turner Auditorium is located in Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive.

Single event tickets for the Swingin’ Axes with Delfeayo Marsalis are adult, $20; senior (62 or better), $16; SFA faculty/staff, $10; non-SFA student/youth, $8; SFA student, $3. To purchase tickets, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit the sfasu.edu/boxoffice. The Fine Arts Box Office is located in the second floor lobby, Griffith Fine Arts Building.

The School of Theatre and Dance at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the spring student-choreographed Danceworks “Unveiled” concerts April 11 through 13 in the Dance Performance Studio on the SFA campus.

The Danceworks concerts are choreographed by the senior dance majors who are majoring in dance education or performance and choreography, according to Heather Samuelson, SFA’s dance program director and associate director of the School of Theatre and Dance. The students title each Danceworks concert collaboratively with an underlying theme that often emerges based on their research topics. Each piece presented in Danceworks provides insight into the choreographers intellectual and choreographic process. Each topic of research is provided next to the choreographer’s bio in the program.

The spring event, Danceworks “Unveiled,” represents everything from sculpture-inspired dance to the prison boom of 1970, according to Samuelson. “The choreographers have creatively depicted conceptual topics, through dance choreography, that inspire, motivate and progress their interests and passion,” Samuelson said. “From pure dance movement to dance and technology, Danceworks ‘Unveiled’ has it all.”

“How the dancers embody their role in each piece and their commitment to the movement and choreographer draws you in and makes you want to continue and further the research that they have done,” says Kailynn Smith, junior dance major from Marshall.

“Unveiled” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 11 and 12, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13, in the third floor Dance Performance Studio, Griffith Fine Arts Building, on the SFA campus.

General ticket prices are $15 for general admission; $10 for seniors (62+); $8 for SFA faculty and staff; and $5 for non-SFA students. SFA students are admitted for free. To purchase tickets, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

For more information on SFA’s dance program, contact Samuelson at samuelsoh@sfasu.edu or the School of Theatre and Dance at (936) 468-4003 or sfasu.edu/theatre-dance.

Stephen F. Austin State University students attending this semester’s banking and wealth management career exploration day in March at the Nelson Rusche College of Business don’t necessarily know what they want to do yet, but they do know they want to help people.

“Many of this generation’s students want to know how to make a difference in their communities,” said David Kaiser, director of SFA’s Chadwick Banking Program and moderator for the event’s panel discussion. “Like physicians help their patients manage their physical health, banking and wealth management professionals help their clients manage their financial health. This assistance extends to businesses and whole communities.”

For the event, four panelists spoke to students about the diverse career opportunities available in the banking and wealth management industries, as well as how the companies for which they work contribute to community growth and support.

Two of the panelists, Francis Spruiell, executive vice president of Austin Bank in Nacogdoches and president of Austin Bank’s piney woods region, and Weston Reynolds, wealth management and trust manager at Commercial Bank in Nacogdoches, work for community banks that have each served the region for more than a century. Their banks support community efforts, from teaching local eighth graders financial literacy to helping with the Angelina County Fair.

“Our employers encourage us to do this, and there’s nothing more rewarding,” Spruiell said.

Panelist Gregg Nichols, a financial advisor with Edward Jones who worked as a banker for 15 years, said those in the field are “always looking to help people by building relationships with them and solving their financial puzzles through those relationships.”

Dr. Matthew Jaramillo, SFA lecturer of finance, was in the audience and added, “Studies have shown that career satisfaction scores range from high to very high in the financial advising field, particularly driven by working closely with individuals on achieving client goals. SFA students who complete the financial planning minor are industry ready immediately upon entering the workforce.”

Part of establishing the long-term relationships needed to achieve financial planning goals is building trust over generations of a family and through the right education and credentials, said Nichols, who just completed the Certified Financial Planner exam.

The Rusche College of Business offers courses to help students prepare for the CFP, which ensures financial professionals are highly qualified to develop a holistic plan for their clients’ finances.

In addition to working with wealth managers, registered investment advisors and holistic financial planners, almost every bank has at least one department that is impacted by the financial planning process, Jaramillo said.

Tom Heslep, a 1981 SFA graduate and the chief lending officer of Texas Republic Bank in Dallas, added that patience and listening skills are keys to success in this career.

“You have to care,” Heslep said. “The conversations you have with your clients are not always easy. It takes a certain character to get through those conversations.”

An individual does not necessarily have to be a numbers person or a people person to thrive in a banking career, said Spruiell, who majored in computer science in college.

“If you’re not an extrovert, you still have opportunities in banking such as attorneys and accountants,” Spruiell said. “There are also human resources positions and training positions. You just need to get your feet wet and start somewhere so you can see what you like.”

Heslep added, “Banking is probably the most diverse industry today. It’s not just loaning and collecting money. By connecting with industry professionals through your professors and completing internships, you can showcase your potential, interests and skills.”

For more information on SFA’s Chadwick Banking Program, visit sfasu.edu/banking.

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.

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. The competition provides an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents.

The Congressional Art Competition is a decades-long tradition meant to encourage and recognize the rich talent of young artists throughout the country, according to U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions. Every spring, Congressman Sessions invites students from the 17th District to join this annual competition and showcase their artistic skills. This year’s theme for the 17th

Congressional district is “Patriotism in America” as an opportunity for students to showcase why they are proud to be an American.

A reception to recognize participants and announce top winners in the Deep East Texas District will be at 6 p.m. Friday, April 5, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches. Sessions will be present to congratulate the winners in first, second, third and fourth places.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all ninth- through 12th-grade students who reside or attend school in the 17th District. The winner from Texas’ 17th District will have their artwork displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol; student-winners will also be sent a copy of a full-color book that exhibits each first-place artwork. The exhibit in Washington, D.C., will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information about the competition, visit https://sessions.house.gov.