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Stephen F. Austin State University’s Stanley Center for Speech and Language Disorders has openings in the Little Jacks program for children ages three to four experiencing communication concerns.

The center, which is located in the Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership in the James I. Perkins College of Education, offers speech therapy services to residents of East Texas. The clinic’s Little Jacks program specializes in serving children ages three to four who have a receptive and expressive language delay. The program is run by graduate students and senior undergraduate students under the supervision of Erin Keeling, clinical instructor in the Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership.

“Children in the Little Jacks program participate in a language-enriched environment within a small group made up of five to six children in a pre-K type classroom for 60 minutes, then receive a small group session to work on specific skills individualized to the child,” said Keeling. “The clients participate in literacy-based language units, craft time, snack time, rotate through activity rooms, and then have one-on-one time to work on specific goals.”

The program currently has three openings that are expected to be filled by mid-February. The length of the program depends on the client. Sessions are only available in the fall and spring semesters and meet from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

To be admitted, a $75 speech and language evaluation is required unless a current evaluation by another health care provider can be submitted. Speech therapy sessions are $15, and insurance is not accepted.

“If a parent has communication concerns with their child, such as receptive language (the child understanding what is said) or expressive language (the child expressing themselves), or if a pediatrician has expressed concerns, parents are welcome to call for an evaluation or to inquire about services,” Keeling said. “Parents are not required to have a referral from a physician.”

For additional information, visit gosfa.com/3uaRd6t or call (936) 468-7109.

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

New choreographic works created by the Stephen F. Austin State University dance faculty and guest artists Elias Kababa, Lacreacia Sanders and Torens Johnson will be featured in the program “Omnium-gatherum” presented Feb. 15 through 17 in W.M. Turner Auditorium, Griffith Fine Arts Building, on the SFA campus.

“‘Omnium-gatherum’ means a collection of miscellaneous people or things,” said Heather Samuelson, coordinator of the dance program and an associate director within the SFA School of Theatre and Dance. “Our choreographic works are so diverse and interestingly different from one to the next, we thought this was a good description of what will be presented.”

The Repertory Company consists of talented dance majors and minors who will perform the works of faculty members and guest artists. In addition to the Repertory Dance Company, the Verve Contemporary Dance Company will be featured in the concert. Samuelson is the founder and artistic director of Verve, which was established in 2015. The company consists of dancers from Nacogdoches and surrounding communities, SFA dance alumni and current dance program members who perform regionally and nationally at select venues.

All works presented in the Repertory Dance concert are original works of choreography created this year, Samuelson said.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see the students engaged and loving the different genres of dance presented in this concert,” she said. “Their joy and commitment to each piece of choreography is a reflection of how each artist’s work has transformed them and sculpted them into performing artists.”

“Omnium-gatherum” performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 15 and 16, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, in Turner Auditorium. Dance alumni will be recognized at the Saturday performance.

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

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

The University Series at Stephen F. Austin State University brings comedian Joe Zimmerman to Nacogdoches for a performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, in W.M. Turner Auditorium, Griffith Fine Arts Building, on the SFA campus.

A favorite of late-night shows such as “The Tonight Show,” “Last Comic Standing” and “Comedy Central,” Zimmerman is a frequent performer on university campuses and at corporate events.

“I am a huge comedy fan,” said Dr. Gary Wurtz, dean of the Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts, which hosts the University Series. “I became aware of Joe Zimmerman after hearing him on Sirius radio, as well as watching his performances on YouTube. When I had the opportunity to book him on this year’s University Series, I jumped on it and can’t wait to have him here.”

Zimmerman grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia, and started his comedy career in North Carolina shortly after graduating Davidson College where he was an English major. While starting out in the South, he launched a tour with three friends called “The Beards of Comedy” and landed a record deal with Comedy Central Records. In 2012, he moved to New York City, quickly appearing on “The Late Late Show” and John Oliver’s “New York Stand-Up Show,” as well as Montreal’s “Just for Laughs” festival.

His resume has since grown to include “The Tonight Show,” “Conan,” “Nickelodeon,” “Last Comic Standing,” his own “Comedy Central Half Hour,” and the Comedy Cellar’s topical show, “This Week at the Comedy Cellar.” His first solo album, “Smiling at Wolves,” reached No. 2 on the iTunes comedy charts, and, shortly after, Paste Magazine named him one of 10 Best Comedians from the South. His second album, “Innocence,” came out on Comedy Central Records in 2018 and is played regularly on Sirius XM radio. In 2019, he recorded a dry bar special with upwards of a million views on YouTube. His one-hour comedy special “Cult Classic,” directed by Nate Bargatze and produced by 800 Pound Gorilla, came out in 2023. Zimmerman has also contributed humor writing to The New York Times and The New Yorker, and he has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio.

His opening act is Justin Smith, a New York City-based comedian from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Smith’s biography states he was “raised in a religious household, went to a conservative Christian college, worked in the oilfield and loves BBQ and the phrase ‘fixen to.'” He is also described as “quick-witted, brutally honest and incredibly engaging.” His show dialog ranges from making fun of high school proms on MTV to talking about the intricate details of comedy on PBS.

Single event tickets for Joe Zimmerman and Justin Smith are adult, $30; senior (62 or better), $24; SFA faculty/staff, $15; non-SFA student/youth, $12; SFA student, $3. To purchase tickets, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS, or visit sfasu.edu/boxoffice. The Fine Arts Box Office is located in the second floor lobby, Griffith Fine Arts Building, SFA campus. A reception will be held in the second-floor lobby immediately following the performance.