Everything Nac

The charter for the Stephen F. Austin State University Charter School was recently renewed for another 10 years by the Texas Education Agency. The renewal term — the result of a painstaking process by the school’s staff members and meticulous review by the SFA Charter School board and Office of the General Counsel — begins July 31 and runs through July 31, 2033.

This is the school’s second charter renewal.

“We have such a deep passion for SFA, our charter school, and the thousands of children we have been honored to educate and love over the past 15 years,” said Lysa Hagan, CEO and principal of the school. “We are delighted that it can continue to support families and that we can maintain our teacher candidate training site for another 10 years.” 

The SFA Charter School was approved in January 2008 and opened in August of that same year. Located in the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, the school is focused on improving public education and enhancing the preparation of future educators and school psychologists.

The school serves as a learning center for the James I. Perkins College of Education, providing hands-on and observational experiences for education students in various areas of study, including educational studies, kinesiology, music and school psychology. The school serves around 250 students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

“The SFA Charter School is an important aspect of the commitment to public education made by this university,” said Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the Perkins College of Education. “Contributing to the educator preparation program and to educating children across the Nacogdoches community, the charter school models the excellence that can occur when teachers and administrators hold a common educational philosophy and a coordinated instructional approach through all the grade levels of this school. The renewal provides for another 10 years of investment in the future of teacher preparation and of Texas public schools.”

To learn more about the SFA Charter School, visit sfasu.edu/charterschool.

Dr. Bailey Thompson, assistant professor of advertising and public relations in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Mass Communication, was selected as a 2022-23 scholar for the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform.

Part of Pennsylvania State University’s Student Affairs unit, the Piazza Center’s scholar program was established to develop new research initiatives and expand on research for professional practice in an effort to transform fraternities and sororities, according to its website. The program comprises current practitioners, post-doctoral scholars and doctoral candidates representing a variety of institutions and research backgrounds. Scholars conduct research focusing on Greek-life organizations, including hazing prevention strategies, student learning, leadership and community engagement.

“I am honored to be selected for such a prestigious opportunity,” Thompson said. “Many of the scholars at the Piazza Center are those I’ve been citing for years, and I still feel a bit starstruck working with such well-known researchers in the field.”

As a scholar, Thompson will join a research project regarding sororities at minority-serving institutions and will utilize her expertise in digital and social media research.

“Working with the Piazza Center opens so many doors for me as a researcher and allows me to work with sororities and fraternities across the country that I otherwise would not have access to,” Thompson said. “Additionally, it allows me to provide my expertise on social media and Greek life to a wider audience and work with such a talented group of researchers in the field.”

Thompson, who was a member of Greek life while in college, began her research in 2015, where she merged research interests with participation in Greek life. In the same year, she joined a project focused on the research of sexual assault and bystander intervention campaigning at Texas Tech University. Thompson also headed a small subsect of research regarding fraternity men and rape myth acceptance.

Her research can be found in journals such as Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Sexualization, Media, and Society and The Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.

Emily Parker, a prominent tax attorney and Stephen F. Austin State University alumna, will deliver the commencement address during all three of the university’s graduation ceremonies Dec. 9 and 10.

With the exception of a short stint as acting chief counsel and deputy chief counsel for the IRS from 2002 to 2004, Parker spent her entire career at super firm Thompson & Knight LLP, now Holland & Knight. She was the first female lawyer hired by the firm and later became the firm’s first female partner. She served as managing partner at the firm from 2012 to 2016 and retired in 2019.

A native of Henderson, Parker graduated from SFA with a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance in 1970. She then attended Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor from that institution in 1973.

Throughout her career, Parker was part of the Who’s Who of Texas attorneys, with the superlatives of best, outstanding, top-notch and distinguished oftentimes attached to her name. Currently a member of SMU law school’s executive committee, Parker’s past legal admissions when she was a star tax litigator in the oil and gas industry went all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Parker created the Emily A. Parker Scholarship to benefit academically high-achieving students pursuing any major at SFA. She also supports Dallas Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Child Abuse Prevention Center, Easterseals North Texas and Texas Women’s Foundation.

All of SFA’s December commencements will be held in Johnson Coliseum. Candidates from the James I. Perkins College of Education will participate at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, candidates from the Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, and College of Liberal and Applied Arts will participate in commencement.

Also, at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 10, candidates from the Rusche College of Business and College of Sciences and Mathematics will participate.

Degrees to be awarded include 873 bachelor’s, 160 master’s and one doctoral degree. Approximately 398 students will graduate with honors, including 111 cum laude, 121 magna cum laude and 165 summa cum laude. Thirty-four students will graduate with the university scholar designation.

Each graduate receives 10 guest tickets with the option to request more. Community tickets will also be available the day of the ceremony. Doors will open one hour before the ceremony begins.

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/commencement.

The Electric Guitar Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in the Music Recital Hall, Wright Music Building, on the SFA campus.

Directed by Larry Greer, the ensemble will present a program of jazz standards mixed with Christmas favorites. Admission is free. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.