Everything Nac

Lauren Selden, professor of art at Stephen F. Austin State University, was the featured artist for April at Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana.

Selden’s public sculpture titled “Charlie” is currently on display in Richmond. In an interview with Selden, she shares a look into her work, inspiration, creative process, problem solving and teaching philosophy in a YouTube video accessed at www.iue.edu/gallery.

“Your amazing energy, words and work will have a great impact on our students and community,” Nate Kuznia, IUE studio and gallery coordinator, wrote.

Selden also discussed the challenges of 2020 and how the pandemic’s restrictions affected her approach to making her own art, which was previously inspired significantly by travel. Current work is especially inspired by time spent with her daughter and her interactions with her students. “Artists are so good at adapting,” she said. “We kept rolling with the punches.”

Selden’s work may also be accessed at https://seldenart.com.

Online learning platform Study.com has ranked Stephen F. Austin State University among its 2021 Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Creative Writing.

Over 40 million visitors per month use Study.com to research potential schools, degrees and careers. The Best Bachelor’s Degrees list helps users learn about universities and top programs like those offered at SFA.

Study.com compiled the list by considering hundreds of universities across the country and selected SFA based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, and more.

SFA’s creative writing program, housed in the Department of English and Creative Writing, is the only creative writing program in Texas and one of just a handful in the nation to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

“We create a positive environment where students have an opportunity to write in a variety of genres,” said Dr. John McDermott, program coordinator and professor of creative writing at SFA. “We strive to work individually with students, especially during the two semesters of their senior thesis. We have a small, vibrant literary community where the students and professors get to know each other.”

Students within the program take courses in poetry, fiction and nonfiction before completing their thesis during their senior year. Additionally, students complete a literature minor to help ensure they have achieved a well-rounded library of knowledge.

SFA offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing, and both an undergraduate and graduate minor in creative writing.

For more information on the program, visit sfasu.edu/English.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Following more than a year hiatus in competing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stephen F. Austin State University timbersports team, the Sylvans, made a triumphant return during the Louisiana Forest Festival, winning the collegiate portion of the event’s timbersports competition.

“Our team did a great job representing SFA and our programs,” said Dr. Jeremy Stovall, professor of forestry and Sylvans faculty advisor.

The team took first-place in the Jack and Jill crosscut, ax throwing, log chopping and single buck crosscutting events. The team earned second place in men’s crosscut, women’s bowsawing and men’s bowsawing.

Established in 1979, the Louisiana Forest Festival takes place in Winnfield, Louisiana, and celebrates the timber industry’s contributions to the state.