Everything Nac

The SFA Friends of the Visual Arts announces the return of the fabled Art Prom on Saturday March 21. The Art Prom, last held in 2004, was an annual tradition for area artists and art lovers for more than 20 years.

“The Art Prom event was created by the SFA art students and local artists who felt like their high school proms were never as interesting or creative as they could be,” recalled Gary Parker, retired lecturer with the SFA School of Art. With themes like “Come as Your Alter Ego,” the “Mirror Ball” and the “Hair Ball,” attendees wore their most clever, complex and sometimes over-the-top costumes to fit the theme.

By popular demand, Art Prom is coming back as a fundraiser for The Friends of the Visual Arts, an SFA external affiliate that promotes the visual arts in the local community and East Texas region, especially by supporting the art faculty and art students of SFA.

“The FVA hosted the event from 1998 to 2004. For years, past attendees have asked that we bring this this fabled event back because it was such a fun and quirky night,” said Crystal Hicks, FVA president.

This year’s theme, the “Odd Ball,” will give prom-goers the latitude they need to wear their oddest formal attire and dance the night away to tunes spanning the late 1960s to today, according to Hicks. Nacogdoches’ own Pat Casey will DJ the event, complete with a light show and disco ball.

The Odd Ball Art Prom is scheduled for 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. March 21 at the Rebellion Barn at Millard’s Crossing Historic Village, 6020 North St. Tickets for the fun and frivolity are $50 per person and include heavy hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar and photo booth will be available. Attendees must be age 21 or older. Proceeds from the event will be used to support the SFA School of Art through scholarships.To purchase tickets, call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS, or visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu. Deadline for purchasing tickets online is March 19. Tickets will be available at the SFA Fine Arts Box Office until March 20. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

Dr. David Creech, Stephen F. Austin State University professor emeritus of agriculture and director of SFA Gardens, will discuss plant propagation techniques during a budding and grafting workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 29 at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, located at 2900 Raguet St.

“Budding and grafting is an ancient practice that is part science, part art and always fun,” Creech said. “We bud and graft when cuttings won’t root or when they root or grow off too slowly. We also bud and graft to take advantage of a superior rootstock — one that dwarfs the top, provides disease or insect resistance, or allows a plant to grow in a soil that is generally not suitable.”

Participants will practice on a variety of plants and will take home their own grafted Japanese maple tree. Attendees should bring a small, sharp pocketknife. All additional needed materials will be provided.

The cost is $30 for SFA Gardens members and $40 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Register by calling (936) 468-4129 after 1 p.m., or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

The more than 30 Nacogdoches County eighth graders in the Leaders of Tomorrow program, or LOT Crew, will participate in robotics and stomp rocket activities to explore principles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics while visiting the Cole STEM Building at Stephen F. Austin State University on March 3.

The LOT Crew program began nearly 20 years ago as a leadership development collaboration among SFA, the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Nacogdoches and the nine Nacogdoches County independent school districts. Since then, the program has provided immersive, community-based experiences for hundreds of local students.

Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education and chair of the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce education committee, said the program’s concept is to develop leadership skills and introduce youth to what it means to be an engaged citizen of the community.

“We make selections of the experiences on a monthly basis to introduce the students to different aspects of the city and show them areas where citizens might have influence in serving on boards or through leadership to help the community,” Abbott said.

The LOT Crew has already explored city and county government, manufacturing and large industry, health and medical services, Nacogdoches tourism and hospitality, and community theatre during its field trips this school year. In April, the LOT Crew will visit local public safety organizations and volunteer for a day of service at Brooks-Quinn-Jones Elementary School in Nacogdoches.

SFA students who are members of the university’s leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa, serve as mentors for these eighth graders. LOT Crew members and ODK leaders begin their work in early September during a Saturday orientation retreat, continue their leadership development at monthly meetings and complete the program with a graduation ceremony in mid-May.

To learn more about LOT Crew, contact the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce at (936) 560-5533.

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will host an event celebrating Black History Month at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom.

“We renamed this event from MLK Celebration because we want to recognize all black history figures – past, present and future,” said Veronica Beavers, director of OMA.

Dr. Willie Trotty, professor emeritus in the Prairie View A&M University Whitlowe R. Green College of Education, will deliver the keynote speech. Trotty holds bachelor’s degrees in biology and political science and master’s degrees in biology and secondary education from SFA. He received his doctoral degree in educational administration and supervision from Purdue University.

A former vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at Prairie View A&M, Trotty has held various offices throughout his career. At the state and national levels, he served as a member of the board of directors for the Texas Society for Biomedical Research, former chair of the Steering Committee for the Science and Engineering Alliance, and councilor and trustee for the Texas A&M Research Foundation. He also served terms as president of both the Association of Texas Graduate Schools and the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools.

In addition to the keynote speech, attendees will enjoy dinner and various SFA student performances. Dress is business casual.

Tickets are $10 for faculty, staff and community members. Student tickets are $3 or a canned good, which can be dropped off in the OMA office, located in the student center, Room 3.101. Tickets can be purchased until Feb. 17.

For more information, email oma@sfasu.edu or call (936)468-1073.

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