Everything Nac

The Nacogdoches and campus communities are invited to experience firsthand what it’s like to live in poverty during the Stephen F. Austin State University Office of Multicultural Affairs’ third annual Poverty Simulation.

“The Poverty Simulation is designed to help participants begin to comprehend what it might be like to live in poverty and survive from week to week,” said Veronica Beavers, OMA director. “Participants will be divided into ‘families’ who will then experience together some of the daily challenges a family in poverty may endure over a simulated one-month experience. This event will take two to three hours.”

Past participants have called the event an “awesome, eye-opening experience,” one that allowed individuals to understand “real-world situations and the things people go through” living in poverty, Beavers said.

“The main impact of this event is awareness,” she added. “Poverty is a global issue and, in particular, is a major issue in the Nacogdoches community. This event will educate participants on poverty and challenge them to gain new perspectives.”

New to this year’s event is the addition of a second session for SFA nursing students only. The first session will be open the public. Campus and Nacogdoches community members are invited to serve as volunteers at both sessions.

Hosted in partnership with the East Texas Human Needs Network, the third annual Poverty Simulation will take place Feb. 14 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom on the SFA campus. It is free to attend.

The public session will run from 9 a.m. to noon. The nursing-only session will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.

Participation for both sessions is limited, so individuals interested in attending are asked to pre-register by Feb. 7.

To sign up as a participant or volunteer, or for more information, visit sfasu.edu/oma.

By Christine Broussard, marketing communications coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Fashion designer, CEO and philanthropist Kendra Scott will headline the 2020 installment of the Archie McDonald Speaker Series in April at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Scott, who started her Austin-based jewelry company in 2002 with only $500, leads her business on the foundation of three core values — family, fashion and philanthropy. Her company now employs more than 2,000 and boasts a thriving web business and more than 100 Kendra Scott standalone stores. Scott’s merchandise also is sold at retailers that include Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. In addition to fashion and fine jewelry, her brand also encompasses home accessories and nail lacquer.

A loving mother, driven entrepreneur and passionate designer, Scott’s vibrant personality and commitment to innovation, quality and detail brought her from a small startup to a billion-dollar business and brand with millions of loyal fans, including celebrities. Known for her use of dynamic color and genuine materials, Scott believes the truest form of success is giving back in a meaningful way.

She has created a brand and culture that authentically values giving back and making a positive difference in the community. The Kendra Scott company maintains a focus on its customers and the causes close to their hearts.

In 2015, Scott launched the Kendra Cares Program, which allows community members to host in-store events for causes and organizations that work to improve health and wellness, education, entrepreneurship and empowerment. In 2018 alone, the company gave more than $5 million in monetary donations, almost $10 million in in-kind donations and more than 2,000 volunteer hours to philanthropic organizations, and partnered with more than 8,000 philanthropic organizations nationwide.

The speaker series event is free and scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom on the SFA campus. A private reception for 100 guests will be held prior to the main event. Private reception tickets can be purchased by contacting Sarah Sargent, SFA development assistant, at (936) 468-5406.

“Kendra Scott sets an example for our students on how someone can be super successful in business and also super passionate about making a difference in the world,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA vice president for university affairs. “The recently announced Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute is a prime example of how she is sharing her passion for business leadership with others, especially aspiring female leaders. We are thrilled she will be on our campus soon so our students can hear about her work firsthand.”​

In 2017, Scott was presented with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She also has received the Breakthrough Award from the Accessories Council Excellence Awards, was named Outstanding Mother of the Year by the Mother’s Day Council, awarded Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, listed by Forbes as one of America’s richest self-made women, named among the Top 100 Entrepreneurs of the Year by Upstart Business Journal and recognized as Best CEO by Austin Business Journal. She is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and maintains her position as chairman of the board of Kendra Scott.

The Archie McDonald Speaker Series was created in 2010 by SFA’s College of Liberal and Applied Arts. Dr. Brian Murphy, dean of the college, designed the event to honor and preserve the legacy of Dr. Archie McDonald as a distinguished scholar, educator and community commentator. In the tradition of McDonald’s writings and oral presentations, a prominent national figure is hosted annually at SFA to discuss contemporary cultural issues.

McDonald taught history at SFA for 48 years and served as director of the East Texas Historical Association and editor of the association’s journal for 37 years. He was a past president of the Texas State Historical Association, past vice chair of the Texas Historical Commission and author/editor of more than 20 books on historical topics. Along with teaching, he was a commentator on Red River Radio in Shreveport and wrote a weekly column for area newspapers. He passed away Aug. 16, 2012.

McDonald participated in the first three events in the speaker series, interviewing former heavyweight champion boxer and iconic businessman George Foreman, Apollo 12 astronaut and professional artist Alan Bean, and the 61st U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Additional guests have included former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Grammy award-winning singer, composer and actor Lyle Lovett, Olympic All-Around Gold Medal winner in gymnastics Mary Lou Retton, legendary head football coach Gene Stallings, noted presidential historian Douglas Brinkley and physician and TV personality Dr. Jennifer Arnold.

SFA’s Student Government Association sponsors the speaker series, which is open to the public. Starting March 2020, passes may be obtained at the Involvement Center on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus or at the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, located at 200 East Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-5406.

The Children’s Performing Arts Series at Stephen F. Austin State University will present two performances of TheaterworksUSA’s “We the People” on Friday, Jan. 31, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

With the U.S. presidential campaign in full swing, it’s the perfect time to make learning about democracy fun and accessible, inspiring students to get involved and make a difference. Through rock, R&B and hip-hop, this musical revue covers the three branches of government, the First Amendment and more.

“This show brings American civics lessons to life with a musical revue that makes social studies exciting,” said Diane Peterson, SFA Fine Arts Box Office manager and director of the children’s series.

“We The People” features a book by Joe Iconis and songs by Brad Alexander and Kevin Del Aguila; Eli Bolin and Sam Forman; Joe Iconis; Tommy Newman; Ryan Scott Oliver; Adam Overett; Erik Weiner, Mark Weiner and Jordan Allen-Dutton. Based on a concept by Alex Timbers, the show was originally directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Michele Lynch. Orchestrations are by Greg Pliska; set design is by Adam Koch; and costume design is by Lora LaVon. The show targets children in third through eighth grade.

Performances are at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in Turner Auditorium, located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. Tickets are $7.50 for individuals and $6 per person for groups of 20 or more.

Presented by the SFA College of Fine Arts, the Children’s Performing Arts Series annually features five shows designed to entertain, educate and engage young audiences of all ages, according to Peterson. Study guides provide suggestions for pre- and post-performance activities and discussions for teachers to use in the classroom. A comprehensive study guide for “We the People” may be accessed at cpas.sfasu.edu.

Other upcoming CPAS performances this season include Super Scientific Circus on Friday, Feb. 28; and “Cinderella” on Tuesday, April 28. To order tickets, call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS. Visit the CPAS website at cpas.sfasu.edu for additional information.

The Wind Symphony and the Symphonic Band at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a program of music with themes of celebration and praise when the student ensembles perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

Directed by Dr. Tamey Anglley, associate director of bands at SFA, the Wind Symphony will perform “Give Us This Day,” which is a short symphony for wind ensemble by American composer David Maslanka.

“Though the title is from the Lord’s Prayer, it features the choral melody ‘Vater Unser im Himmelreich’ (Our Feather in Heaven) No. 110 from J.S. Bach,” Anglley said.

The Symphonic Band, directed by Christopher Kaatz, assistant director of bands, will perform works by different generations of American composers, including the march “Americans We” by Henry Fillmore; Chorale and Alleluia by Howard Hanson; and “Masque” by Francis McBeth.

“‘Americans We’ and ‘Masque’ are both about celebrations, while Chorale and Alleluia and ‘Give Us This Day’ (which the Wind Symphony will perform) both have connections to religious praise,” Kaatz explains.

“Each composer on the concert represents a different generation of American composers,” he adds, “Fillmore being the earliest and Maslanka the most recent. The concept of the concert is that it is sort of a journey of American composition from the early 1900s to the early 2000s, with each piece written more recently than the one that precedes it.”

Concert tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

The second volume of the exhibition “Picturing Books: Illustrations in Print from the 15th to the 20th Centuries” opens Jan. 21 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches. A reception for Volume II is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in The Cole Art Center.

Curated by Dr. John Handley, director of SFA’s art galleries, and Dr. David A. Lewis, professor of art history, the exhibition, presented in two volumes, offers a series of “chapters” that explore the evolution of the printed illustration, beginning with the Incunabulum (meaning the first 50 years of the printed book), including the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 and continuing up to the 20th century. Volume I was exhibited Oct. 31 through Jan. 5; Volume II will show through March 29.

This extensive and unique exhibition highlights a major art form that is often overlooked, according to Handley.

“Book illustration historically has consisted of original prints in such media as woodcut, wood engraving, etching, copperplate engravings, and later, lithography and process printing using photo mechanical techniques,” Handley said. “As such, this show links the graphic arts with fine arts, since books are not only illustrated but connect those images to text.”

Because the exhibition contains books and other printed items that are hundreds of years old, the materials will be displayed under protective glass. Viewers will be able to “see” additional pages in the books by scanning codes on mobile devices, including phones.

Art exhibitions and receptions are sponsored by the Friends of the Visual Arts, Nacogdoches Junior Forum, William Arscott and The Flower Shop. Admission is free.

For more information, call (936) 468-1131.