Everything Nac

Tickets are still available for PerSeverance Productions’ touring production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus. This College of Fine Arts University Series holiday show is a musical spectacle for the entire family featuring 26 beloved yuletide songs. Ticket prices are $30 for adults, $24 for seniors and $12 for non-SFA students/youth. Tickets for SFA students are $3. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit finearts.sfasu.edu, stop by the Box Office in Room 211 of the Griffith Fine Arts Building, or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS. “A Christmas Carol” is sponsored in part by Nacogdoches Medical Center.

Stephen F. Austin State University will honor several prominent donors during the 31st annual SFA Gala Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

This year’s honorees include the late Marilyn Cranford, Linda and the late Roy Bush, and Mike and Jackie Harbordt.

“The selflessness of this year’s Gala honorees, both through generous contributions and years of service, has established a lasting impact on the lives of students and the campus community,” said Jill Still, SFA vice president for university advancement. “We are pleased to be able to recognize their generosity, as well as faculty members whose dedication to teaching and research continues to enrich our university.”

The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by Royal Dukes of Houston, a high-energy band playing music from pop, rock and jazz to rhythm and blues, funk, and Motown.

Tickets are $175 for orchestra seating and $125 for ballroom seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, call April Smith, associate director of development, at (936) 468-5406.

Marilyn Cranford

The late Marilyn Cranford is slated to be inducted into the Stephen F. Austin Society.

Cranford was born and raised in Sacul, Texas. She completed her high school education at the Stephen F. Austin State College Finishing School. She remained a steadfast friend of the university through the years, with her primary areas of support being the School of Art and the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

More than 30 years ago, Cranford established the Melba Cranford Memorial Art Scholarship in memory of her sister, who was an SFA alumnus of the class of 1940. In 1998, she endowed the Arkan E. and Bonnie G. Cranford Scholarship to support students in the fields of forestry and horticulture.

Throughout the years, she lent her generous support to academic research efforts at SFA, most notably toward the groundbreaking work conducted by the National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops.

Cranford spent most of her adult life in Dallas, Texas, where she was employed as an X-ray technician. She returned to Sacul in 1979, where she remained until 2008. The last 10 years of her life were spent in Jacksonville, Texas.

SFA proudly recognizes Cranford for her support of the university.

Roy and Linda Bush

Roy was born in 1931 in Amarillo, though he grew up in Childress, spending his childhood helping raise chickens, cows, turkeys and mules.

Roy was a star football player in high school and was affectionately known as “Hollywood” due to his taste for expensive clothing, nice cars and fine footwear, according to his obituary.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from SFA in 1957 and put to use the knowledge and skills he cultivated at the university while serving in the U.S. Navy and throughout his career.

In January 1965, Roy married Houston native Linda Stone before enjoying a 25-year career with Conoco, managing drilling operations in Louisiana and Italy, and eventually serving as vice president of Conoco Egypt.

Linda received her accounting degree from Louisiana State University and then began a career in the oil and gas industry. She later transitioned into the real estate field, working in New Orleans, Houston and Austin.

Roy and Linda Bush will be inducted into the Stephen F. Austin Society.

Following Roy’s death in 2018, Linda honored her late husband’s legacy by endowing the Roy E. and Linda Bush Fund, supporting the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

In April 2019, the SFA Board of Regents approved the university’s math building to be named the Roy E. and Linda Bush Mathematical Sciences Building in honor of the couple’s continual support of higher education and SFA.

The endowment’s distribution supports all areas within SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics.

Mike and Jackie Harbordt

The relationship Mike and Jackie Harbordt have with SFA has been one of immense service.

In fact, service is at the heart of most personal and professional endeavors the Harbordts have undertaken. They’ve been involved with the First United Methodist churches of Lufkin and Nacogdoches, the Diboll Jaycees, Rotary International, Deep East Texas Council of Government’s Health Services Committee and United Way.

The couple has supported a number of environmental nonprofits, which goes along with Mike’s educational and professional background engaging in environmental conservation and outreach. He graduated from SFA in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science then went on to receive a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University and ultimately a doctoral degree from Texas A&M University.

Mike worked with Texaco Inc. before joining Temple-Inland Inc. in 1971, where he was tasked with building an environmental department and company-wide environmental program. Mike worked with that company for more than 30 years.

Jackie and Mike are sustaining life members of the SFA Alumni Association; major supporters of the former SFA Varsity Club, now named the Purple Lights Fund; and have endowed several scholarships in support of areas across campus.

Endowments include the Mike and Jackie Harbordt Ladyjack Basketball Scholarship, Harbordt-Ward STEM Scholarship, Harbordt-Shumard STEM Scholarship, Katherine Harbordt Studer Scholarship in Criminal Justice, and the Julie Harbordt Whipple Scholarship in Elementary Education.

Since 2002, Mike has served in various positions on the SFA Alumni Association board, including president. He also has served on the SFASU Foundation board and SFA’s former Alumni Foundation as chair.

In 1994, Mike was named a Distinguished Alumnus and, just this year, he was named SFA Alumni Association director emeritus.

Jackie co-chaired SFA’s Hoops for Scholars Campaign for several years, raising approximately $100,000 for the program.

The Harbordts will be inducted into the Fredonia Society.

A newly bestowed grant from the Corporation of National and Community Service will help Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs expand outreach initiatives for its upcoming 2020 MLK Day of Service.

The CNCS is a federal agency charged with leading service and volunteering efforts across the U.S. It was tasked with serving as lead national organizer for the federally sanctioned day of service, which first began in 1983.

Last year, more than 500 SFA students participated in the national day of remembrance and service, according to Veronica Beavers, OMA director. Organizers are hopeful both that number and the amount of submitted service projects will grow with the new funding.

“What we hope to see is people enjoying coming together, giving back to the community and celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Suzie Esquivel, OMA graduate assistant and event coordinator.

Nacogdoches community members are invited to submit applications for service project assistance. Projects can vary widely but in the past have included painting, cleaning and yardwork.

The OMA also is inviting SFA faculty and staff, as well as community members, to serve as site mentors, who assist with project completion while providing advice on leadership.

Service project and site mentor applications can be found online at sfasu.edu/oma by clicking the “MLK Day of Service” tab. The deadline to submit service projects is Jan. 5.

This year, the OMA is partnering with several local agencies, including Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful and the Solid Foundation Association, an alternative educational experience for at-risk students that specializes in individualized assistance. These partner agencies provide not only a slate of potential service projects but also on-the-ground volunteers and site mentors.

The 2020 MLK Day of Service is scheduled for Jan. 20. Check-in will be at 8:30 a.m. in the Baker Pattillo Student Center with keynote speakers beginning at 9 a.m. Members of SFA’s African Alumni Chapter, including Bob Williams, Gilson Westbrook and Willie Trotty, will serve as guest speakers.

It is recommended that volunteers wear clothes they don’t mind getting dirty and closed-toe shoes.

Volunteers can register online at sfasu.edu/oma or the morning of the event. Organizers strongly recommend students and community members preregister.

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/oma, or email oma@sfasu.edu.

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

Students from Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Mass Communication, School of Art, and Department of Management and Marketing recently took part in a competition for the American Advertising Federation in Houston.

Approximately 40 students from SFA took part in the competition, joining groups from the University of Texas, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston and others to form 10 teams.

The client for the competition was 76, a gas station chain with locations across the U.S. Teams were tasked with creating a complete advertising campaign for the client within two days, which they then presented to a panel of three judges. Winners received a crystal trophy and were encouraged to apply for AAF-Houston Education Foundation scholarships, with the added opportunity to continue on to compete in the National Student Advertising Competition in spring 2020.

SFA was well represented in the competition, as the top three teams all contained SFA students, and the winning group included five students from SFA, including Nia Brooks, mass communication junior from Atlanta, Georgia; Misty Boggs and Connor Payne, mass communication seniors from Diboll and Frisco, respectively; Sarah Bone, art junior from Richmond; and Kennedy Jones, marketing major from Houston all received awards during the competition.

Catherine Huh, assistant professor of mass communication; Peter Andrews, professor of art, and Dr. Marlene Kahla, professor of marketing; worked together to guide and support the students in the competition.

In addition to presenting their campaigns to the judges and hearing feedback on their work, the students also were given the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming NSAC competition and hear from a panel of young, successful professionals involved with the AAF in Houston.

By Kevin Meyer, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.