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Gina Oglesbee, Stephen F. Austin State University interim president, has named Loree McCary interim director of athletics effective March 11, the university announced Monday.

“Loree’s extensive experience and proven leadership within SFA Athletics ideally position her to lead during this vital transition,” Oglesbee said in an email to campus Monday. “We eagerly anticipate Loree’s interim leadership, focusing on continuing our legacy of excellence and community spirit within our athletic programs.”

McCary steps in for Ryan Ivey, who announced Feb. 23 that he was named vice president and director of athletics at Louisiana Tech University. His last day with SFA will be March 10.

“I’d like to thank Gina and the university for their confidence in me leading the Lumberjacks athletic department in this time of transition,” McCary said. “Taking over for Ryan is no small task, and it will definitely be a team effort with all the athletic department staff and coaches. I’m humbled to be given this opportunity. This athletic trainer never really imagined that this would be possible.”

McCary has served as SFA’s senior associate athletics director for administration and senior woman administrator since 2007. Her tenure at SFA began in 1990, when she arrived as an athletics trainer for all women’s sports, but specifically women’s basketball, and has seen increased responsibilities over the years, culminating in her current role. Her 34 years at SFA make her the second-longest tenured employee in SFA’s Department of Athletics.

Previously, McCary served as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida, where she was the athletic trainer for volleyball. The Girard, Kansas, native is a 1988 graduate of Kansas State University, where she served three years as an athletic training student. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Florida in 1990. She is married to Vance McCary, and the couple have two rescued golden retrievers, Berni and Silas.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

The annual Lifelong Learning Conference, hosted through Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Education Studies, is accepting proposals through March 17 and will be held June 28 in SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center.

This collaborative platform encourages educators to share innovative teaching practices and emerging research in a variety of presentation styles emphasizing this year’s theme of “Inspire! Create! Collaborate!”

“The conference will be a collaborative platform for local educators and SFA alumni to immerse themselves in an engaging learning community that shares innovative teaching practices and emerging research,” said Alyssa Landreneaux, conference committee chair and assessment coordinator in the Department of Education Studies. “This conference seeks to inspire and empower educators and communities to embrace lifelong learning as an integral part of their professional journey and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

The three broad topics of “Inspire! Create! Collaborate!” allow for creativity in style and content. Conference organizers welcome submissions from a variety of viewpoints, including those of educators, practitioners and educational leaders.

“Our goal is to foster an interactive community that showcases innovative approaches, best practices and research discoveries in education with an emphasis on successful teaching techniques tailored to diverse learners,” said Carrie Wright, conference committee member and Project Raíces director, a grant-funded bilingual education program administered by James I. Perkins College of Education faculty members.

SFA faculty members are encouraged to submit proposals in addition to area educators and SFA alumni. Conference organizers hope the event will offer innovative and engaging sessions that address concerns teachers have across their experience and content areas, specifically calling for presentations related to the Texas Education Agency’s continuing professional education.

The Lifelong Learning Conference is a reimagining of an SFA conference in 2012 named the Lifelong Learner Conference, which was developed by faculty and staff from SFA’s former Department of Elementary Education. Today, the Department of Education Studies houses degree programs to prepare teachers across grades pre-K through 12, as well as all-level special education and deaf and hard of hearing specializations.

“Education is a dynamic field, and staying abreast of relevant research and open to innovation is critical,” said Dr. Nicole Letchworth, conference committee member and assistant professor in the Department of Education Studies. “In today’s classrooms, effective teaching involves more than just delivering information from a textbook to a classroom of students — it requires that teachers are constantly seeking to improve. New teaching methodologies, technological advancements and evolving student needs demand a willingness for all educators to adapt. This conference aims to allow educators to learn about the latest trends, tools and strategies that can transform their classrooms into vibrant learning hubs.”

For more information on the conference, including proposal submission details, visit gosfa.com/lifelong-learning-conference.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By Parastoo Nikravesh, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University