Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

Dr. Allen Owings, professor emeritus of horticulture at the Louisiana State University AgCenter, will present “Common Landscape Shrubs: Varieties and Keys to Success.”

Owings has provided statewide extension service programming for nursery growers, landscapers and garden centers. He earned the title of professor emeritus following retirement after 26 years of service. Currently, he works as a senior horticulturalist at Bracy’s Nursery in Amite, Louisiana, and horticulturalist at Clegg’s Nursery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In those roles, Owings assists in education, outreach, social media and new plant production.

Owings earned a bachelor’s degree in plant science from Southeastern Louisiana University and a master’s degree in horticulture from LSU. He later earned a doctoral degree in horticulture from Mississippi State University. He has earned the Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards from the Louisiana and national agricultural county agents associations. He also has been recognized for contributions to the multi-state efforts of the Texas A&M University Earth-Kind Landscaping program.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the lecture series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC, 2900 Raguet St., or Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St.

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 36 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.

For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

By University Marketing Communications

The Swingin’ Axes and Swingin’ Aces jazz bands at Stephen F. Austin State University will present their fall “Jazz at the Brewery” fundraiser from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, at Fredonia Brewery in downtown Nacogdoches.

The concert continues the jazz bands’ tradition of taking our performance out into the community, according to Dr. JD Salas, director of the Swingin’ Axes jazz ensemble.

“The Fredonia Brewery has been a great partner to live music in the area, and each year our concerts there get better,” Salas said. “We’re excited about our first concert back in Turner Auditorium in November, but there’s something special about our shows downtown.

“This show will highlight several different jazz, rock and funk styles,” Salas added. “The earlier large ensemble sets will lean toward the traditional swing of big band music, then transition to rock, blues and funk for the later sets.”

The concert features special performances by The Jazz Doctors, an SFA music faculty jazz combo, and The Jazz Jacks, an SFA music student combo. The Jazz Doctors includes Deb Scott, trombone ; Jake Walburn, trumpet; Benjamin Morris, piano ; Larry Greer, guitar; and Salas, bass. Joining them is guest artist Mark Saldaña, drums.

Saldaña grew up in the “Golden Triangle” of Southeast Texas under the tutelage of the late Dr. Wayne Dyess at Nederland High School. While attending Lamar University, Saldaña performed with acclaimed artists Jack Sheldon, Helen O’Connell, James Moody, Bill Watrous and Joe Williams, among others.

Saldaña studied medicine at Lamar and graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1990 with a degree in physician assistant studies. He worked in and around Texas until he and his family settled in Lufkin where he continued to perform. Over the years, he diversified his drumming technique to include performing with a variety of rock, country, blues, pop, dance and R&B acts, including the Bellamy Brothers, Payton Sweat and Johnny Rodriguez. Saldaña performs regularly with the Riff Runners Big Band, formerly known as the Angelina Community Jazz Band, local Christian groups and dance bands.

The Jazz Jacks includes Jacob Soto of Houston, tenor saxophone; Giovanni Flores of San Juan, alto saxophone; Micah York of Texarkana, piano; Andrew Kingston of Mission, bass; and Isaac May of Lindale, drums.

Shali’s Indian Kitchen on Wheels will be on site, and the brewery’s Rebellion Pizza will be open. SFA Jazz T-shirts and other merchandise will be available for purchase.

Donations and proceeds from this event will go toward supporting the SFA jazz ensembles by funding guest artists and providing student scholarships. The Fredonia Brewery has created an easy way to donate as patrons are completing their purchases at the register.

“Jazz ensemble is not a required ensemble for the music education degree at SFA,” Salas said, “so each ensemble member shows true dedication to the jazz arts, and any donation will go toward their support.”

For more information about supporting the SFA jazz ensembles, contact Salas at salasjd@sfasu.edu.

The Fredonia Brewery is located at 138 N. Mound St. For additional information, call the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602 or the brewery at (936) 305-5125.

Being a theatre and/or dance student is not just about performances; it’s also about the bonds formed backstage and in the wings. For college theatre and dance students, the years spent honing their craft and creating memorable productions are often filled with intense collaboration, late-night rehearsals and enduring friendships.

As the years pass, these alumni find themselves scattered across the country, pursuing diverse careers on and off the stage. But the love for the craft never truly fades. College performing arts reunions offer a unique opportunity for former students to come back to their alma mater, reunite with old friends, embrace new technology, and pass on their wisdom to the next generation of performers.

The School of Theatre and Dance at Stephen F. Austin State University will host a series of reunions throughout SFA’s centennial year that invites graduates from certain decades to attend weekend celebrations for certain plays and dance concerts. The upcoming presentation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Piano Lesson” is the first Mainstage production of the 2023-24 season and will host a gathering of theatre students who graduated from SFA in the 1960s and ’70s. The show runs Sept. 28 through Oct. 1 in the new Flex Theatre.

Because of her own participation in similar events, CC Conn, professor of lighting and sound design, knows the value of reunions as a means of re-igniting school spirit and department support. As she began to think of creative ways to make reunions happen regularly during the coming season, she realized having a newly renovated Griffith Fine Arts Building and Turner Auditorium to show theatre and dance alumni was an added enticement.

“It began to occur to me that the older alumni were really going to miss a lot of the things that were part of their history here, and I knew it would be important to re-connect them with the current space and faculty to keep their support,” Conn said. “I thought it would be a good idea to have ‘decades’ represented throughout the year so people might come to a date that would have more of their own contemporaries in attendance.”

Cleo House Jr., director of the School of Theatre and Dance, said he was immediately onboard when he heard Conn’s idea.

“I hope that our alumni can see how much they are valued, and that we are still here for them, even if the environment changed,” House said. “I am enthusiastic about this opportunity for us all to strengthen relationships with each other.”

Dance faculty members have a strong bond with their alumni and have wanted to create a reunion for years, according to Heather Samuelson, associate director of the school and associate professor of dance.

“With the increased publicity and knowledge of the new Griffith Fine Arts Building, alumni have steadily reached out to us inquiring about tours and events,” Samuelson said. “We felt that the opening of the building would be a great jumping off point to encourage a reunion and gather all of the alumni to share in the facility.”

An exciting aspect of reunions is the chance for alumni to see their beloved performance spaces transformed by modern technology and innovation. State-of-the-art lighting, sound systems and projection equipment allow former students to experience a whole new level of creative possibilities, igniting the passion they once felt as young actors, technicians and dancers.

The run of “Once Upon a Mattress” Nov. 2 through 5 will be a theatre alumni reunion of the 2010s decade; Danceworks Concerts Nov. 9 through 11 and April 11 through 13, along with the Repertory Dance Concert Feb. 15 through 17, will host reunions of all dance decades; “The 39 Steps” Feb. 29 through March 3 will host theatre alumni of the 2000s decade; and “Real Women Have Curves,” running two weekends, April 18 through 21 and April 25 through 28, will host a reunion of theatre alumni from the 1980s and ’90s.

Receptions will follow all Friday night performances, and brunches are scheduled prior to all Saturday afternoon matinees. Campus and building tours will be offered.

“The purpose and goal of hosting a reunion is to unite artists in all areas of fine arts – past and present,” Samuelson said, “and to join together in celebrating a modernized facility and the continued work of current and future artists.”

“We want to bring alumni back to campus to share their experiences and backgrounds, which serves as recruitment and visibility for the university and School of Theatre and Dance.” she added. “Alumni want to see the programs from which they came grow, and they will support that growth through donations, concert and event attendance and recruitment efforts.”

Organizers believe these reunions will be a testament to the enduring power of the performing arts and the bonds formed during transformative years. As alumni return to their alma maters, they rediscover the magic of the stage, reconnect with old friends, and embrace the technological advancements that have reshaped the performance landscape. But perhaps most importantly, they pass on their passion and knowledge to the next generation of students, ensuring that the love for theatre and dance continues to thrive for decades to come.

For information about the reunions, contact the School of Theatre and Dance office at (936) 468-4003.

In addition to its 100th anniversary and affiliation with The University of Texas System this year, Stephen F. Austin State University is celebrating the release of fall 2023 enrollment data that shows the university registered its largest first-time undergraduate class in five years.

According to a census report taken Sept. 12, the fall 2023 first-time undergraduate class totals nearly 2,000 students and marks an increase of 4% from 2018 data. It’s the second year in a row SFA has witnessed its largest first-time undergraduate class since pre-COVID-19 years.

“SFA has much to celebrate this year, and seeing a return of first-time undergraduate students seeking out their bright futures in the pines is among them,” said SFA Interim President Gina Oglesbee. “University administrators continue to plan new and unique initiatives to help boost enrollment, and we’re excited for the assistance that affiliation with the UT System will provide in that respect.”

The university’s total fall headcount, which includes all undergraduate and graduate classifications, dropped slightly to 10,888 — a 4% overall decrease compared to fall 2022. However, the increase in first-time undergraduate students indicates a return to the classroom for one of the university’s primary student groups and a slowing of the enrollment fallout caused by COVID-19.

Membership in the UT System became official Sept. 1, and administrators are hopeful that the many benefits of that affiliation will serve to point enrollment trends in a positive direction. These include a large financial aid boost to SFA’s Purple Promise program through a $1 million endowment from the UT System. The additional funds will help SFA offer 100% tuition coverage to more than 1,200 students.

Additionally, affiliation with the UT System has given Lumberjacks access to Coursera, a major microcredential provider, which allows students to complete buildable credits toward niche certifications. Part of the Texas Credentials for the Future initiative, the UT System’s Coursera partnership is intended to complement traditional degree offerings and graduate students prepared to fill industry skill gaps.

Fall 2023 totals also show that SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics witnessed an increase in total headcount primarily due to having the largest overall undergraduate headcount increase with 163 more majors, or a 10% uptick. Also contributing were the significant growth in nursing and the new electrical and mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree programs.

New outreach efforts leveraging marketing initiatives as well as partnerships with high schools and community colleges resulted in more new Lumberjacks for the college this fall. Additional students are expected to engage in SFA nursing and engineering programs as these disciplines represent some of the most progressive and high-demand employment opportunities in the state.

For graduate headcount, three colleges reported slight increases or stable numbers, though graduate enrollment was down 7% overall. Despite this, master’s- and doctoral-level students in the James I. Perkins College of Education maintain the strongest major group reported, comprising nearly one-half of SFA’s total graduate population.

Other positive enrollment trends include a more than 3% increase in Hispanic student enrollment, as well as a consistent year-over-year increase of international student totals. With 139 students for fall 2023, international enrollment is the highest it’s been since 2010.

SFA administrators continue to discuss short- and long-term initiatives that would boost enrollment, including the development of a strategic enrollment plan to identify areas for enrollment growth and implement strategies. SFA will also begin piloting a direct admission program whereby potential best fit students are identified and offered conditional admission.

More in-depth institutional data, including figures from past years, can be found on the Office of Strategic Analytics and Institutional Research website at sfasu.edu/sair.

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 36 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 Christine Broussard, assistant director for strategic communications at Stephen F. Austin State University