Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University students received monetary awards and scholarships — many donated by Nacogdoches-area financial institutions — during an April 19 ceremony.

Award and scholarship recipients were chosen by faculty members from the SFA Rusche College of Business’ Department of Economics and Finance.

“Students were selected based on their academic achievement in their coursework, engagement in research projects, participation in conferences, and pursuit of their future career goals — whether employment, entrepreneurship or graduate study,” said Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of the department.

Nathan Hanzelka, finance senior from Eastland, received the Entrepreneurship Award, and Dan Nguyen, finance junior from Vietnam, received the Portfolio Management Award — both of which were sponsored by Buchanan Wealth Management.

Other achievement award recipients included Sergio Diaz-Montiel, finance senior from Lufkin, who received the Asset Liability Management Award sponsored by Citizens 1st Bank, and Tina Packard, finance and banking senior from Nacogdoches, who received the Financial Institutions Award sponsored by Cadence Bank.

The Economics Reading Group presented Alexander Ornelaz, sports business senior from McKinney, with the Economic Pursuits Award; Barret Williams, economics freshman from Wake Forest, North Carolina, with the Economic Interest Award; and Emily Herrell, social work senior from Arp, with the Economics Reading Group Officer Award. All three awards were sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation.

The High-Ranking Economics Major Award, sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation, went to Preston Sahs, Frisco senior. The High-Ranking Finance Junior and High-Ranking Finance Senior awards, both sponsored by Southside Bank, went to Robert Leslie of The Woodlands and Diaz-Montiel, respectively. Tom Nguyen, a junior from Vietnam, received the High-Ranking Banking Major Award from SFA’s Chadwick Family Banking Program.

Spencer Carmichael of Spring received the Outstanding Economics/Finance Graduate Award, and Ngoc Hoang, finance sophomore from Vietnam, and Salma Ben-Salah, economics exchange student from Tunisia, received the Undergraduate Scholar Award. All three awards were sponsored by the ECON 3339 Packet Fund.

The Dustin C. Harrison Memorial Scholarship was presented to Tristen Adams, finance senior from Lufkin. The scholarship benefits finance majors who display upstanding character and maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Harrison graduated summa cum laude from SFA in 2018 with a degree in finance and then worked as an analyst at Ayco Goldman Sachs in Dallas before his death in March 2021. Ronnie and Chloe Canaan-Chapman, both 2018 SFA graduates and friends of Harrison, established the scholarship.

For more information on these awards and SFA’s Department of Economics and Finance, visit sfasu.edu/ecofin.

Every faculty and staff member and student in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music who interacts with Francisco Morales Font remarks on how friendly he always is and what a positive attitude he always has. His positive personality is infectious among the campus music community, and people can’t help feeling happier when interacting with him, students and colleagues say.

And if you ask Morales — Paco to all who know him best — why and how he keeps such a positive, friendly attitude, he’s quick to reply: “My positivity is because SFA has given me the greatest opportunity of my life, and it’s here that I feel very happy and grateful.”

That attitude is among many reasons why Morales was named a 2023 recipient of the SFA President’s Achievement Award.

Morales is the School of Music’s piano technician, which means he keeps all acoustic, hybrid and digital pianos and harpsichords in top performance condition according to manufacturers’ specifications. That includes tuning, cleaning, lubricating, repairing and rebuilding the multitude of pianos on campus. But his expertise is not limited to pianos.

“I enjoy repairing anything that’s broken in the School of Music,” he said, “including helping students when they have problems with their instruments.”

Enthusiastic about anything and everything having to do with piano technology, Morales has a Bachelor of Arts in music education and was a music teacher in his homeland of Puerto Rico for 15 years. His mother was a pianist, and his father was an engineer. He believes their combined passions led him to his interest in and love of pianos and piano technology. He came to SFA in 2014 and is in his ninth year as the School of Music’s piano technician.

Colleagues who nominated Morales also commented on his willingness to “go above and beyond the call of duty” to ensure that campus pianos are in top order. “When Cole Concert Hall and the Music Recital Hall are busy during concert seasons, Mr. Morales either comes in early in the morning, like 6 a.m., or stays late at night, past 9 p.m., to make sure that the pianos are in tune and concert ready,” one wrote.

Another colleague said, “During the course of a regular semester, the SFA School of Music presents on average about 250 separate events that require the use of a piano. Many of these events are held in the evening and weekends, so his maintenance schedule has to work with the regular classes and rehearsals for each performance, and he does so with grace and pride in his work. His service impacts the entire student body in the school and its success. I cannot think of a more deserving individual for this award.”

At the beginning of each academic year, the School of Music hosts its annual convocation when all faculty and staff are introduced to the current and incoming music students. There, it’s Paco Morales who receives the loudest and longest reception, “demonstrating how much he is respected, loved and valued at SFA,” said another colleague.

Morales said Nacogdoches and the SFA campus remind him of the town where he earned his degree, and he feels very much at home in the School of Music.

“Our faculty are at the highest level as professors and performers, and they are extremely friendly,” he said. “Our students are dedicated to their studies and are friendly and respectful. I feel like I’m in paradise.”

For more information about the School of Music, visit sfasu.edu/music.

By Robbie Goodrich, director of arts information at Stephen F. Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin State University recently became a recognized member of Tree Campus Higher Education, and as a symbol of this distinction, students and faculty from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture presented an Arbor Day banner to the SFA Board of Regents during their meeting in April.

Tree Campus Higher Education is an Arbor Day Foundation program that recognizes colleges and universities for promoting healthy trees and engaging faculty, students and staff in conservation efforts. Since 2008, the program has strived to establish and support thriving community forests across the country.

As a newly recognized campus, SFA joins over 400 universities in the U.S. in planting thousands of trees each year. In 2022, SFA students, faculty, staff and administrators contributed 950 volunteer hours planting, mulching, pruning and evaluating tree care and health on campus.

To receive the recognition, SFA met five Tree Campus Higher Education standards, including forming an advisory committee, developing a care plan, allocating funds to the program, observing Arbor Day and completing a service-learning project.

Students and faculty applied a novel approach to meeting the standards by utilizing drones to hazard rate trees for mistletoe, crape myrtle bark scale and tree health.

“The use of drones is expanding in the tree care industry, and this use will continue to expand with better sensors, cameras and multispectral use,” said Dr. David Kulhavy, Laurence C. Walker Distinguished Professor of forestry.

In celebration of the Tree Campus Higher Education recognition, a drone video titled “The Colors of Fall Across Stephen F. Austin State University Campus” was also produced by Dr. Daniel Unger, Kenneth Nelson Distinguished Professor, and Victoria Williams, graduate research and teaching assistant, using a DJI Mavic 3 CINE drone.

“We are grateful to the Arbor Day Foundation for awarding SFA the Tree Campus Higher Education designation,” said Dr. Hans Williams, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture dean. “Their recognition is a testimony to the 100-year commitment by the campus community and leadership to the outstanding learning and living environment at SFA.”

During the board meeting recognition, Kulhavy extended a special thanks to several departments and personnel that were influential in obtaining the recognition, including Williams; John Branch, Physical Plant Department director; and Chris Dempsey, SFA arborist.

By Amy Neal, external communications specialist for the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University

When the NCAA selected Houston as the location for its 2023 men’s basketball Final Four, a request for volunteers was sent across Texas in January. Several Stephen F. Austin State University hospitality administration and sports business students answered the call for the tournament held March 31 through April 3.

Responsibilities included checking in guests, assisting with event activations, scanning tickets and helping fans meet basketball players at the fan fest.

“People were being sought in all areas to assist in putting on an unforgettable experience in Houston,” said Dr. Robert McDermand, senior lecturer in the Nelson Rusche College of Business’ sports business program. “We knew SFA students would be a great fit.”

Students gained insight into managing one of the biggest sports events of the year, said Dr. Mary Olle, associate professor in the James I. Perkins College of Education’s hospitality administration program.

“I am so proud of our students who participated in this event,” she said. “What a great opportunity for them to experience and learn more about what it takes to organize and execute a national sporting event, including the coordination of thousands of volunteers.”

Kailey Leighty, a senior from Waco majoring in sports business, volunteered to help with logistics and operations.

“My role was to assist in fan fest activities and ensure that the event was running smoothly,” she said.

Leighty said her career goal is to work in sports industry events.

“An event like the Final Four is exactly like something I want to be a part of,” she said. “Plus, I got to see celebrity basketball players like Magic Johnson do meet-and-greets at the fan fest.”

Emma Grotemat, a first-year student from Lindale majoring in hospitality administration, ran the photo booth at the fan fest event.

“I have always had a love and passion for sports and events; however, growing up in school, I thought working in sports just meant being a coach,” she said. “But there are so many jobs out there that are sports-related, and that’s what I’m starting to dive in to.”

Grotemat said she likes the gametime atmosphere.

“I love seeing people all excited for the games and just getting to welcome them in. For some of them, the Final Four is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so I wanted to help make their experience the best one.”

Jake Walston, a senior from Cypress majoring in sports business and management, gave guests directions, kept people in designated areas and scanned tickets for entry at the Final Four. He also networked with sports business professionals and other college students who have similar interests and career goals.

“I met some awesome people already working in sports, and I was able to make some great connections,” Walston said. “My volunteering experience showed me the different opportunities out there in the sports world.”

For more information on SFA’s hospitality administration and sports business programs, visit sfasu.edu/hospitality and sfasu.edu/mgtmkt, respectively.

During a one-day special-called meeting, the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents selected Kirksey Architecture to create a new forestry, agriculture and interdisciplinary facility and promoted Piero Fenci, professor of art, to professor emeritus.

Regents awarded a contract for an initial amount not to exceed $5.6 million to architectural engineering firm Kirksey Architecture for designing SFA’s new forestry, agriculture and interdisciplinary facility at the Todd Agricultural Research Center. Kirksey Architecture built the Cole STEM Building and is overseeing renovations to the Griffith Fine Arts Building.

In 2021, the 87th Texas Legislature approved $45 million in capital construction assistance projects funding for SFA to build a new forestry and agriculture facility. As part of system affiliation, The University of Texas System offered another $35 million for a total of $80 million to build SFA’s new forestry, agriculture and interdisciplinary facility.

Also during the board meeting, Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA president, presented the recommendation promoting Fenci to professor emeritus.

“It would really be impossible to measure the impact that Piero has had on hundreds of students during his time here,” Westbrook said.

Fenci, who is a Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts Dean’s Circle Endowed Professor award recipient, has been with SFA since 1975 and has distinguished himself as both an artist and an educator. His ceramic vessels have been featured in Ceramics Monthly, American Ceramics, The Contemporary Potter, and Clay and Glazes for the Potter. In 2004, he founded the first university program in contemporary ceramic art in the history of northern Mexico at la Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua in Chihuahua City, and he continues to travel there to mentor the program.

Fenci has earned an international reputation as a ceramist, exhibiting his work from coast to coast and in Italy, Russia and Mexico. He was named “Texas Master” by the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, becoming the fourth person (and the first ceramist) in the state to be honored with the award.

“Thank you to the board and the university for making it possible for me to have a glorious career here in Nac,” said Fenci, who is scheduled to retire Aug. 31.

“I am not leaving, though,” he added. “I love this emeritus position because I can continue to mentor my students. I am here and will continue to be supportive of you all. Just give me a holler.”

Fenci lives and shares a studio with his sculptor wife, Elizabeth Akamatsu. His work is represented in private and public collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, Alfred, New York; and in the Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler. His latest exhibition, “Grand Voyage: The Art of Piero Fenci,” runs through September at Dallas’ Museum of Biblical Art.

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/regents.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents today accepted the May 31 retirement of President Steve Westbrook and named Gina Oglesbee, vice president for finance and administration, as interim president beginning June 1. Oglesbee will serve as interim president until a new president is named. She will not be a candidate for the permanent position.

“The SFA community has worked with Gina for almost 20 years,” said SFA Board of Regents Chair Karen Gantt. “She has a deep knowledge of the university’s business operations, finances, culture and traditions, and she is an ideal candidate to lead SFA in its transition to The University of Texas System. Officials from the UT System have also had an opportunity to work with Gina during the past several months and independently expressed their excitement about the possibility of her appointment as interim president.”

Oglesbee participated in the system affiliation evaluation process last fall and has been closely involved with the work surrounding the transfer of management and control of the university into the UT System. She currently serves as a member of the SFA/UT Transition Steering Committee and as a member of the Core Transition Support Team. She was the chief audit executive at SFA for 17 years (2005-2022) before being named as the vice president for finance and administration in April 2022. Oglesbee is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Administration from SFA.

“Stephen F. Austin State University’s transition into the UT System is proceeding exceedingly well, and we’re delighted that Ms. Oglesbee has agreed to take the leadership role at this critical time,” said UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife. “Everyone with whom we have worked, from Chair Gantt and the SFA board to President Westbrook and the entire SFA university community, has contributed tirelessly to make this transition a success.”

“As the transition work continues and we prepare for a new permanent president, we are delighted to have such a strong partner to oversee campus operational and partnership activities. I know from firsthand experience that Gina has provided exceptional leadership since the beginning of the negotiations and throughout the transition,” said UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken. “We are deeply grateful she has agreed to assume the interim presidency at this time.”

“I have worked with Gina during her entire tenure at SFA. Her knowledge of the university and the surrounding community uniquely qualifies her for this role,” SFA President Steve Westbrook said. “Her in-depth knowledge of the affiliation evaluation process and the transition work that has been underway over the past few months, as well as her established relationships with key UT System executives, will be highly beneficial as the university’s transition into the system proceeds over the coming months while the presidential search is underway.”

The search for the next president will be conducted by the UT Board of Regents following legislative approval for SFA’s affiliation with the system. That legislation unanimously passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature in April and awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature. A presidential search advisory committee will begin its work in the near future.

“It is an honor to serve as the interim president during this historic time with the transition to The University of Texas System and the centennial celebration,” Oglesbee said. “I appreciate the support and trust of the SFA Board of Regents and Chancellor Milliken. I am optimistic and excited for SFA’s future and look forward to continuing to work with our faculty and staff for the success of our students.”