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Lumberjacks Make Great

Become Great at SFA

Have a dream career or a major in mind? Still undecided? With more than 120 areas of interest at SFA,
you can find your path to becoming great.

VISIT ACADEMICS

Fast Facts

#1 Regional Texas
Public School

in the U.S. News &
World Report
Best Colleges
rankings.
July 2025

$2.73 million
portfolio

managed by
Mast Student
Investment
Roundtable
Lumberjacks

September 2025

Approximately
200,000 sq. ft. of
new construction

upgraded dining and
academic facilities
over the next two years
May 2025

Study Abroad
with scholarships

10 faculty-led programs
13 destinations
162 students
July 2025

Explore your passions, meet our faculty

Select an area of interest and discover how we inspire success – one Lumberjack at a time.

SFA Traditions

The Axe Handle

SFA freshmen receive an axe handle to personalize with their own Lumberjack spirit. Students can be seen (and heard) banging axe handles on the bleachers at SFA football games.

 

Ole Cotton

Ole Cotton is an imposing 75mm cannon that fires a celebratory shot every time the SFA Lumberjack football team scores. The SFA ROTC cadets man Ole Cotton just beyond the south end zone at Homer Bryce Stadium. The powerful blast can be heard – and often felt – all over town.

 

The Homecoming Bonfire

SFA's traditional bonfire and pep rally are the centerpieces of homecoming. Usually held in October, homecoming is a series of traditions that bring Lumberjacks together to celebrate SFA. Other events include homecoming elections, downtown parade, football games and much more.

 

Purple Haze

Press play to hear our rowdy Purple Haze student section in action. At SFA’s home football games, fans in the student section loudly bang their axe handles on a metal “Purple Haze” sign to show support for our beloved Lumberjacks (and to rattle the opposing team). Now that’s a home-field advantage!

  • Savannah Bunn

    Savannah Bunn, a senior dance performance and choreography major in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Denard Haden School of Theatre and Dance, has been selected as a fellow of the thINKingDANCE Emerging Writers Fellowship for her scholarly and creative work.

  • Hollis Middlebrook reviews the documents with Kyle Ainsworth, ETRC special collections librarian.

    Old North Baptist Church records dating back to Texas Republic days were recently donated to the East Texas Research Center at Stephen F. Austin State University by the Summers and Middlebrook families of Nacogdoches. Hollis Middlebrook, center, daughter of the late Dr. Tom Middlebrook and donating representative of the Middlebrook and Summers families, reviews the documents with Kyle Ainsworth, right, ETRC special collections librarian.

  • Dr. Hollie Gammel Smith, Dr. Raymond Jones and Matt Smilor display their award while standing in front of a USASBE backdrop

    The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship awarded Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship and the Nelson Rusche College of Business’ entrepreneurship academic program the Model Emerging Program Award, distinguishing them as the national gold standard for entrepreneurship programs established within the past three years. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Hollie Gammel Smith, ACE executive director of community partnerships; Dr. Raymond Jones, director of SFA’s entrepreneurship academic program; and Matt Smilor, ACE director, accepting the award.