Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association announced that Collin Rutherford of Celina, Texas, and Olivia Miller of Arlington, Texas, have been selected as recipients of the 2016 Mr. and Miss SFA Award.
The Mr. SFA Award was established in honor of the late Stan McKewen, a 1934 SFA graduate. The Arnodean Covin Miss SFA Award honors the alumna who was named Miss SFA in 1940, 1941 and 1942.
A 2011 graduate of Celina High School, Rutherford, who received the Stan McKewen Mr. SFA Award, is a senior kinesiology major and the son of Mark and Wendi Roundy.
Rutherford serves as the Purple Haze Association's student director, Residence Life community assistant and STEM residential learning community adviser. He also has been the campus involvement chair for Pi Kappa Alpha and an orientation leader.
"Becoming involved in university-centered activities early on at SFA made me fall in love with the school, and I have been bleeding purple ever since," Rutherford said.
A community volunteer in various capacities, Rutherford has tutored high school students, worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs and participated in SFA's Big Event. He was awarded the bronze Presidential Service Award in 2013 for his more than 100 hours of volunteer service, and in 2014, he received the gold Presidential Service Award for providing more than 250 volunteer hours.
Rutherford's accolades include earning the Residence Life Leadership Award in 2012, Student Spotlight in 2014, sophomore Homecoming Duke in 2013 and Who's Who Among National College Students in 2014.
"Collin is the true definition of what a Lumberjack should be, as he carries the traits of The SFA Way," said Solomon Delaney, former SFA orientation supervisor.
Miller, recipient of the Arnodean Covin Miss SFA Award, is a 2012 graduate of Arlington James Bowie High School. She is a senior English secondary education major and the daughter of Mike and Lauri Miller.
Since eighth grade, Miller knew she wanted to become a Lumberjack. Many of her family members are SFA alumni, including an aunt who was Miss SFA in 1985. Altogether, Miller has eight relatives with SFA degrees. Her younger sister also is planning to be an SFA alumna when she graduates from the university in 2020.
"SFA has become my life, family and identity," Miller said. "Bleeding purple has taken on a fierce and unabated intensity, fueling a determination to experience as much Lumberjack life as possible."
Miller's service to SFA includes student volunteer coordinator for the Freshman Leadership Academy, graduate and peer mentor for the Lumberjack Leadership Academy, mentor for Sophomore Scholars, secretary and small group leader for Chi Alpha Ministry, member of the Orientation Leadership Institute, group leader for the Student Leadership Institute, Weeks of Welcome leader, leadership chair and secretary of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, off-campus senator for the Student Government Association, member of the Purple Haze Association and secretary of the Student Government Association.
"Olivia is one of the most enthusiastic, committed, conscientious members of the SFA community I have ever met," said Dr. Tim Clipson, SFA 101 coordinator and business leadership professor.
Miller received the Fred and Dottie Seals Leadership Award, Arlington Rotary Leadership Award, Maco Stewart Secondary Education Scholarship, J.A. and Mollie Spears Scholarship and Laz Corley Scholarship. She is a member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society.
SFA's Alumni Association awards the Mr. and Miss SFA titles annually to exemplary students who well represent and promote the university. Recipients are selected based on their scholarship, participation and leadership in academic and co-curricular activities, and citizenship, service and loyalty to the university. A committee of faculty and staff members, community leaders and alumni makes the selections.