SFA’s August, December commencements to feature additional ceremonies

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — One extra ceremony will be added to both the August and December commencements at Stephen F. Austin State University as a result of the long-anticipated expansion of Johnson Coliseum, which began earlier this summer.

While August candidates typically participate in one ceremony at 9:30 a.m., this summer’s candidates will participate at either 9:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. Aug. 17.

Seating at the coliseum, which has capacity for 7,200 guests, will be temporarily reduced due to construction.

“More than 1,000 guest seats will be temporarily inaccessible due to our coliseum expansion and renovation project,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, interim SFA president. “In the interest of safety for our faculty, staff, our graduates and their guests, we have made the decision to divide the ceremonies.”

For the August ceremony, candidates from SFA's James I. Perkins College of Education and the College of Fine Arts will participate in the 9:30 a.m. ceremony. Candidates from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, the Rusche College of Business, the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony.

The December commencement has been divided from two ceremonies into three and will now take place over two days.

The first ceremony will host candidates from the College of Education at 6 p.m. Dec. 13. The second and third ceremonies will take place Dec. 14. College of Business and College of Liberal and Applied Arts candidates will participate in a 9:30 a.m. ceremony while candidates from the College of Fine Arts, the College of Forestry and Agriculture, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics will walk in a 2 p.m. ceremony.

A basketball practice and performance center is being constructed near the northeast corner of Johnson Coliseum, with a tunnel connecting the new facility to the current building.

All ceremonies will be streamed on the SFA Facebook page, facebook.com/sfasu. For more information about the events, visit sfasu.edu/registrar/455.asp.