Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts Dean’s Circle at Stephen F. Austin State University will recognize six students during the presentation of the annual Dean’s Awards at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
Megan Bynum, art major from Brownwood; Stoney Shelton, music major from Paris, Texas; Constantina Alexandrides, music major from Fort Worth; Kiya Green, theatre major from Waxahachie; Izabel “Bella” Perez, art major from Waco; and Shanee Cody, art major from Cooper, were selected by the faculty of their respective schools on the basis of their potential to further develop their artistic goals and serve as role models for other students, according to Dr. Gary Wurtz, dean of the Elliott College of Fine Arts.
“The Dean’s Awards were established in order to recognize students who are seen as models of excellence among their peers in terms of their academic accomplishments, artistic achievement and leadership qualities,” Wurtz said. “What I love most about these particular awards is that the students do not apply for them. They are nominated and selected by the faculty, and then informed that they have been named the recipients, and the news is usually a complete surprise to them.”
The awards were established by the Dean’s Circle, an external support organization of community members founded in 2008 and dedicated, in part, to nurturing potential young artists within the College of Fine Arts, Wurtz said.
Bynum, who will receive the Ed and Gwen Cole Memorial Dean’s Award in Art, is pursuing a BFA in studio art with a primary concentration in sculpture. She is a tutor for art history through the AARC and a gallery attendant and preparator at the Cole Art Center. Additionally, she is the president of the student organization Art Alliance and participates in School of Art events such as Art Day. While at SFA, Megan has participated in the Undergraduate Research Conference three times, twice with the School of Art. As both an honors student and a Smith-Hutson scholar/ambassador, she has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her collegiate career and has expanded her proficiency with numerous tools and knowledge of mold-making, casting, welding, woodworking and other creative processes.Following graduation, she hopes to attend a graduate program.
Shelton, a junior music education major, will receive the Dean’s Circle Award in Music. He graduated from North Lamar High School in 2020 and was under the band direction of Randy Jones and Jason Smith. He is an active member of the SFA Wind Ensemble, SFA Symphony Orchestra, The Piney Woods Woodwind Quintet, SFA Chamber Winds, the SFA Clarinet Choir and the SFA Clarinet Quartet, and he performs at First Baptist Church, Lufkin. Stoney teaches private clarinet lessons and maintains a passion for clarinet pedagogy. Following graduation in the spring of 2024, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in clarinet performance and ultimately become a professional clarinetist and a professor of clarinet.
Alexandrides, who will receive the Dr. Robert G. Sidnell Memorial Dean’s Award in Music Education, is a junior music education major. She has been a member of SFA Kantorei Choir, Chamber Choir, A Capella Choir, and she performed as part of the chorus in the School of Music's spring 2023 production of Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen.” In her time at SFA, she has been named to the president's list every semester. She is a member of the Alpha Omega Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity. Upon graduation, she plans to teach music in Texas public schools and possibly attend graduate school in the near future.
Green, who will receive the George and Peggy Schmidbauer Dean’s Award in Theatre, is a junior pursuing a BFA in theatre with an emphasis in acting and directing. Among her interests are dancing, singing and experimenting in devised theater. She recently had the opportunity to perform in her first-ever lead role in SFA’s production of “Everybody” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, for which she earned a Dean’s Spotlight Award. Her previous acting credits include “Bootycandy,” “She Kills Monsters” and “Yellow Boat.” She was named a national finalist for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship from Region 6 of The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, allowing her to perform at the national level in Washington, D.C., for a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship.
Perez, a first-generation college student, will receive the John N. and Margaret Staley Scholarship in Fine Arts. She came to SFA as a freshman in fall 2020 majoring in studio art with a concentration in drawing and minoring in general business. During her time at SFA, she has advanced her skills in traditional observational studies and explored non-objective art in color to express her sense of synesthesia between sound and color. Her work is inspired by her color interpretations of music and voices. When not working on art, she is involved as a community assistant for Residence Life, organizing programs and activities for students, providing them with information about campus events and introducing students outside the School of Art to art exhibits, artists’ talks and art practices that can help with personal growth, stress and anxiety.
Cody, a junior pursuing a BFA with a focus on filmmaking, will receive the Ruth Buzzi Honorary Dean’s Award in Filmmaking. As a child, she loved to paint, draw and design spaces. Her love for filmmaking started in a high school film creation class. Through her love of film and design, she found her passion in art direction. She has worked on many films at SFA, some of which have been screened at film festivals. She wrote, directed, edited and provided art direction for her current short film titled "The Cowardly Knight,” which should be completed in May, and she will serve as production designer for SFA’s summer feature film. Following graduation in December 2023, she plans to pursue a master’s degree with a focus in art direction with hopes of pursuing a career in set design.
The student awards are made possible because the Dean’s Circle believes in investing in the future, and members are willing to contribute and raise the money needed to fund these individual awards each year, Wurtz said. For more information about the Dean’s Circle, contact Wurtz at gwurtz@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-2801.