NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Friends of the Visual Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University continues to make dreams come true for young Mexican artists who want to attend SFA but have limited economic resources.

For several years, the FVA has awarded scholarships to students from Mexico who would like to enroll in the School of Art’s ceramics program but could not afford to do so. These opportunities exist in part due to the influence of SFA Professor of Ceramics Piero Fenci and his collaboration with the ceramics program at La Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Mexico.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The SFA Gardens will host a garden seminar, “Deck the Halls: Using Evergreens to Decorate for the Holidays,” from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St.

Evergreen branches and garlands once served as symbols of enduring life and a fruitful year to come. Join Dawn Stover, research associate with SFA Gardens, to learn how to create elegant wreaths and garlands using materials from the garden.  

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS – Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. The competition provides an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents.

The artwork submitted for the competition by students living within U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert’s congressional district will be displayed in Griffith Gallery on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will present guest artist Sidney A. King performing a double bass recital at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

King, who is associate professor of double bass and music education in the University of Louisville School of Music, will present a recital that he describes as “a model of a personal statement about what an artist has to offer, much like an exhibition by a visual artist or painter.”

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Local teachers took a bite out of education recently as they participated in “Book Bites,” a collaborative event organized by Stephen F. Austin State University elementary education and hospitality administration students.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The SFA Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band, both directed by Dr. Brad Meyer, will perform their annual “Percussion in the Pines” holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

The Percussion Ensemble will play several holiday favorites, including “Deck the Halls,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Oh Holy Night” and “Silent Night,” according to Meyer, director of percussion studies for the SFA School of Music.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — State Sen. Bryan Hughes will offer Stephen F. Austin State University’s commencement address during SFA’s fall graduation ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 16, in Johnson Coliseum.

Hughes is serving his first term in the Texas Senate, representing the 16 counties of Senate District One in Northeast Texas. Previously, he represented District Five in the Texas House of Representatives for seven terms.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — A pair of Stephen F. Austin State University public history graduate students have joined with NIBCO, a 111-year-old valve, fittings and flow control products company with 10 manufacturing plants throughout the U.S., Mexico and Poland, to research, design and create an exhibit to celebrate the 75th anniversary of NIBCO’s Nacogdoches plant.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present the Rockin’ Axes performing “The ’90s and Early, New Millennium Concert” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present “A Night of Song,” featuring music faculty members Kayla Roth, Dr. Danny Chapa and Dr. J.D. Salas, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the Music Recital Hall in Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

The concert, which is part of the School of Music’s Calliope Series, will include German art songs, or lieder, from the Romantic era, or the mid to late 1800s.