NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The College of Fine Arts and School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University will usher in February’s observance of Black History Month with three diverse performances.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

The lecture series will feature Houston landscaper Cindy McClimans presenting “Creating Unique Landscapes.”

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University will host its third annual Darwin Day program from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, in the Kennedy Auditorium. The featured speaker, Dr. Barbara Forrest, former professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana State University, will present “Why Academic Freedom is a Fraud: The Threat to Science Education.”

A sophomore Stephen F. Austin State University student was found deceased in her campus residence hall Friday, university officials announced.

Erin Valenta, 20, was a music major and a resident of SFA’s Lumberjack Village. Originally from Allen, Texas, Valenta graduated from Allen High School in 2016.

A residence hall staff member was called to perform a welfare check, which had been requested by a friend. There were no signs of foul play, and an autopsy has been requested.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Wind Symphony and the Symphonic Band at Stephen F. Austin State University will present their first concert of the spring semester at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

The program will feature early band classics by British composers.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is accepting proposals from students, faculty, staff and community members who may be interested in presenting at the second annual Women’s Empowerment Summit from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 9 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom.

The summit, focusing on empowering women from various backgrounds, will feature breakout sessions where attendees will discuss empowerment in areas such as professional development, education, etiquette, health, body image and more.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University students in the Rusche College of Business are offering free tax-preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Clinic.

The services are available to those with an annual income of $54,000 or less, people with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A reception with the artist for the exhibition “Junko Chodos: Can We Hear Our Own Voice?” will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.

“Junko Chodos: Can We Hear Our Own Voice?” features mixed media pieces and drawings. The artist considers herself “a hypermodern mystic,” and she describes much of her work as “centripetal” in nature, according to John Handley, director of Stephen F. Austin State University Art Galleries.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Heaven Umbrell was 10 years old when she helped her grandmother, a gerontologist, conduct research in cemeteries. Years later, Umbrell now brings her children along when she engages in research at Nacogdoches' historic Oak Grove Cemetery.

Umbrell, a Stephen F. Austin State University history graduate student, is working alongside members of the Friends of Historic Nacogdoches to create an index and map of Oak Grove Cemetery. She also is making a grid map of plots and digitizing written records of the people buried there.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Grace Linebarger, a Stephen F. Austin State University undergraduate communication studies major from Flower Mound, learned her research paper has been accepted for presentation during the Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference to be held April 4 through 8 in Nashville, Tennessee.