NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Creating a positive and safe environment where students can thrive and help their peers succeed is a goal of Dr. Deb Scott, professor of trombone in Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Music.

While Scott is comfortable performing on stage before crowds, it’s inside the classroom that some of her greatest contributions have been made and greatest rewards have been realized.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Dr. DawnElla M. Rust, professor in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, will present “Finding Happiness — The Science” at the university’s upcoming Regents Lecture.

Rust, the 2018-19 Regents Professor, will deliver the address at 5:30 p.m. April 23 at the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, Room 212. This event is free and open to the public. A reception with refreshments will follow.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Lumberjack Marching Band at Stephen F. Austin State University has accepted an invitation to march in the 2021 New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, Italy. The announcement was made to band students Thursday afternoon by Associate Director of Bands and LMB Director Dr. Tamey Anglley.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — What do you get when you add a passion for education and a love of mathematics? Dr. Mark Montgomery, assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Four years ago, Montgomery joined the SFA faculty in the James I. Perkins College of Education and since then has been working to break the stereotypes associated with mathematics in his elementary education courses. Often people think they aren’t “mathematics people,” but Montgomery believes these negative feelings are linked to an unpleasant classroom experience.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS — Stephen F. Austin State University’s Landscape Competition Team won multiple awards at the 2019 National Collegiate Landscaping Competition held in Fort Collins, Colorado, during spring break.

Anna Clair Cunningham, a junior horticulture major, was named Top Student and overall winner of the event’s school social media competition.

“I posted 153 photos to Instagram in three days,” Cunningham said. “The point was to promote the event, support other teams and raise awareness of the competition.”

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS — Wesley Turner, lecturer in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Geology, is teaching his students to play in the sand.

With the help of an augmented reality sandbox, Turner brings geological concepts to life. The simplicity of the field and the way it helped explain the world around him was what originally attracted Turner to geology and gave him the desire to teach it to others.

Photography students from the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art recently put their skills to work for a good cause by taking part in a national service event called Help-Portrait.

Students set up a mobile lighting studio at Nacogdoches HOPE, a local food pantry, and made portraits for clients who might not otherwise have been able to afford professional quality photographs. Students also edited and printed the portraits on site,so that people were able to take home several finished prints from each session.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Percussion Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “An Evening of Soloists” with guest artist Dr. Eric Willie at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Dr. Brad Meyer, director of percussion studies in the School of Music, directs the ensemble. Willie is director of percussion studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Two Stephen F. Austin State University seniors, Abigail Cloudy and Jasmine Thompson, recently presented research during the Texas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol in Austin.

This event provided a forum for undergraduate students who are engaged in research to showcase their experiences to Texas legislators and the public through high-quality poster displays. The program and event's theme, "Transforming Texas Through Undergraduate Research," highlighted how research conducted by undergraduate students positively impacts Texas and Texans.