NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Project Learning Tree, the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, has named Dr. Alan Sowards, professor of elementary education at Stephen F. Austin State University, a 2015 National Outstanding Educator. Sowards is among five educators selected nationwide to receive recognition for his use of environmental education to improve student learning and foster environmental stewardship.

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, August 13, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches.

Scott McMahan, owner of McMahan Nursery in Atlanta, will present "Climbing Asian Mountains, Fording Rivers and Fighting the Elements: Moments from a Plant Hunter's Diary."

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The deadline to submit scholarship applications to attend fall classes in the Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music has been extended, according to Pat Barnett, Music Prep director.

Originally set for Aug. 1, the deadline has been pushed to Aug. 14 to allow additional time for students to apply, Barnett said. Scholarship applications can be downloaded from the website at www.music.sfasu.edu/prep.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved the promotions of three faculty members to administrative positions during the quarterly meeting Tuesday.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Authorized by the Texas Legislature, the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved a $46.4 million investment for the construction of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics building on campus.

Regents approved Kirksey Architecture of Houston as the designer. The Houston-based firm of architects, designers and planners pledged to provide a design reflective of the university's environment and reputation.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of "Scrap" at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The College of Fine Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University continues its tradition of bringing professional artists to East Texas in presenting five national touring acts in the 2015-2016 University Series.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - A Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre event on Aug. 1 will help raise funds for theatre students to attend a special class in Edinburgh, Scotland, while they are participating in the two-week Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Eleven SFA students who were injured in a bus crash during a study-abroad excursion in Peru have returned to the United States, and four remaining students will arrive back in Texas Thursday.

Fifteen students and two faculty members were passengers on a bus that left the roadway and crashed into a ravine on Saturday en route to Peru's Sacred Valley. They were taken to a hospital in Cusco, where they were examined by physicians. Several of the travelers sustained broken bones because of the accident.

Technological developments have drastically transformed modern agricultural production, facilitating increased yields more efficiently than ever before. While this efficiency results in increased food supplies at lower consumer costs, Marife Anunciado, an environmental science graduate student in Stephen F. Austin State University's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, said some resulting effects such as air and water pollution are a concern to public health.