NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University pledged to join the Institute of International Education's Generation Study Abroad initiative to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. SFA has committed to increasing the number of undergraduate students who study abroad to 3 percent during the next five years.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -When the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and Schools of Music and Theatre present "Gianni Schicchi" and "Sister Angelica," the directors and student performers will demonstrate their mastery in juggling the challenges of a large-scale opera production.

The main challenge lies in that this year's SFA opera production, which is actually two one-act operas (sung in English) by Giacomo Puccini, has four large casts, according to Dr. Deborah Dalton, associate professor of voice at SFA and the opera's director.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present guest lecturer Guy Mor presenting "Sound for Film, Video and TV" at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in the Music Recital Hall in the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

Mor's work has been featured on television networks, among them ABC, ESPN, BET and Fuse. He will discuss his experiences working with sound for visual media and exploring both location audio and post production, according to Dr. Kevin Kelleher, director of the Sound Recording Technology program at SFA.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association and area alumni chapters will host watch parties for the game between the Lumberjacks and Virginia Commonwealth University in the NCAA Tournament in San Diego. Game time is 6:30 p.m. (CST) Friday, March 21.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University pledged to join the Institute of International Education's Generation Study Abroad initiative to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. SFA has committed to increasing the number of undergraduate students who study abroad to 3 percent during the next five years.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - A group of Stephen F. Austin State University theatre students will attend the annual conference of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology where two students will present a special architectural project on which they have collaborated with a former SFA theatre alumnus who is also a theatre consultant of international acclaim.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and Schools of Music and Theatre will present "Gianni Schicchi" and "Sister Angelica," two one-act operas (sung in English) by Giacomo Puccini, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 27 through 29, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University's Steel Band, also known as Jacks of Steel, directed by Dr. Brad Meyer, director of percussion studies, will present the ensemble's annual spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The Jacks of Steel will perform a wide-ranging selection of fun and exciting tunes, including Brian Nozny's arrangement of "Inspector 8" (from the The Ernies' popular ska song), "Brown-eyed Girl," "Guantanamera," and "Hot Hot Hot."

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Four Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre students participated in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition at the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival Feb. 25 through March 1 at Centenary College in Shreveport, La.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Center for Rural Heritage Research at Stephen F. Austin State University has placed a new display at the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot in recognition of National Reading Month.

The exhibit focuses on trains in literature, including books for both children and adults. Since their invention in the 19th century, trains have represented strength, independence and adventure. These themes are reflected in books from Watty Piper's "The Little Engine that Could" to Paul Theroux's "The Old Patagonian Express."