Homecoming festivities at Stephen F. Austin State University were especially celebratory tonight when it was announced that $79.59 million has been raised in conjunction with SFA’s $100 million Capital Campaign, Elevate.

Daymond John, star of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning business reality show “Shark Tank,” was the guest speaker for the 2021 Nelson Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series event hosted by Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business. The FUBU founder was interviewed by Dr. Raymond J. Jones III, right, an assistant professor of entrepreneurship at SFA. For more information about the lecture series, visit sfasu.edu/Rusche.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –Installation students in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art will exhibit their installation artworks starting Nov. 5 at Fire House Nac in downtown Nacogdoches. “SFA Exhibition: Installation Art” will show through Nov. 20.

An opening reception is planned for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Fire House Nac, located at 708 Swift St. The exhibition opening will feature the performance “Cocktails on the Veranda” by Catherine Pears with her character Virginia Lee Sutherlin at 6:30 p.m.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Cello Club will present “Abiding Melodies – Harry Potter Listening to Elgar” when the collaborative group of cellists from throughout East Texas performs at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, in Cole Concert Hall on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

An endeavor begun in 2014 by Dr. Evgeni Raychev, cello instructor in the SFA School of Music, Cello Club has brought together up to 40 cellists at a time to collaborate on various themed concerts.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Robin Kesselman, principal bass with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and colleague Boson Mo, violin, Houston Symphony Orchestra, will collaborate to present a recital at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, in the Music Recital Hall, Room 160, in Wright Music Building on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Admission is free. For information about the SFA School of Music, call (936) 468-4602.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Mylee Elsik, of Deer Park, and Owen Hawkins, of Nacogdoches, will serve as children of the court during Stephen F. Austin State University’s Homecoming celebrations Oct. 29 and 30.

Mylee is the 8-year-old daughter of Lorna Wheeler and Frank Elsik. She is the granddaughter of Robert Wheeler, a 1979 SFA alumnus. 

Mylee is in the third grade at San Jacinto Elementary School and enjoys participating in soccer, ballet, acrobatics and the children’s choir at Deer Park First Baptist Church. She also is a big fan of the Lumberjacks.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– It was inevitable that José Rodrigo Uresti would become a teacher. As a child, he sat at a little desk he received for Christmas, where he pretended to teach his younger sister and cousin about the intricacies of math and history, and later graded the papers he assigned.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre, in collaboration with Panola College Theatre, will present Ellen McLaughlin’ play “Ajax in Iraq” Nov. 9 through 13 at the Community House in Center.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Trombone Choir at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a variety of works by noted composers when the student ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Interior design and construction management students in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Human Sciences participated in the Make a Difference Charrette, a service-learning project, to present ideas and projects that could make a difference to those in the SFA community.