Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Hosted by the SFASU Foundation, Inc., the SFA Gala is a time to formally honor generous benefactors to the university. We celebrate and showcase the impact of their giving toward students, faculty and staff members, and academic and athletic programs.
Teresa Jill Adams
Fredonia Society Inductee
Teresa Jill Adams came to SFA from Knott, Texas, as a passionate young artist in the spring of 1977. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1979, and during her time as a student, her original passion for illustration and painting evolved to encompass studies in lithography, silk screening and printmaking.
Adams obtained a master’s degree in elementary education with a specialization in reading and taught general education, reading and fine arts to elementary students for more than 30 years. She has expressed love for art and art education through her involvement in numerous school art programs, most notably in her establishment of the Teresa Jill Adams Foundation, which primarily supports art education and other charitable organizations. She has set an outstanding example for SFA students and alumni through her career achievements, her generosity, and her manifest dedication and loyalty to SFA.
On Jan. 30, 2023, the former SFA board of regents expressed its admiration, gratitude and high regard for Adams by naming the art gallery in the Griffith Fine Arts Building the Teresa Jill Adams Art Gallery.
L.D. and Johnnie McWilliams
Fredonia Society Inductee
L.D. and Johnnie McWilliams both finished high school in Timpson, Texas, then received their bachelor’s degrees from SFA in 1964 and 1965, respectively. They followed that with master’s degrees in 1966, L.D. in biology and Johnnie in education, and were married in August 1965.
As part of their continued investment at SFA, L.D. and Johnnie have endowed three scholarships over the years. Two were in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, and the third was in the James I. Perkins College of Education. They also are involved in the SFA Alumni Association and serve as alumni ambassadors.
After graduating from SFA, L.D. worked as an instructor at SFA and Blinn Community College, and Johnnie taught in Redland, Brenham, Wells and Nacogdoches. They then moved to Lake Jackson, Texas, in 1969, where L.D. served as a professor and department chair for biology as well as division director for science and mathematics at Brazosport Community College for more than 32 years. Johnnie eventually served as an assistant principal and then principal at Bess Brannen Elementary School for a total of 20 years.
From the time of their graduation from SFA, the McWilliamses have invested in the education of students through their careers, giving and involvement. After retirement, they moved back home to East Texas in 2001 and have enjoyed traveling the world. They can also be found at Lumberjack sporting events supporting their alma mater.
Betty Oglesbee
Fredonia Society Inductee
The Oglesbee family is thrilled to provide scholarships and resources for pre-health, culinary and history programs at SFA. Betty Oglesbee and her late husband, John H. Oglesbee Jr., have four sons, Dr. John Oglesbee III, Vance Oglesbee, Chris Oglesbee and Forrest Oglesbee.
Betty and John did not attend SFA, but they are long-time supporters of the university. Residing 35 miles away in San Augustine, Texas, Betty and John frequently visited the campus for historic presentations, research in special collections, fine arts events, athletic games and other gatherings. They both graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, as did their sons. While at UT, Betty was a scholar, graduating summa cum laude, and served as president of her 1955 graduating class.
Betty was involved in a variety of civic commitments over the years, including San Augustine County’s Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce, Garden Club, County Historical Commission, public library, Boy Scouts, Main Street Advisory Board and independent school district foundation.
Betty and the San Augustine County Historical Society have been actively involved in saving and promoting the development of the 1721 Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais, supported by Sen. Robert Nichols and Rep. Trent Ashby. Betty was honored by Gov. Greg Abbott with the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation in 2017.
An article in Texas Monthly stated that Betty is sometimes described as San Augustine’s “matriarch.” She is fondly known as “Mama Betty” by her family, which includes nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and many others. She is a lifelong member of the San Augustine Methodist Church.
The Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation
Stephen F. Austin Society Inductee
The mission of The Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation is to provide assistance to duly-qualified public and private foundations and charities, as well as governmental organizations located primarily in Nacogdoches County. Assistance to these foundations and charities provides relief for the poor and disadvantaged; helps maintain and build public buildings, monuments and works; and supports the advancement of education, science and combating community deterioration.
Graduating from Nacogdoches High School in 1945, Charles was drafted into the army to serve as a military police officer during World War II and as a driver and typist for editor and author William F. Buckley Jr.
After the war, Bright flourished as an inventive entrepreneur who crafted an outboard motor and boat business and was instrumental in developing and patenting the famous Loco Lure for avid anglers.
Later, Charles and his brother, N.G., formed Bright Coop Company, which revolutionized the manufacturing of poultry transportation equipment. University of Colorado’s Dr. Temple Grandin, leading animal welfare advocate at the time and U.S. government-appointed auditor, approved the unique “Bright” cage unloading system as the predominant chicken coop system used in the United States. The Brights created a lasting legacy through their lifetime of hard work, kindness and integrity.
Over the years, the Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation has generously supported SFA through initiatives for capital improvements, as well as investments in academic programs and scholarships.