Axe ’Em, Jacks!
SFA students become first in nation to fly Tecnam Aircraft's newest plane
SFA is the first institution in the United States to fly the Tecnam P-Mentor two-seat trainer airplane, equipping Lumberjacks with the most advanced training platform available in the country.
"SFA graduates will have a high-tech experience, and we'll be the first ones to have it," said Jack Gainer, chief instructor pilot for SFA's aviation sciences program. "Our students will be very notable when they begin searching for a career. They can say, 'I was a Flying Jack,' and the industry will know they are hiring graduates with experience."
Tecnam Aircraft is an Italian aircraft manufacturer and the oldest manufacturer in the world. The Tecnam P-Mentor is a state-of-the-art training plane created for flight schools that is affordable to maintain and uses less fuel than other training airplanes.
Offered through the James I. Perkins College of Education's School of Human Sciences, SFA's aviation sciences program is a partnership with HCH Aviation, a specialized aviation training school.
Read the June 25, 2024 news release.
UT System affiliation allows SFA to partner with virtual well-being provider
Through funding made available as a result of SFA's affiliation with The University of Texas System, SFA has partnered with trusted virtual health and well-being provider TimelyCare to offer students free access to mental health and basic needs assistance.
"TimelyCare allows students to access a large pool of highly trained and diverse mental health professionals at no cost to them," said Clare Fite, director of Counseling Services in SFA's Health and Wellness Hub. "In addition to therapy, students can access crisis resources, self-assessments, peer support and education on a variety of topics that pertain to their overall well-being."
Read the April 9, 2024 news release.
McBroom named SFA's director of athletics
Michael McBroom, former director of athletics at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, officially joined SFA as the director of athletics May 15.
"This is a dynamic time in college athletics, and our job is to set the stage so that we can achieve an unprecedented level of success across the board," he said. "SFA is going to carve out a niche that results in record numbers of championships, graduates and support for all teams and all student-athletes."
During his 18 years as athletics director at WTAMU Athletics, WTAMU earned nine national championships and over 100 Lone Star Conference and NCAA Regional Championships, spearheaded initiatives that resulted in a 37% improvement in the academic success rate and GPAs of student-athletes, and set new attendance and ticket sales records across all sports.
Read the April 25, 2024 news release.
SFA accepts bid to join Southland Conference for 2024-25 season
SFA's Department of Athletics accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference as a full-time member effective July 1.
"The SLC is a conference on the rise, with visionary leadership and a strategic plan that aligns with our own goals for our athletics program and the university," said Michael McBroom, SFA's director of athletics. "This affiliation puts us in an incredibly competitive and historic athletic community, aligns us with regional peers in Texas and Louisiana, and allows us a greater opportunity to engage with our alumni, fans and prospective students across the entire region."
Read the May 29, 2024 news release.
CARRI hosts groundbreaking ceremony for new research facility
SFA's Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony June 18 for its new research facility at SFA's former Science Research Center at 7308 U.S. Highway 59 N. in Nacogdoches, Texas. Covering approximately 15 acres, the facility will serve as a hub for SFA resources to the Deep East Texas region when its reconstruction is completed in spring 2025.
Read the June 10, 2024 news release.
Two SFA students accepted into Joint Admission Medical Program
Perla Tovar (right), junior biochemistry major from Lufkin, Texas, and Mckenna Dillard, junior biochemistry major from Stephenville, Texas, were accepted into the Joint Admission Medical Program. This undergraduate pipeline program was created by the Texas Legislature in 2001 to close gaps between participation and success for Texans pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors.
Every year, JAMP accepts two students from each participating university who are highly qualified but economically disadvantaged and want to pursue careers in medicine. Students participating in JAMP who meet eligibility requirements are guaranteed admission to a Texas medical school and awarded scholarships to support their educational journey.
Read the April 24, 2024 news release.
Nelson Rusche College of Business celebrates extension of accreditation
SFA's Rusche College of Business has successfully achieved the extension of its accreditation by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Globally, only 6% of business colleges have achieved accreditation by AACSB, which places the Rusche College of Business in an elite category of business colleges worldwide.
"In the world of higher education in business, AACSB accreditation is the highest mark of excellence," said Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the college. "Our exceptional faculty and staff provide our students with business experiences and knowledge rivaling those of the best business schools in the world."
Read the July 3, 2024 news release.
Two faculty members selected for Fulbright Scholar fellowships
This spring, two SFA faculty members received the prestigious honor of being named national Fulbright Scholars for the 2024-25 academic year.
As part of the program, Candace Hicks, associate professor of art in SFA's School of Art, will complete a research and creative project in the Hauts-de-France region from January to July 2025. Dr. Roslyn Fraser, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology, will spend 10 months beginning this August in Port Louis, Mauritius, researching and teaching at the University of Technology.
Dr. Roslyn Fraser was announced in an April 24, 2024 news release.
Candace Hicks was announced in a June 18, 2024 news release.
Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture partners with Temper Sealy
A newly formed partnership between global bedding manufacturer Temper Sealy International and SFA's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture promises to make progress toward the company's goal of achieving carbon neutrality in its global operations by 2040 while giving SFA students access to hundreds of acres of living labs to reforest and manage. Partnership in the initiative also sets the college up to fund future scholarships, assistantships and professional development for faculty members.
"This initiative with Temper Sealy is a great opportunity to continue to expand SFA forestry's knowledge and capacity for carbon sequestration and reforestation while providing many other educational, environmental and financial benefits to SFA, Temper Sealy and society in general," said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the college.
Read the April 22, 2024 news release.
SFA's Coleman named Jess Hay Graduate Fellow
SFA's Jordan Coleman, a Master of Arts in public history student from Effingham, Illinois, has been named a Jess Hay Graduate Fellow by The University of Texas System for the 2024-25 academic year. Coleman was selected based on his research and thesis capstone project on former Congressman Charles Wilson's congressional papers housed in SFA's East Texas Research Center.
"I feel incredibly honored to have received the Jess Hay fellowship knowing the amount of great research being completed throughout the UT System," Coleman said. "It is also wonderful to see research coming out of SFA's College of Liberal and Applied Arts recognized by not only SFA but also by the UT System."
As part of the program established by Hay, a former UT System regent, four annual graduate student research fellowships of $15,000 each rotate among UT System institutions, benefiting two academic institutions and two health institutions each year.