Two faculty members in SFA’s Department of History utilized new media to team teach the senior capstone course by introducing podcasts into the program.

“Podcasts are a growing medium that encourage students to consider audience engagement beyond the professor reading a paper and stuffing it in a desk drawer,” said Dr. Hunter Hampton, lecturer of history.

Hampton and Dr. Court Carney, professor of history, assigned students the task of producing podcasts based on original research. This project introduced history students to public history, or how historians present the past to the public, and it helped them gain skills using new media.

“We wanted to do something a bit unexpected that would still maintain the integrity of a research-intensive senior capstone class,” Carney said. “This project required students to choose a research topic that had appeal to a larger audience, and it pushed the students to sharpen their communication skills as they worked to bring their research to a nonacademic audience.”

Hampton and Carney’s innovative teaching method was recently honored with a Bright Spot award from the SFA Faculty Senate, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the SFA vice presidents.

Held's article, "Die amerikanische Oboenschule" ("The American Style of Oboe Playing") was recently published in "Oboe - Das Magazin für Doppelrohrblattbläser," a German scholarly journal.

The article provides a description of the American school of oboe playing.

Instrumental playing styles vary from country to country. With an understanding of American oboe traditions, others in the global oboe community will be able to compare and contrast their own national playing styles with that of the American style.

Harris was selected as the Undergraduate Research Conference's Mentor of the Year.

This award recognizes Harris's commitment to undergraduate research and her role mentoring students.

The award will be presented at the Undergraduate Research Conference, scheduled for 4 to 7:30 p.m. April 16 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Theater and Twilight Ballroom.

The SFA community is invited to celebrate student researchers and Harris's award.

The next SFA Faculty and Staff Breakfast is planned for 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, in the East College Dining Hall. Representatives from University Police Department will host this month's breakfast.

For a discounted price of $3, SFA faculty and staff are invited to enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat breakfast while catching up with colleagues and making new campus contacts.

Help spread the word about this event, and invite SFA colleagues to join.

To stay informed about future SFA social events, “like” the SFA Faculty/Staff Lounge Facebook page.

SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education recently recognized several faculty members as the college’s Teaching Excellence Award honorees.

Annually, representatives are selected from academic units within each of SFA's six colleges to receive Teaching Excellence Awards. Then, each college selects one academic unit faculty member to represent his/her college at the university's annual Teaching Excellence Convocation.

The Teaching Excellence Awards recognize outstanding full-time faculty members who demonstrate extensive knowledge of subject matter, quality lectures and assignments, enthusiasm for teaching, and interest in and availability to students.

To view honorees, click the "Read More" button below.

Dr. Jason Reese, assistant professor and sports business program coordinator, will serve as interviewer for the second installment of the Nelson Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series, which will feature professional skateboarder and successful business owner Tony Hawk as guest speaker.

“Tony Hawk’s career goes beyond his professional athletic career. He has been an entrepreneur, philanthropist and innovator in the sports industry. It is an incredible opportunity for students to learn from his experiences,” Reese said.

The lecture series will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 29 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Every semester, the Academic Assistance and Resource Center selects a faculty or staff member to thank for their support to the program. This year’s recipient of the AARC Bravo Award is Sam Smith, director of Student Services.

Smith has supported the AARC's services for many years. He promotes the program during SFA Orientation by sharing its impact on student success. He also encourages parents to support the program with donations.

Additionally, Smith participated in developing the AARC space in Lumberjack Landing's Cole Student Success Center.

Michael Johnson, AARC science and business program director, recently presented Smith with the award.

SFA’s Lumberjack Cultural Association and Office of Multicultural Affairs will launch the annual Diversity Week with the theme “All Shades” beginning Monday, April 1.

“The OMA and Lumberjack Cultural Association strive to unite the SFA community through this event,” said Jalon Berry, assistant director of the OMA. “Throughout the week, we will host educational events that celebrate and promote diversity, multiculturalism, social justice, equality and inclusion.”

To view a full list of activities, click here.

For more information about Diversity Week, email OMA@sfasu.edu, or visit sfasu.edu/oma.

SFA’s Early Childhood Laboratory, in partnership with the Greater East Texas Community Action Program’s Head Start, invites the community to participate in the Week of the Young Child, which will be observed Monday, April 8, through Friday, April 12, in Nacogdoches County.

As part of the national Week of the Young Child, Nacogdoches will honor young children and all individuals who make a difference in children’s lives.

The week will kick off with the annual Family Fun Day, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 6 at Festival Park in downtown Nacogdoches. This free event will include many fun-filled activities for children and families to do together.

During the week, all day cares, schools or other organizations working with children are encouraged to join and honor young children and their families. Each day will reflect a designated theme. To view a list of themed activities, click the “Read More” button below.

Baseball:

SFA - 1 vs.University of Houston - 16

Softball:

SFA - 10 vs. Prairie View A&M University - 4

SFA’s School of Music and its Friends of Music Concert Series will present a rescheduling of the faculty chamber recital “Zodiacal Light” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in Cole Concert Hall.

The recital will feature Christina Guenther, flute; Christopher Ayer, clarinet; Lee Goodhew, bassoon; and Ron Petti, piano. They will perform works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Roger Zare, Kyle Hovatter and Daniel Dorff.

Recital tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407, or visit finearts.sfasu.edu.

In celebration of the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage in the U.S., the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has more than 120 objects in its exhibit, “Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence.”

To view the items featured in the exhibit, click here.