It’s big. It’s purple. It’s the Lumberjack Express. This spring SFA rolled out its newest endeavor — the Lumberjack Express mobile food lab.

As the only one of its kind in Texas, this learning laboratory provides students in the School of Human Sciences a taste of the real world.

Four faculty members from the School of Human Sciences were instrumental in bringing the Lumberjack Express to campus: Dr. Chay Runnels, hospitality administration program coordinator and associate professor; Dr. Donna Fickes, clinical instructor; Todd Barrios, chef instructor; and Justin Pelham, clinical instructor.

In recognition of their work, they were recently awarded a Bright Spot award by the SFA Faculty Senate, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the SFA vice presidents.

“Our goal is to provide students a timely, transformational learning experience,” Fickes said. “Providing our students an environment where they can learn through trial and error puts them a step ahead of their competition.”

What do you get when you add a passion for education and a love of mathematics? Dr. Mark Montgomery, assistant professor at SFA.

Four years ago, Montgomery joined the SFA faculty in the James I. Perkins College of Education and since then has been working to break the stereotypes associated with mathematics in his elementary education courses. Often people think they aren’t “mathematics people,” but Montgomery believes these negative feelings are linked to an unpleasant classroom experience.

Montgomery works to create a positive space for students to learn mathematics and how to teach the subject to elementary and middle-level students.

“Teaching is about relationship building. The relationships between the teacher and students, each student and their peers, students and the content, and the content to its purpose in the real world,” he said. “Creating environments where all of these relationships can flourish so every child feels supported in taking risks, learning from mistakes and building understanding is critical for developing effective problem-solvers.”

“I want my students to understand that if they want to inspire their own students, they must realize the power they have over the children’s own belief in themselves and the impact that their decisions can make on the student,” he said.

Recently, Montgomery was recognized with an SFA Teaching Excellence Award for being an outstanding faculty member for the James I. Perkins College of Education.

SFA’s Department of English and Creative Writing will host David J. Peterson, inventor of languages for television and movies, at 6:30 p.m. April 22 in Dugas Liberal Arts North, Room 142.

Peterson’s talk, “The Art of Language Invention,” will discuss his process for creating languages. Peterson has invented numerous languages, most notably Dothraki and High Valyrian for HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

Peterson’s talk will be particularly engaging to anyone interested in the invented languages he has created. In addition to “Game of Thrones,” Peterson has created languages for Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” and “Doctor Strange,” among others.

The talk is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Dr. Jessie Sams, SFA associate professor of linguistics, at (936) 468-2180 or samsj@sfasu.edu.

Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder and successful business owner, will serve as guest speaker for SFA’s Rusche College of Business Nelson Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 29 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Hawk has transformed his love of skateboarding into a successful billion-dollar business and continues to pave the way for upcoming athletes. He also is passionate about giving back to the community through his Tony Hawk Foundation.

Through a Q&A format, Hawk will discuss his passion, entrepreneurship and the importance of giving back.

The Nelson Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series is free and open to the public. A private reception will be held prior to the lecture at 6 p.m. To purchase reception tickets, contact SFA’s Office of Development at (936) 468-5406, or email April Smith, associate director of development, at alsmith@sfasu.edu. Reception tickets cost $150.

Kerry Whitsett, SFA marketing communications specialist, will be one of several professionals presenting at the City of Nacogdoches' social media conference, “Finding Your Tribe: How to Find and Cultivate Your Online Audience.” The conference will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 at The Fredonia Hotel.

This upbeat, fun training will teach the "nuts and bolts" behind social media content creation and help attendees find a unique voice.

Cost for the training is $60 and includes a workbook and meals. To register, click here.

For more information, contact Amy Mehaffey, City of Nacogdoches Main Street director, at mehaffeya@ci.nacogdoches.tx.us.

Bowling:

SFA - 2 vs. Sam Houston State University - 1

SFA - 2 vs. McKendree University - 1

Softball:

SFA - 10 vs. Texas Southern University - 1

SFA’s College of Fine Arts Dean’s Circle will recognize four students and the newest endowed professor during the presentation of the annual Dean’s Awards at 5:30 p.m. April 24 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

A distinguished panel of senior fine arts faculty members selected School of Art professor Piero Fenci as the Dean’s Circle Endowed Professor for 2019-22. The Dean’s Circle created the award in 2016 to recognize and honor those who “embody the qualities of the ideal professor that characterize all College of Fine Arts faculty members,” Himes said.

For more information about the Dean’s Circle, contact Dr. A.C. "Buddy" Himes, dean of the College of Fine Arts, at himesac@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-2801.

Dr. Abby Yeakle Held, adjunct professor of oboe, will present the recital program “Celebrating the Music of American Composers” at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Cole Concert Hall.

With a goal of presenting a program of only American repertoire, Held selected a "made-in-the-USA" theme featuring the music of William Grant Still, Samuel Barber, George Gershwin, Gian Carlo Menotti, Douglas Moore and Alyssa Morris. Performing with Held will be SFA collaborative pianist Hyun Ji Oh.

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.

Michelle White, senior curator at the Menil Collection in Houston, will serve as juror for the 25th Texas National, SFA’s acclaimed art competition and exhibition, which opens tomorrow and runs through June 9 in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Texas National features an assortment of art, including photography, painting, sculpture and mixed media, according to John Handley, director of SFA galleries. This year’s exhibition includes 50 pieces of art from across the nation.

White will give a gallery talk at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Cole Art Center, followed by the announcement of this year’s Texas National winners during the exhibitions’ opening reception, which begins at 6 p.m.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

SFA’s Percussion Ensemble will present “An Evening of Soloists” with guest artist Dr. Eric Willie at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, in Cole Concert Hall.

Dr. Brad Meyer, director of percussion studies in the School of Music, directs the ensemble. Willie is director of percussion studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The program includes “Duende” by Francisco Perez; “Xylophonia” by Joe Green, arranged by Bob Becker, with Ethan Ainsworth, soloist; “Marimba Spiritual” by Minoru Miki with Willie as soloist; “Dark Sky” by Dustin Schulze with Briley Patterson and D’Angelo Brackeen as featured performers; and “Bend” by Peter Martin.

Concert 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.

SFA’s Symphonic Band and the University Band will present “Poetic Lines” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in Cole Concert Hall.

Some selections on the program draw inspiration from artistic text, according to Chris Kaatz, assistant director of bands and director of the Symphonic Band.

Under the direction of graduate conducting student Gary Jones, the University Band will open the concert with “Arsenal” by Jan Van der Roost. Composed for the 50th anniversary of the ‘Harmonie van het Spoorwegarsenaal.’

The Symphonic Band’s portion of the program opens with David Maslanka’s “Mother Earth,” a “dark and brooding” piece inspired by a poem by St. Francis of Assisi.

The concert closes with John Philip Sousa’s “El Capitan,” a 6/8 march that was extracted from the composer’s operetta of the same name.

Concert 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.

If screen writer and artist Todd Alcott could “be a hero for just one day,” he would probably choose to be David Bowie.

Inspired by Bowie's songs, Alcott digitally alters the text and images of vintage paperbacks to create out-of-this-world comic book covers.

To see more, click here.