Two new housing incentives being offered this year by SFA are designed to help students graduate sooner and take on less debt.

Plans for a Spring Transfer Housing Allowance and a Summer Student Housing Rebate approved in January by the SFA Board of Regents are part of a larger university initiative to increase enrollment and semester credit hour production, which drive funding for state institutions of higher education.

More than 20 current SFA students already are taking advantage of the Spring Transfer Housing Allowance, which can be applied during the initial spring semester either to completely offset the cost of a lower-priced residence hall or significantly reduce the cost of a more expensive facility. To qualify for the one-time allowance, students must be transferring at least 45 credit hours to SFA, have at least a 2.5 GPA and enroll for at least 15 hours during the spring semester. This year’s Spring Transfer Housing Allowance totaled $2,034, which is equal to the current cost of living in one of the three lowest-priced residence halls.

The Summer Student Housing Rebate will allow students who reside on campus during the spring semester and complete at least nine hours across all summer terms (including Maymester) to have the cost of their summer housing rebated if they continue their residency through the fall. The rebate will be applied to the fall semester bill and will be equal to the amount paid for summer housing.

When Camille Schrier took the stage at the Miss America competition and performed “the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide” as her onstage talent, she had a specific goal – promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

Crowned Miss America 2020, Schrier continues to be a passionate STEM advocate and will serve as the featured speaker at the Women in STEM Luncheon and Style Show hosted by SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics at noon April 7 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

The luncheon and style show is a scholarship fundraising event benefiting students committed to the advancement of women pursuing STEM degrees at SFA.

Doors open at 11 a.m. for a gallery walk poster presentation highlighting STEM research accomplishments by SFA students and faculty. A style show will follow the luncheon.

The deadline for reservations is April 2. Tickets are $50 each or $350 for a table of eight. For tickets, visit sfasu.edu/womeninSTEM. For more information, email kdcarmona@sfasu.edu.

Human Resources will offer professional development trainings each month throughout the spring semester.

This month, training includes "HR 101" for administrative professionals, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Go to “Browse for Training” in myTraining for session details and registration.

The Office of International Programs will host the Cultural Experience to Costa Rica at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, in the Ferguson Building, Room 371.

The Cultural Experience is a presentation that allows SFA's international students to showcase their culture and daily living in their home country.

The event is open to the SFA and Nacogdoches communities.

Other presentations this semester include Grenada, Canada, Nigeria, Mexico and Pakistan.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs will host its fourth annual Women’s Empowerment Summit slated for March 20.

The OMA is opening a call for proposals from faculty, staff and students who are interested in presenting. Attendees include students, professional staff, community members and faculty from institutions across Texas.

The OMA is looking for sessions that discuss empowerment on professional development, education, etiquette, health, body image and more.

If you are interested in presenting during a breakout session, submit a proposal here.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, Feb. 14. You will be notified of your proposal acceptance status by Feb. 21.

For more information, contact Veronica Beavers, OMA director, at vbeavers@sfasu.edu.

SFA will host its fifth annual Darwin Day program from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, in Kennedy Auditorium with featured speaker Dr. Scott Egan presenting “Natural selection promotes the ‘Origin of the Species’ among populations of herbivorous insects.”

Darwin Day is an annual celebration of science held on or around the birthday of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin to commemorate his contributions to the understanding of biological sciences.

“Students interested in the sciences, or who simply have questions about the origin of life on Earth, occasionally have existential conflicts between the scientific truths of the natural world and what students have learned through their faith,” said Dr. Stephen Mullin, professor and chair of the Department of Biology. “This presentation provides yet another piece of evidence illustrating what science has taught us about the natural world.”

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mullin at (936) 468-3601 or sjmullin@sfasu.edu.

Faculty and staff are invited to attend the University Affairs Spring Professional Development Series.

Attend one or more of the following presentations:

"Recognizing Our Strengths, Dispelling the Apprehensions and Raising the Bar: A Transparent Conversation” will be presented by Dr. Michara Delaney-Fields, assistant dean of equity, diversity and inclusion, from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Multimedia Room.

Lissy Turner, Title IX compliance specialist, will moderate “Understanding the Experiences of LGBT Students: A Panel Discussion with SFA Students" from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 27 in the student center Multimedia Room.

“Ernie and Joe: Crisis Cops,” a film screening facilitated by Jill Milem, director of Counseling Services, is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. March 4 in the student center theater.

The final presentation will be “Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum,” presented by Dr. Michael Walker, associate professor of psychology, from noon to 1 p.m. April 8 in the student center Multimedia Room.

For more information, email Amy Roquemore at aroquemore@sfasu.edu.

Men's basketball:

SFA - 70 vs. Nicholls State University - 64

Women's basketball:

SFA - 78 vs. Nicholls State University - 61

SFA’s School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Satan and Adam” at 7 p.m. tonight in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

“Satan and Adam” chronicles the unlikely pairing of legendary one-man band Sterling "Mr. Satan" Magee and harmonica master Adam Gussow. Shot over 20 years, the film showcases one of the greatest blues duos.

For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

SFA’s School of Theatre will present scenes from the student-directed one-act play “The Disruptive, Discursive Delusions of Donald” at 7:30 p.m. tonight and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Downstage Theatre.

Richard Rogers, a senior theatre major from Kerrville, directs playwright Michael Roderick’s story of Donald, who is awakened in the middle of the night by two peculiar strangers who have the power to change his life, all depending on the color of his socks.

Faculty production advisor for the play is Rick Jones.

The play is recommended for mature audiences. Admission is $4. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407, or visit theatre.sfasu.edu.

Christina Guenther and Thomas Nixon, members of the music faculty at SFA, will present the program “Storytime: Literature-Inspired Music for Flute and Piano” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in Cole Concert Hall.

Guenther, professor of flute, and Nixon, collaborative pianist, will perform four works – two German and two French – spanning the 19th and early 20th centuries.

“The genesis of this concert stemmed from my wanting to play a concert with Thomas Nixon, who is newer to the School of Music (now in his second year) and is just a beautiful player,” Guenther said. “As we brainstormed some pieces we wanted to perform, the concept of literature-inspired music came together.”

Recital tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, 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.

Photographer Winnie Au’s series “Cone of Shame” turns once-pitiful looking pups into glamorous canine models.

Collaborating with costume designer Marie-Yan Morvan, Au created handcrafted cones to complement her models' body types, fur and personalities.

To wrap your head around more, click here.