Olson Beal coauthored "Prior planning prevents poor performance: Even in a pandemic," which was recently published on EdPrepMatters, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education's online blog.

In this piece, the authors discuss how they provided valuable, worthwhile and innovative professional development for their preservice teachers and graduate students who are in-service teachers despite the myriad ways COVID-19 derailed the spring semester.

To read the article, click here.

Kefa Onchoke, professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Leslie Cecil, associate professor of anthropology; Josephine Taylor, professor of biology; Robert Friedfeld, associate professor of physics, engineering and astronomy; Wayne Weatherford, lab associate in the soil plant and water laboratory; and former research student Pressley Nicholson recently co-authored "Comprehensive Structural and Compositional Investigation of Maya Pottery Samples from Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala," which was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

In this work, the team used multipronged analytical techniques to investigate the elemental and major mineral crystalline phases of Maya pottery sherds from Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala in Central America. The investigation revealed the conservative nature of the technology and materials used in the preparation of pottery among the Maya people. The elemental analysis provides insight into the types of pottery and materials used by the Maya people of lowland Guatemala.

To read more, click here.

The SFA flag was lowered yesterday in honor of Leila Thompson, a social work graduate student from Kilgore, who passed away.

Our entire community is diminished by this loss. Contact the Office of the Dean of Students at (936) 468-7249 for more information.

SFA’s newest campus office, the Axe Handle, opened via soft launch in August and has since grown in scope and service. The office centralizes student services into one convenient location so that students, family members and alumni may call one number to receive information on the five areas the Axe Handle oversees: Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Business Office, Office of the Registrar, Student Success Center and Residence Life.

Additionally, the Axe Handle will launch a campus-wide chatbot during the month of February. Details will be announced at a later date.

To view a recap of the one-stop shop’s January call volume, click here.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs will discuss self-reflection, empowerment, community building and radical empathy during the first Brave Space Series of the spring semester.

Solo El Pueblo Salva Al Pueblo (Only the People Save the People) is a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to discuss how the power of the people can help overturn worldwide systems of oppression, as well as participate in activities that demonstrate the steps individuals can take in their own sphere of influence.

The workshop will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Multimedia Room. In-person attendance is limited, so participants also can join via Zoom.

To make accommodations, such as captioning, or to register, visit sfasu.edu/oma.

For more information, contact OMA at oma@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-1073.

The Faculty Senate Teaching Excellence Award application deadline for nontenure track faculty is Feb. 17.

The monetary award of $750 recognizes excellence in teaching by adjunct and other nontenure track faculty at SFA. Nontenure track faculty are encouraged to apply with the following materials:

• teaching philosophy

• curriculum vitae

• course evaluations (up to two years)

• a letter of support from your area supervisor

• two letters of support from SFA students

• and an optional item, including a letter from a colleague, evidence of teaching innovation, research related to teaching, etc.

Submit all materials in a PDF file labeled with your full name. Send applications to Dustin Joubert, Professional Welfare Committee chair and Faculty Senate member, at joubertd@sfasu.edu.

The Center for Career and Professional Development's Employer Connection Weeks are small, in-person recruiting events that end with a virtual career expo via Handshake. STEM Employer Connection Week is Monday through Friday, Feb. 8 through 12 and includes the following events:

Nursing: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Feb 8, at the DeWitt School of Nursing Complex (5707 North St.)

Physics engineering (mechanical and electrical): 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the Cole STEM Building, Room 103

Computer science (CIS, data analytics, IT and cybersecurity): 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Cole STEM Building, Room 103

Virtual Career Expo via Handshake: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12

Click here for a list of participating employers: In-Person, Virtual

Faculty and staff are encouraged to inform students about these events for internship or full-time job searches. All students can attend. Faculty members tracking their students’ attendance at these events must provide a class roster to CCPD.

For information on résumé assistance and the Career Closet, click here.

To learn more, contact Brandi Derouen, CCPD assistant director, at derouenb@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-3305.

How prepared are you for retirement? You’re invited to learn about securing your financial future through two sessions in February and March. Speakers include Amanda Daugherty, financial advisor of Harbor Financial, and Luke Britt, of Level Four Financial.

Sessions are offered in person and via Zoom, and registration is required for both. For event information, visit the Employee Wellness calendar of events.

“Like” the Employee Wellness Facebook page or complete an Employee Wellness participant profile to stay informed. For more information, contact Jessica Waguespack, Employee Wellness assistant director, at (936) 468-6056 or waguespaja@sfasu.edu.

Men's basketball:

SFA - 84 vs. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi - 75

Volleyball:

SFA - 3 vs. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi - 2

Rick Jones believes that working on plays like Jean Genet’s “The Maids” is “how you get better.”

“Any actor or director who isn’t a little scared of this play isn’t paying sufficient attention,” professor of theatre said of the final play he will direct before his retirement at the end of the academic year.

Jones describes “The Maids” as one of the most famous plays of theatre of the absurd. Like “No Exit,” which the School of Theatre presented in the fall, it was written in the mid-1940s and features a small cast; in this case, three women.

SFA’s School of Theatre will present Genet’s “The Maids” at 7:30 nightly Feb. 23 through 27 online and in-person in Kennedy Auditorium.

General tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and non-SFA students, $7.50 for faculty and staff, $7.50 for youth, $5 for SFA students, and $15 for virtual access. Live virtual access is available for all performances. Purchase tickets/access at boxoffice.sfasu.edu, or call (936) 468-6407.

Inspired by the House of Hackney's Artemis wallpaper, artists Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft turned the moody, yet striking floral pattern into a 3D work of art.

The project took weeks of crafting and building, with each unique flower designed in Illustrator and then built entirely by hand.

To see more, click here.