Darst is featured in study.com’s 2022 Guide to Teaching and Education Scholarships. She offers advice to prospective teachers on choosing which subject and age group to teach, passing certification exams and more.

Breitbach was recently elected chair of the Society for Photographic Education's South Central chapter. Previously the treasurer for the chapter, Breitbach has been a member of SPE since 2013.

SPE is a professional organization for photographers, artists, educators, students, curators, critics and historians in the field of image making. The SPE South Central region includes Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Brewer was recently awarded the Bravo Award by SFA's Academic Assistance and Resource Center for her outstanding support of SFA students.

The next Faculty and Staff Breakfast is set for 7 to 9 a.m. tomorrow in the Eatery on East (formerly East College Dining Hall).

For a discounted price of $4 plus tax, faculty and staff are invited to enjoy breakfast while catching up with colleagues and making new campus contacts. Employees with a meal plan will receive a free swipe.

The monthly breakfast is sponsored by Chartwells Lumberjack Eats.

The SFA Art Academy is now offered for older students as well as elementary age students, according to Dr. Maggie Leysath, professor of art education in the School of Art.

The elementary art academy is open to ages 5 through 10 who will be in first through sixth grades during the 2022-23 school year. The secondary level art academy is for ages 11 through 17 and is for students entering seventh through 12th grades in the 2022-23 school year.

Fees include all art supplies, daily snacks and exhibition expenses. Registration closes June 3 or when all the spaces are filled. Fees received before June 1 are $200. After June 1, fees are $220. Fees also include lunch costs for the secondary students.

Registration for each academy may be accessed at the School of Art website under "Programs/Community." Space is limited. For more information, contact Leysath at leysathmn@sfasu.edu.

SFA's Office of Multicultural Affairs recognized 51 graduates of its Diversity and Inclusion Certification Program during a campus luncheon April 26.

Held annually, the program strives to engage and expose SFA faculty and staff to critical issues in diversity, multicultural education and social justice, as well as facilitate relationship building and learning opportunities across campus.

“This program is important because it lets faculty and staff navigate through and network about crucial issues on a variety of topics pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Veronica Beavers, OMA director. “In addition, the program’s graduates and participants have shown a commitment to enhancing their knowledge of DEI on campus. Many students have told me personally that seeing this commitment among faculty and staff is truly appreciated.”

The free program is open to all SFA faculty and staff. Participants may complete the workshops as a means to earn the certificate or may attend individual workshops based on professional interests or needs. To attain the certificate, participants must attend the foundations workshop and four elective workshops.

Inspired by ABC’s popular television show “Shark Tank” and a recent visit by one of its stars, Daymond John, the Rusche College of Business hosted the inaugural Lumberjack Entrepreneurship Competition April 22.

The competition, which was open to all SFA undergraduate and graduate students, drew 30 entries. They were narrowed down to six for the final competition.

“The competition was really fierce,” said Dr. Raymond Jones, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and strategy. “We ended up with six finalists when we couldn’t narrow down the entries to five, and we paired each of them with a mentor from the Nacogdoches area to help fine-tune their pitches for the competition.”

Contestants were judged on the market opportunities for their businesses as well as their situational awareness, pitches, business models and go-to-market strategies.

Dr. John Allen Hendricks, chair and professor of SFA's Department of Mass Communication, received the 2022 Broadcast Education Association’s Book Award for “Radio’s Second Century: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives” published by Rutgers University Press. He was presented the award in April at the BEA’s 2022 conference held in Las Vegas.

“‘Radio’s Second Century’ is the culmination of hard work of many talented radio and audio scholars, and I am very honored and humbled that BEA found the book worthy of the award this year — the year in which radio’s 100th anniversary was celebrated at the conference,” Hendricks said.

According to the BEA, the book contributes to the field of broadcasting and mass communication by bringing together top scholars to examine a variety of topics, including influences of on-air personalities, audience behavior, fan relationships, impact of social and digital media, regulatory challenges, and the cultural impact of radio, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Do you know any high school science teachers in East Texas who would like to improve their ability to deliver exciting classroom labs? If so, SFA’s summer 2022 workshops can help. The JacksTeach secondary science and mathematics teacher preparation program will offer three, one-week workshops on the SFA campus this summer focused on empowering high school teachers to deliver highly engaging lab experiences for their students. Each workshop is separate and runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Dates and subjects are:

June 13 through 17 – Biology/Life Sciences

June 13 through 17 – Physics

June 27 through July 1 – Chemistry

Dr. David Creech, professor emeritus of agriculture and director of SFA Gardens, will receive the 2022 Outstanding International Horticulturist Award from the American Society for Horticultural Science, recognizing his decades-long contributions to international horticultural science, education, research and outreach.

"Working internationally changes a person,” Creech said. “You suddenly realize there are like-minded souls in every culture — folks who love horticulture, crop production and new ways of doing things. The great joy is developing friendships that last a lifetime.”

Creech’s international research and collaboration spans more than four decades across 10 countries.

The 2022 Maymester Field Course in Photography is a faculty-led trip to Big Bend National Park. Some planned highlights of the trip include a kayak trip on the Rio Grande River, a “star party” at McDonald Observatory, a tour of Donald Judd and other artists’ works at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, and day hikes in the beautiful scenery of Big Bend.

Students will have opportunities to photograph in unique environments, visit art museums and cultural sites, and learn in a small group environment. This class is open to any enrolled SFA student, regardless of major, and there are no prerequisites. The $400 trip fee includes the cost of camping, food and admission fees to parks and tourism sites. Students must pay the fee before they can register for the class.

For more information, contact Amanda Breitbach, assistant professor of art, at breitbaca@sfasu.edu.

Faculty, staff and their families are invited to Family Fun Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at the Student Recreation Center outdoor pool and courtyard.

This free event will include information about swim lessons, youth summer camp, summer pool memberships and more. The event also will include live music by Tyler Dhone, food and swimming.

For more information, contact Jessica Waguespack, wellness assistant director, at (936) 468-6056 or waguespaja@sfasu.edu.

Certified massage therapists at the Student Recreation Center offer a variety of massage techniques, including Swedish, deep tissue, sports and chair massage.

Any SFA organization or department can host chair massages as an outreach event for students, faculty or staff. If you are interested in hosting chair massages at your location, complete the outreach interest form at least two weeks before the requested date.

Baseball

SFA - 2 vs. Abilene Christian University - 11

SFA - 9 vs. Abilene Christian University - 13

SFA - 4 vs. Abilene Christian University - 10

Softball

SFA - 2 vs. Sam Houston State University - 5

SFA - 2 vs. Sam Houston State University - 1

SFA - 3 vs. Sam Houston State University - 1

Baby animal alert!

Last week, the Bronx Zoo celebrated the arrival of a Matschie’s tree kangaroo, which was about the size of a human thumbnail at birth. The joey will emerge from the mother's pouch after about seven months.

Learn more about the endangered species.