Sawdust sum14 issuu2

S UM M ER 2 0 1 4 THE MAG AZINE OF T HE SFA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION & S TEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

CAMPUS NEWS

Dreams Come True

PHOTOS FROM THE BIG DANCE

Q&A: Alumni Director CRAIG TURNAGE ’00 & ’05

DreamWorks Animator

MEET ART GRAD BEHIND SUMMER MOVIE SUMMER 2014 i

CAMPUS NEWS

L UMBERJACKS MAKE GREAT A LUMNI WITH A R ECOR D NUMBER OF M AY GR ADUATES, SFA NOW H A S MOR E TH A N 10 0,0 0 0 LIVING ALUM NI. Our proud network of former students

represents the best of SFA – a family of spirited

teachers, journalists, nurses, artists, economists,

urban foresters and every other type of leader and

go-getters who have set the bar for excellence in

world-changer for 90 years.

management and everything in between.

Alumni Association, your commitment to the

globe, Lumberjacks have been making great

mater great.

countless areas from accounting to wildlife

Throughout Texas, our nation and around the

ii SAWDUST

Thank you for your membership in the

future of SFA and for helping make our alma

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

In the spirit of our ongoing marketing campaign, I might summarize these recent accolades by saying, “Lumberjacks make great basketball players, engineers, musicians and . . .

Lumberjacks!”

E ARE NEARING the end of SFA’s 90th anniversary year, and what a remarkable year it has been. In honor of this important milestone, our students committed themselves to completing at least 90,000 hours of service.

I am proud to share with you that the students exceeded their goal, logging 93,715 volunteer hours this academic year. Their work made a positive difference in the lives of countless others through projects undertaken as nearby as Nacogdoches parks and as far away as Romanian orphanages. The helping spirit of these Lumberjacks is inspiring, and I know you are as proud as I am of our alma mater’s growing service initiative.

During our anniversary year, we also launched the most comprehensive marketing campaign ever undertaken at SFA. You have probably seen our bold new ads on billboards, in malls, on social media and elsewhere in recent weeks. These “Lumberjacks Make Great . . . ” messages featuring the diversity of degree programs offered at SFA are the focus of our campaign. The research-based branding effort has been painstakingly designed to grow enrollment, increase positive perceptions of the university, help us recruit and retain more world-class faculty and staff members, reinforce internal pride in SFA, and motivate alumni and donors to invest in the university’s future. All of the ads feature our traditional SFA logo, which has been used by the university since 2004 and was formally adopted again by the Board of Regents in April.

As you will read and see in the pages of this issue of Sawdust, our students and faculty have given SFA alumni much to celebrate in recent weeks, beginning with the Lumberjacks’ unprecedented NCAA Tournament victory in San Diego, Calif., and a historic Ladyjack basketball season that culminated in a championship game appearance in the Women’s Basketball Invitational. SFA will offer its first degree program in engineering beginning this fall, cementing the university’s place as a leader in STEM education in the state of Texas. In addition, we recently learned that the Lumberjack Marching Band will participate in the 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Finally, the Sylvans Forestry Club earned the championship trophy for the second straight year at the annual Southern Forestry Conclave held in April in Virginia.

In the spirit of our ongoing marketing campaign, I might summarize these recent accolades by saying, “Lumberjacks make great basketball players, engineers, musicians and . . . Lumberjacks!”

Your continued loyalty and support of SFA help make these and so many other educational opportunities possible for current and future students. It has been a historic year for SFA, but I believe the best is yet to come.

Axe ’em, Jacks!

BOARD OF REGENTS Steve D. McCarty, Alto chair Dr. Scott H. Coleman, Houston vice chair Brigettee C. Henderson, Lufkin secretary David R. Alders, Nacogdoches John R. “Bob” Garrett, Tyler Barry E. Nelson, Dallas Kenton E. Schaefer, Brownsville Ralph C. Todd, Carthage Connie M. Ware, Marshall Kelsey Brown, Flower Mound student regent ADMINISTRATION Dr. Baker Pattillo president Dr. Richard Berry provost/vice president for academic affairs Danny Gallant vice president for finance and administration Jill Still vice president for university advancement Dr. Steve Westbrook vice president for university affairs MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS Shirley Luna executive director

Baker Pattillo ’65 & ’66 President, Stephen F. Austin State University

Donna Parish assistant director–creative Amy Roquemore assistant director–editorial Hardy Meredith university photographer

SUMMER 2014 1

CAMPUS NEWS

Summer 2014 • Volume 41, No. 2 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Craig Turnage ’00 & ’05 Executive Director of Alumni Relations EDITOR Amy Roquemore ’93 & ’12 Assistant Director-Editorial, University Marketing Communications ART DIRECTOR Rhonda Crim STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY is a comprehensive institution dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative work and service. Through the personal attention of our faculty and staff, we engage our students in a learner-centered environment and offer opportunities to prepare for the challenges of living in the global community.

The SFA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the alumni, friends and current students of Stephen F. Austin State University through programs, scholarships and activities that create an attitude of continued loyalty and support.

SAWDUST is published four times a year by the Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association and Stephen F. Austin State University. Full subscriptions are included in Alumni Association memberships. SFA alumni and friends receive complimentary issues twice a year.

CONTACT Sawdust P.O. Box 6096, SFA Station Nacogdoches, TX 75962 (936) 468-3407 • (800) 765-1534 alumni@sfasu.edu • sfaalumni.com SAWDUST ONLINE Read past issues, watch video extras, submit Class Notes and preview upcoming features: sfasu.edu/sawdust facebook.com/sfasawdust

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STEM DAY SFA students and faculty members constructed a Sierpinski pyramid in world-record time during SFA STEM Day in February. More than 400 area students and teachers attended the event, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. Participants also investigated black holes, looked at the science behind the spread of influenza, discovered the mathematics underlying music and the chemistry within cooking, and much more.

18 Q&A 12 Beetle Mania Gibson Entomarium dedicated

Craig Turnage, executive director, SFA Alumni Association

CONTENTS

6

FEATURES 6 ‘Let the River Run Wild’ LATEST BOOK FROM SFA PRESS DOCUMENTS NECHES RIVER

14 Dreams Come True

RELIVE THE LUMBERJACKS’ CINDERELLA STORY IN PHOTOS

20 How to Train an Animator SFA DEGREE LAUNCHES GRAD’S CAREER IN FEATURE FILMS

27 ’Jacks of All Trades Photo courtesy of SFA STEM Research and Learning Center

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20

ALUMNUS SERVING FIFTH TERM AS BRAZOS COUNTY SHERIFF

CAMPUS NEWS

ALUMNI NEWS

4 New Engineering Degree

18 Director Q&A

5 Faculty Advising

29 Alumni Networks

9 Vista Viewpoint

30 Scholarships

10 AARC Science Director

32 Class Notes

12 Gibson Entomarium

35 In Memoriam

13 Athletics

40 From the Archives

SUMMER 2014 3

CAMPUS NEWS

NEW ENGINEERING DEGREE

A NEW FOUR-YEAR engineering degree program to be offered by SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in April.

Beginning this fall, students will be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics with an emphasis in mechanical or electrical engineering at SFA. Graduates will be prepared to enter such diverse areas as mechanical controls, digital and analog electronics, instrumentation, robotics, and manufacturing process control.

“With opportunities for a student to major in any of the sciences, technology (computer science) and/ or mathematics, the SFA College of Sciences and Mathematics now adds to that list the opportunity for a student to major in engineering. Thus, SFA now offers degree opportunities in all of the STEM disciplines,” said Dr. Kimberly Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

“The educational objective at SFA is to address the needs of students as they prepare for diverse careers in the workforce,” she said. “For those students who have an interest in the physical sciences, engineering and mathematics and who are seeking innovative careers in high-tech areas where multiple engineering disciplines merge, this new engineering program is designed for them.”

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For decades, students in the pre-engineering program have expressed interest in remaining at SFA to complete their engineering degree, said Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA president.

“We are pleased to now have a program in place that will allow us to keep our pre-engineering students here at SFA to complete their four-year engineering degree,” he said. “This is something we have worked toward for many years, and we are excited about the opportunity it provides us to recruit and retain more STEM majors for the university.”

Local business and industry representatives have long expressed the need for such a program at SFA, as well.

“I am excited about the possibility of a local option for engineering education,” said Chad Robertson, president of the Piney Woods Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. “Currently, it can be a challenge to recruit and retain engineering graduates in the relatively rural East Texas area when many of the candidates are from and are accustomed to large metropolitan locations. I think SFA offering this degree program will have a positive impact on local industry.

Engineering and technical professionals are in high demand.”

Scott Thompson, manufacturing engineering manager for Lockheed Martin in Lufkin, agreed, saying the availability of a four-year engineering degree will benefit the region’s economy.

CAMPUS NEWS

“Engineers are generally the driving force behind innovations and improved productivity in industries,” he said. “The need for engineers is increasing in all industries as the complexity of computer and automation technology rises. Having a local source for engineering graduates or being able to send existing employees to improve their education would be an improvement over our current situation.”

The new program will be housed in SFA’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, chaired by Dr. Harry Downing. Dr. Dan Bruton will continue to serve as the department’s engineering adviser. A new electrical engineer and a mechanical engineer will be added to the department’s faculty soon, and this fall, six new engineering courses will be added to those currently being offered at SFA. The department will seek accreditation for the new degree from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

“The new engineering degree is the result of years of work by our faculty in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, and we are pleased to have reached the point where we can begin accepting students into this exciting program,” said Dr. Richard Berry, SFA provost and vice president for academic affairs. “With the decades-long success of the university’s pre-engineering program, the college is extremely well prepared to offer a degree program of the highest quality beginning in the very first semester.”

The new engineering degree further solidifies the university’s commitment to STEM education to help meet a critical need in Texas and the nation to prepare more college graduates in the high-demand fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Childs said.

“A vibrant STEM workforce is vital to America’s innovative capacity and global competiveness. As America launches a national campaign to widen the STEM pipeline, institutions of higher education must find ways to recruit, retain and graduate STEM majors who are academically prepared to enter STEM careers. Stephen F. Austin State University is leading this charge across the East Texas region.”

For more information about SFA’s new engineering program, visit engineering.sfasu.edu.

–AMY ROQUEMORE

FACULTY ADVISING > Is your computer vulnerable to viruses, hackers and identity thieves? Dr. David Cook, SFA associate professor of computer science, offers these helpful hints for keeping you and your computer safe and sound all summer.

ANTIVIRUS: Running Windows? There is an antivirus program built in – make sure it is enabled and automatically updating the “virus signatures.” Running a Mac? You still need something. Consider one of several free Mac anti-virus programs.

FIREWALL: Every PC (Mac and Windows) has a built-in firewall. If it is disabled – just like leaving the door to your house unlocked – anybody with a little experience can find a way inside.

UPDATES: Enabling automatic updates on your PC helps keep your programs and data safe. Yes – some programs ask you to update way too frequently – but it’s better than having all your emails stolen and posted on Facebook, right?

PARANOIA: Be suspicious of unsolicited emails, especially those asking for password info. Be wary of public WI-FI connections – with just a few freeware programs, someone can monitor every character you type. Be careful when you send your credit card numbers; be EXTREMELY PARANOID when you log onto banking sites.

PHYSICAL SECURITY: If left unsecured, your computer can be stolen in a matter of seconds. It takes just a little longer than that for the hard drive to be copied or replaced – and you’d never know it. If the financial and other personal information you keep on your machine were printed on paper, would you leave it open to public view? If the answer is “no” – protect it!

SUMMER 2014 5

CAMPUS NEWS

L E T

T H E

R I V E R

Photos courtesy of Adrian F. Van Dellen

By Tim Monzingo

6 SAWDUST

R U N

he serpentine length of the Neches River, which winds its way through hundreds of miles of East Texas from Van Zandt County to the Gulf Coast, has been documented for the first time in a new book published by the Stephen F. Austin State University Press. >

SUMMER 2014 7

ET THE RIVER Run Wild! Saving the Neches is the product of more than two years of collaborative work between photographer Adrian F. Van Dellen and SFA Professor Emeritus of English Dr. Francis E. Abernethy. The 152-page photographic odyssey of the river’s past, its environment and the efforts to preserve it is intended to inspire people to take a second glance at an often overlooked East Texas treasure.

Abernethy said he hopes the book will show people why the river is worth preserving, especially as organizations devoted to the river continue working to have it designated as a National Wild and Scenic River – a federal status that would protect it from development and preserve the surrounding habitat.

Though he grew up hunting and fishing along the Neches, Abernethy said helping put the book together meant seeing the river in a new way. By boat, he traveled the length of the river with Van Dellen, who previously wrote a book on paddling the Neches. Photos of the river are paired with GPS coordinates to allow others to easily find the landmarks pictured in the book.

The concept for a photo book about the river was born out of conflict. In 2007, the Texas Water Development Board proposed damming a section of the Neches to create a reservoir – an idea that garnered much criticism because it would flood some of the country’s rare hardwood forests, which border the river, and impact a number of historical areas.

Efforts by conservationists, private landowners and then-U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison succeeded in stopping the dam and creating the Neches River Wildlife Refuge. To further encourage the river’s preservation, SFA Press Director Kim Verhines said, copies are being donated to school libraries in communities along the length of the river.

The subject matter isn’t the only “first” accomplished with Let the River Run Wild. Verhines said the book is the first large, photo-centered project the SFA Press has produced.

“Everybody who’s looked at it has been amazed,” Verhines said.

Copies of the book are available from Barnes & Noble bookstore on campus, barnesandnoble.com, the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau and Amazon.com.

CAMPUS NEWS

W

VISTA VIEWPOINT

HEN I FIRST came to SFA in 2004, I was desperately homesick and yearned to live in the “big city” again. Back then, I was a bona fide city girl and considered Nacogdoches a tiny, torturous land with a lack of decent shopping and a nonexistent nightlife.

I almost became a statistic – one of those freshmen who give up plans for higher education out of town in exchange for the familiarity of home. Luckily, God had different plans for me, and getting accepted to the Student Activities Association convinced me to give SFA another shot. Little did I know, that organization would introduce me to people I am now privileged to call lifelong friends and spark an indescribable pride for the university.

After getting involved in SAA, I started taking classes in my major and formed more special bonds in my small classes.

By my senior year, I didn’t want to leave. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to for long.

After recruiting my boyfriend (now husband) to attend SFA with me, we graduated, started our careers and bought our first home in Nacogdoches. I went to work for SFA, and my colleagues became my second family. My husband and I stayed very involved in the university, and the tight-knit community made us feel right at home. It’s a feeling I now realize is a rare gift.

No doubt, Nacogdoches was good to us. It’s easy to see why so many SFA students stay and raise their families there and why so many people who move on end up wishing they’d never left. There’s just something almost magical about that place in the Piney Woods, and I think so much of that magic can be attributed to SFA. After living in Nacogdoches for nine years—all of my adult life—my husband recently took a job in Central Texas, and we decided to leave behind the community we had grown to love so much. Though it was bittersweet, I was excited to live in a place where we had enjoyed many vacations, dreaming it would be like an endless summer in another college town. An easy transition, I thought.

Now, a year later, I live one exit down from the biggest outlet mall in Texas, in the midst of a foodie paradise and just a quick jog from two major metropolitan cities. But, you

By Kayli Head

guessed it – I am desperately homesick for the Oldest Town in Texas. I long for the days when the biggest traffic jam was on North Street during move-in weekend, and I could see the beautiful campus from my bedroom window. I miss our potluck dinners and knowing everyone I ran into around town. I don’t believe there is an ounce of city girl left in me.

Living in another college town also has given me a heavy dose of perspective and helped me to appreciate all the unique and charming characteristics about SFA that I took for granted as a student. What SFA lacks in size – at least compared to the college in my new town – it makes up for in heart.

I was fortunate to get a dose of renewed Lumberjack Spirit when the ’Jacks basketball team made alumni everywhere proud at the NCAA Tournament. The Austin watch party reunited us with long lost friends, and as the restaurant erupted in deafening cheers from these passionate Lumberjack fans, my heart was warmed, and it felt like home.

My SFA experience, both as a student and a staff member, deeply impacted my life. It’s something so hard to describe to others, yet all Lumberjacks understand. Through my years as a writer in the Office of Public Affairs, I had the privilege of interviewing dozens of SFA alumni for this very magazine.

Most of their stories had a common thread – their years at SFA were among the best of their lives. Now that I am apart from my alma mater, my emotional ties are even stronger, my love for SFA is deeper and my appreciation for that special place has multiplied 10-fold. The Lumberjack spirit still burns in my soul, and, as with all great loves, distance has only made my heart grow fonder.

KAYLI HEAD ’08 Main Street Coordinator, City of San Marcos

SUMMER 2014 9

Kerron Joseph ’09, a native of Trinidad, is now a program director in the AARC where he once worked as a peer tutor.

Joseph and the AARC: Grad now directing science program

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO say what direction Kerron Joseph’s life would have taken if he’d gone to college where he originally planned. But the Trinidadian’s academic and professional course veered onto a much different, unexplored path just before he came to the U.S. When Joseph was finishing up high school in 2006, he had his sights – and scholarships – trained on St. John’s University in the concrete jungle of New York City. So when SFA’s director of international programs visited him, it took some fast talking to convince him to pay a visit to the Piney Woods of East Texas. He was skeptical but also curious. He’d been to the Big Apple before, but never to the Lone Star State. On a whim, he took the director up on his offer.

Joseph, who is now the science program director in the university’s award-winning Academic Assistance and Resource Center, recalls how on that initial trip to SFA, made beneath the broiling August sun, he was struck by how different Nacogdoches was from New York City – and not just the weather. Things moved a lot more slowly here. And then there were the people. “I met friendly people from day one,” Joseph said. “That, for me, said something about the place.”

It was said loudly enough that Joseph decided to shed his prospective education at St. John’s University in favor of one at SFA. He enrolled and soon took a job on campus as a student tutor with the AARC. AARC Director M.E. McWilliams said that as a student employee, Joesph managed to get certifications and training that were beyond the abilities of most of

10 SAWDUST

his tutoring peers. The young East Texas transplant’s passion for education was beginning to bloom. What’s more, he was good at it. “He distinguished himself,” she recalled. “We knew he loved what he did.”

In 2009, Joseph completed his Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a minor in finance and took a position teaching math in Nacogdoches ISD, where he was tasked with working with at-risk students. “The students had either given up or just didn’t think they could do it,” Joseph said of the young people he taught.

“We’re talking about students other people had written off.”

In a Hollywood-esque turn, Joseph proved up to the challenge. His students earned a 100-percent pass rate on state-mandated tests, though he says the students deserve the credit for that success. “I invested a lot of time, but they responded,” said Joseph, who completed his master’s degree in education at SFA while working for NISD. “It was always about challenging them.”

After three and a half years with the school district, the AARC was undergoing some program changes, and Joseph heard about the opportunity to return to his alma mater to work as a director. The decision to leave his students wasn’t an easy one. But, in the end, he said he applied the same logic to that problem as he had to those he solved with his students – the same he used when he decided to attend SFA in the first place.

“It was a tough decision to leave, but I see it as another opportunity to challenge myself. It’s what I’d been asking my students to do all along.”

He accepted the position of AARC science program director in October 2013 and immediately began addressing some of the challenges there, McWilliams said. He brought a quantitative approach to problemsolving that had been lacking before. Now the center has tangible, measurable information it can use to better train tutors, help students, address challenges and leverage successes. It’s an approach to problems that could have benefited any number of private businesses or other state institutions.

“He could have done many things, but he chose to do this,” McWilliams said. “That’s one of the things that sets SFA apart from many other universities – how many people come back. We like to bring SFA people back.”

Though being a program director is different from working hands-on with students, Joseph said he’s enjoying the new challenge. His experience as a former SFA student and student instructor for the AARC is something he continues to draw on to further the center’s work.

The reason he chose to return to SFA is simple, Joseph said. “I enjoy teaching. I enjoy seeing that lightbulb moment when students finally understand something. I enjoy answering the question, ‘Why am I going to use this in real life?’”

–TIM MONZINGO

WORK SPACE 3

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What you’ll find in . . . University Photographer Hardy Meredith’s office: 1. A striped scarf that was given to Meredith by members of the SFA soccer team in appreciation of all the game and portrait photography he has provided for them through the years.

2. The editing station where student assistants spend hours helping Meredith edit and file the thousands of SFA images he captures every year.

3. A beloved series of portraits Meredith began taking of the men in his family in 1975. The first depicts Meredith’s grandfather holding a photo of his great-grandfather. Other images show the photographer, his dad and his three sons (Hardy, Heath and Blake) each holding photos of their forefathers.

4. An autographed copy of Stephen F. Austin State University Jacks: Images of Sports, a book of photos chronicling the history of SFA athletics, which Meredith produced with the late Dr. Archie P. McDonald in 2009.

5. “Best of Cox Newspapers” awards received during his 13-year tenure as staff

photographer at The Daily Sentinel. The award for sports photography resulted from an image he took of a rodeo bull ride at the Nacogdoches Jaycees Rodeo, and the award for news photography honored a photo he took of Nacogdoches police officers arresting an assault suspect.

11. A plaque given to the photographer in 1990 by the Nacogdoches Police Department in appreciation of his support of the Criminal Investigation Unit’s Neighborhood Enforcement Division.

6. A faded photo of Meredith’s mother, Hannah JoAnn, taken when she was 16.

12. The vest Meredith wore daily until the onset of digital photography eliminated his need for numerous pockets to hold 35 mm film canisters.

7. A collection of vintage cameras, including the popular Brownie manufactured by Eastman Kodak. Meredith learned to take pictures on a Brownie.

13. A 1975 “Photographer of the Year” trophy recognizing his work on the Angleton High School yearbook staff where he served as chief photographer.

8. The large clock that once hung in the basement darkroom of the Rusk Building where countless SFA journalism and photojournalism students, including Meredith, learned to process film and photos.

14. A collage that includes images from Meredith’s favorite movie, Lonesome Dove, and his own photographs of a herd of buffalo that roams near his family’s farm in San Augustine.

9. The SFA ring Meredith received when he was named “Mystery Dipper” for the SFA Alumni Association’s fall 2012 Big Dip ceremony.

15. A painted axe handle, a gift from his oldest son, Hardy Christopher Meredith ’04, and a baseball bat the elder used in high school.

10. The gavel Meredith used as SFA Rodeo Club president in 1980 and 1981.

Meredith

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CAMPUS ATHLETICSNEWS

’JACK TALK Admissions received letters from kids

all over the nation

wanting SFA stuff because they saw @SFA_MBB in the NCAA tournament! #couldntsayno

Amanda Sellman @sellmanad Twitter

Way to fight for the victory

#SFA #Lumberjacks!!!

12 seed beats a 5 . . .

Keeping the streak alive!

Gov. Rick Perry @GovernorPerry Twitter

#tbt At the time our

current graduating seniors were born,

the cordless phone was becoming more common.

A nice way to stay in touch (up to 50 feet from the charging station).

SFA Alumni Association Facebook

LOOK WHO’S MARCHING IN Macy’s

Parade

in

New York City on Thanksgiving 2015!! So proud of the

Lumberjack Marching Band!!

Sawdust Facebook

We’re so excited that we’re about to go SOLAR at the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building!

A huge thank you to GREEN MOUNTAIN ENERGY SUN CLUB

for choosing SFA Gardens

as a grant recipient!

SFA Gardens Facebook

This is a song about

inviting somebody into your life,

and you folks have

certainly done that for me . . .

Grammy Award-Winning Artist Lyle Lovett Archie McDonald Speaker Series at SFA

12 12 SAWDUST SAWDUST

Scarab beetles: Plusiotis gloriosa (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae)

BEETLE MANIA

DR. WILLIAM GIBSON began teaching at SFA in 1962 and designed the invertebrate natural history collection space for the E.L. Miller Science Building, which was constructed in 1964. Since that time, Gibson and his colleagues and students have combined their efforts to build what is now one of the largest collections of invertebrates in Texas. Named for the retired professor, the William W. Gibson Entomarium contains specimens numbering in the hundreds of thousands and contributes significantly to the research and educational mission of SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics.

Former students, colleagues and friends of Gibson were on hand to congratulate him at a recent dedication. The collection, located on the second floor of the Miller Science Building, includes a variety of specialized sections and particularly highlights Gibson’s important contributions to the understanding of the large beetle family Scarabaeidae. Gibson is one of the few nationally recognized specialists who can identify specimens of this family, and he has bestowed a large, invaluable collection of these beetles to the university.

A number of former students also have added specimens from their world travels to the collection through the years. Recently, Herbert A. Pase III ’68 & ’71 donated a large collection of insect specimens he obtained in Thailand while serving in the military in 1969.

For more than 40 years, Gibson was the faculty sponsor for the SFA Biology Club. One of the earliest faculty members to receive the SFA Distinguished Professor Award in 1974, he is fondly remembered by students for his energy and enthusiasm in the classroom and his ability to communicate about nature’s wonders. Gibson retired after 49 years of service to SFA and the biological sciences, but former students still visit the entomarium often to reminisce about their experiences in his classes.

For more information about the William W. Gibson Entomarium, contact Dr. Dan Bennett, assistant professor of biology, at (936) 468-2347.

ATHLETICS

Highlights TRACK AND FIELD

THE 2014 SFA track and field season showed once again that SFA is the premier program in the Southland Conference.

Despite the Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks not winning a conference title as a team, a handful of individuals proved to be the best in the league, logging some of the best performances and holding some of the top marks in the nation. The women finished second at the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships and took third at the indoor meet, ending their streak of five straight years of title sweeps. On the men’s side, the Lumberjacks finished second in both indoor and outdoor.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

THE LADYJACKS RETURNED to their traditional winning ways this season, earning a share of the Southland Conference Championship. Coach Brandon Schneider’s group went 13-5 in conference play to win SFA’s first conference title since 2010.

It was a historic season for the women as they became the first team in the program’s long, storied history to win three games in a postseason tournament,

reaching the championship game of the Women’s Basketball Invitational. SFA dominated Texas State and Boise State to advance to the semifinals and defeated College of Charleston on the road before falling at Illinois-Chicago in the championship game.

Senior pitcher Carlie Thomas was named an All-Southland Conference second team member, ranking among the league leaders in strikeouts, ERA and shutouts. Junior first baseman Shalie Day was named to the first team All-Southland Conference for her performance this season, and senior Cadie Weaver was named second team All-Southland Conference as a utility player.

SOFTBALL

THE LADYJACK SOFTBALL team got hot down the stretch, winning six of the last seven games to close the regular season and qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2010.

SFA climbed up the conference standings during the final two weeks of the season, rising from seventh to fourth place.

At the tournament, the Ladyjacks opened with a one-run loss to Houston Baptist and nearly pulled their way out of the losers’ bracket. A 5-0 shutout by senior pitcher Carlie Thomas set up a game against rival Sam Houston State, which SFA won 8-6.

The preseason favorite McNeese State Cowgirls ended SFA’s season in the semifinals, and the Ladyjacks finished the year 26-27.

GOLF

BOTH THE SFA men’s and women’s golf teams concluded memorable seasons, making strong showings this spring. The women placed fifth at the SLC Championships, the team’s best finish in program history. Freshman Piper Kyle tied for third en route to being named a second team All-SLC selection – the first in Ladyjack history. The Lumberjacks won the UIW James Litz Memorial in March with junior Blake Pugh winning the individual title. The SFA men tied for third at the SLC Championships in April, their best showing since 2003, and three Lumberjacks were named All-SLC.

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CAMPUS NEWS

DREAMS COME TRUE

14 SAWDUST

ABOVE Players fight to hold back emotions on the sideline as the round-three game against UCLA slips from their grasp.

RIGHT The Bruins’ size played a big role in their 77-60 win over the Lumberjacks in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, marking SFA’s first lost since Nov. 23.

FAR right Hundreds of SFA students, faculty and staff members, and other fans gather in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Plaza to celebrate the historic season and welcome the Lumberjacks back to campus.

BELOW Lumberjack mascot Blake Taylor celebrates with the fans after an SFA basket during the NCAA Tournament.

Visit sfasu.edu/photos to purchase these and other images.

he 2013-14 Lumberjack basketball season was one for the ages: 32 wins (29 consecutive), the most in a single season in program history; one of only three teams in the country to go undefeated in conference play; and the longest (still active) home winning streak in the nation with 33 consecutive victories in William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Lumberjacks’ dream season was punctuated with an epic, come-from-behind, overtime victory against the heavily favored team from Virginia Commonwealth University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in March, our first-ever win at the Big Dance. Capturing the hearts of basketball fans all over the country, the Lumberjacks gave SFA alumni a March we will never forget and showed underdogs everywhere that even our biggest dreams can come true.

SUMMER 2014 15

ALUMNI NEWS

Watch:

16 SAWDUST

Visit sfasu.edu/dreambig to view video story extras.

Senior Desmond Haymon puts up a now-famous free throw that capped off a four-point play tying the VCU game at 67-67 and forcing overtime. The ’Jacks went on to win 77-75 and advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

SUMMER 2014 17

ALUMNI NEWS

opportunities. As TAG members, students are given discounts on merchandise at local bookstores and receive complimentary gifts available only to members.

Photo by Robin Johnson

Sawdust visited with Craig Turnage ’00 & ’05, who was named executive director of alumni relations in March after working more than five years with the SFA Office of Development. In addition to directing the daily operations of the alumni office, Turnage oversees myriad SFA Alumni Association programs and services designed to enhance the long-term relationship between SFA and alumni, students, the faculty and staff, and the community.

Why should alumni get involved in the SFA Alumni Association?

It’s simple: we join the alumni association to give back to our alma mater. Whether it was a scholarship that allowed us to pursue higher education, a special professor who taught us an important skill or life lesson, or a lifelong friendship we made at college, we are who we are today because of SFA. And as alumni, we need to repay those gifts so that others can experience the same life-changing benefits that we did.

Besides paying dues, how can alumni support the association and SFA? Be proud! Wear SFA gear, donate to scholarships, host a networking event, mentor students, attend athletic events and Homecoming, engage with us on social media, join a committee, volunteer at an event – just get involved in any way possible. If you need help figuring out the best way to serve, please contact the alumni office.

What do you see as the role of the association as it relates to current students?

It is important that we engage students while they are here on campus. We have a program called TAG (Tomorrow’s Alumni Generation) that adds value to current students’ education through activities and networking

18 SAWDUST

What can alumni do to help attract topquality students to SFA? The SFA Office of Admissions welcomes referrals of prospective students from alumni. Friends and family members of high school students can visit their office to request “Recruit a ’Jack” cards that the students can fill out. The information is used by the admissions staff to communicate with the prospects about academic programs, traditions, and the processes of applying and enrolling at SFA.

Is there anything new in the works for Homecoming 2014?

Yes! With the unfortunate closing of Hotel Fredonia, many of the activities we have held there in the past will have to be moved. We are looking for new Homecoming partners while working to make this the best SFA Homecoming ever! We will update the alumni association’s website often as activities are scheduled, so check online for the latest information.

What are your favorite SFA traditions?

My favorite traditions are the SFA Ring and Big Dip Ceremony. These traditions started after I graduated and have been growing ever since. This year, we had a record-breaking 355 students participate in the SFA Ring program and 322 students participate in the Big Dip. This is a fantastic tradition, which really helps to solidify the bond between graduating students and our university.

Tell us about your immediate family.

Tonya, my wife of 15 years, and I met at SFA. She graduated with the Class of 1999 with her bachelor’s degree in education and has worked in education for 14 years.

She is currently employed as a curriculum specialist for Nacogdoches ISD. Our sons, Brandon, 11, and Preston, 8, attend Central Heights ISD and are active in sports.

My parents, Marthea Turnage, who worked for SFA for 30 years, and Floyd Turnage both live in Nacogdoches.

Share something about yourself that few people know.

I have an extensive collection of old soda pop memorabilia, as well as other antique items such as an old barber’s chair, a Sonic drive-in stall, a coke machine and lots of other vintage stuff. Also, I really enjoy motorsports, specifically NASCAR, NHRA Drag Racing and INDY Car.

FROM THE ASSOCIATION

T

HE SFA ALUMNI Association, in partnership with the university’s advancement office, is taking the lead in an exciting new initiative to build better connections with our alumni and friends, and we need your help to succeed. This effort will help SFA realize its full potential while also personally rewarding you, our association members.

If you are like me, in the past, you may have considered the primary function of the association to be raising money for scholarships. But what if we changed our thinking so that our success was not only gauged by specific projects, activities or fundraising efforts but also by the level at which our university and the association are engaged with SFA alumni and friends? In this model, growth would not be a goal unto itself but would instead be the result of strengthened relationships that promise to benefit the association, our alumni, and the university for years to come. These connections also could serve as our guide for the creation of new programs and/or the phasing out of some that may no longer be fruitful. We think this approach would better serve everyone, but we will need patience and creativity to fully adopt this new mindset.

As proud Lumberjacks, we also can all do more to communicate to our alumni and other stakeholders about the ways in which SFA is making us proud. This includes sharing information about traditions, new facilities, fundraising initiatives, athletic successes, academic programs such as the new engineering degree, and student successes such as the Lumberjack Marching Band’s invitation to participate in the 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Whether you read about SFA’s progress in Sawdust or hear about it elsewhere, don’t keep it to yourself – share the good news with others!

This spring, the association board welcomed Craig Turnage as our new executive director of alumni relations. He has hit the ground running, and his enthusiasm is contagious! We would like to offer a warm welcome to two new staff members, accountant Hannah Franks and scholarship coordinator Amie Morton.

The board members, past and present, also deserve our thanks for their commitment to service.

These dedicated Lumberjacks, along with countless others, have worked to further the association’s mission, which, at its core, is simply to grow Lumberjacks. We do that through engaging with our network of spirited alumni and friends, recruiting students, providing scholarships, partnering with SFA to further university-wide initiatives, renewing old friendships, and forming new ones.

The SFA Alumni Association Board of Directors has already begun defining new paths and timelines to help us strengthen our relationships and re-examine our priorities. We welcome your feedback on how we can best accomplish our new goals. Please contact us at alumni@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-3407 if you are willing to help lead this effort by serving on a committee. You, too, can grow Lumberjacks and help our university, and you can have a great and meaningful time serving the SFA family, as well!

We welcome your feedback on how we can best accomplish our new goals.

“Lumberjacks Make Great Alumni!”

SFA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Mike Harbordt ’63, Nacogdoches president Karen Gantt ’95, McKinney president-elect Curtis Sparks ’85, Tyler past president ASSOCIATION BOARD Charlotte Ashcraft ’80, Nacogdoches Don Cox ’71 & ’76, Nacogdoches Robin Dawley ’77, Nacogdoches Bob Francis ’78, Jacksonville Doris Havard, Nacogdoches James Hawkins ’83, Silsbee Ron Hunt ’91 & ’94, McKinney David Madrid ’02, Nacogdoches Justin McFaul ’04, Longview Phillip Scherrer ’99, Frisco Erika Tolar ’02, Spring Steve Whitbeck ’75, Nacogdoches Bob Williams ’70, Dallas Chris Woelfel ’95, Kingwood SFA ALUMNI FOUNDATION GOVERNORS Curtis Sparks ’85, Tyler - chairman Lewie Byers, Rusk ’68 Ford Cartwright, Lufkin ’69 Rick Couvillon, Houston ’85 Shirley Crawford, Henderson ’58 & ’70 Stephen Greak, Lufkin ’92 James Hamilton, Porter ’77 Bill Roberds, Dallas ’75 Mike Harbordt ’63, Nacogdoches ASSOCIATION STAFF Craig Turnage ’00 & ’05 executive director of alumni relations Katy Crawford assistant to the executive director of alumni relations Samantha Mora ’08 director of events and engagement Alicia Roland Chatman gifts and records specialist

Mike Harbordt ’63 President, SFA Alumni Association

Amie Morton ’09 & ’11 scholarship coordinator Derek Snyder ’01 communications and marketing coordinator Hannah Franks ’13 accountant

SUMMER 2014 19

ATHLETICS

By Daniel P. Smith

20 SAWDUST Photos courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

W

HETHER SITTING IN a movie theater with his professional colleagues, his family or complete strangers, David Polk ’01 plans to relish the response of audiences to How to Train Your Dragon 2, the DreamWorks Animation feature film dropping onto the big screen this summer.

A background character and cycles animator with DreamWorks, Polk helped construct the Dragon sequel’s excitement and emotional beat with an array of visual effects. Polk calls the opportunity to see theatergoers’ responses firsthand “the real thrill” of his professional work.

“It’s amazing to think that the stuff I’ve touched goes on the screen and then travels around the world,” the 36-year-old says.

Of course, Polk’s journey from the laid-back vibe of East Texas to the glitz and glam of Hollywood did not happen by accident. Landing at DreamWorks, the awardwinning creative force behind animated blockbusters like Shrek and Madagascar, stands testament to Polk’s curious mind, consistent self-discovery and commitment to his craft. > > >

SUMMER 2014 21

native of Lufkin, Texas, the 36,000-resident city just south of Nacogdoches, Polk arrived at SFA in 1997 as a skilled young artist eager to explore professional opportunities where he could make the most of his artistic talents.

Rather than choosing pastels and paintbrushes, Polk made the strategic decision to study computer graphics, believing that websites, films and other computerdriven works would offer the best employment opportunities in an increasingly digital world.

As an SFA undergrad in 1999, Polk began an intense, four-semester course with veteran art professor Dr. Michael Roach, an experience that allowed Polk to focus on illustrative and interactive media. At the time, the new Star Wars film and Disney’s Toy Story had pioneered the still-evolving field of 3D animation, sparking the interest of hopeful animators across the country, including Polk.

22 SAWDUST

“It was pretty mind-blowing stuff,” Polk says. “There was a lot of excitement about the fact that all of a film’s characters would be visual characters with voice actors.”

Though SFA had 3D animation software packages and Polk recalls one classmate “diving in and beginning modeling work,” the school had no structured format for teaching the novel field at the time. Even so, that modest introduction piqued Polk’s interest and allowed him to see the blossoming merger of animation and computers.

“Dr. Roach introduced us to a professional world out there I wanted to know more about, and that was the springboard for me wanting to pursue 3D animation,” Polk said.

Following his graduation from SFA in 2001, Polk picked up computer graphics gigs around Lufkin before discovering Animation Mentor, the world’s premier online academy for animators. For 18 months with Animation Mentor, Polk developed his knowledge of 3D animation and sharpened his craft.

Then, he earned his first big break: an apprenticeship opportunity with Rhythm & Hues in Los Angeles, an Oscar-winning character animation and visual effects studio for feature films, commercials and theme parks.

He left Lufkin and headed for Hollywood.

During an intense one-month run with Rhythm & Hues, Polk worked alongside the firm’s animation director and quickly learned that his performance was a trial run capable of driving or derailing his professional ambitions – and he was determined to seize the opportunity.

“This was a real-world situation with no do-overs.

You had to perform under pressure and take advantage of the shot you were given,” Polk said. “If (Rhythm & Hues) liked you, they hired you.”

Polk impressed and, in 2007, Rhythm & Hues tabbed him to work on the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie franchise. He returned to Texas for one month before packing his things and heading back to L.A., a process as exciting as it was overwhelming, Polk remembers.

“Everything seemed to be happening so fast, but here I was getting a chance to work on something I knew and recognized from my childhood,” says Polk, who remembers listening to Chipmunks’ albums in his grandparents’ home as a child. “I knew I wanted to make the most of this new opportunity.”

The deeper Polk ventured into the world of 3D animation, the more intrigued and invested he became in the form’s possibilities. Long admiring the artistic side of character animation, he began to appreciate how other performance-enhancing details, such as motion and sound, cultivate a more dynamic on-screen performance.

“I learned how rewarding it was to pull out the nuances to create more emotional energy, and that motivated me to do more,” Polk said.

Following his work on Chipmunks, Polk lent his animation talents to a range of projects, such as the popular Resident Evil 5 video game, as well as addition-

SUMMER 2014 23

My journey here

certainly hasn’t been a straight line. It’s been a consistent process of discovery, and each experience has served as a springboard to the next.”

24 SAWDUST

al films, including G-Force, Arthur Christmas and Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas.

In 2012, buoyed by the fateful mixture of timing and talent, Polk received a career-altering call. From hundreds of candidates, he had landed a position with DreamWorks, a giant force in the animation world.

“Once you get inside and see what goes on, how many people are jockeying for an open position, you see it’s a big deal to get through that door and find a spot (with DreamWorks),” Polk says. “Everything came together at the same time for me, and I’m grateful for that.”

Polk joined DreamWorks’ crowd animation department, a unit charged with creating the motions and actions that fill a scene. He began working on the film Turbo. After a few months, he gained his next assignment: the sequel of How to Train Your Dragon, the wildly popular film that follows a Viking teen’s quest to become a dragon slayer.

For Polk, it was the next step on his professional journey – and easily the largest.

“There’s no denying (Dragon) was the biggest project I had been fortunate enough to work on,” he says.

“When you fight for so long in this industry, it’s fun when you get to work on the big projects you know will be seen by millions of people. That’s energizing stuff.”

With How to Train Your Dragon 2 now complete, Polk turns his attention to another heralded DreamWorks hit, Kung Fu Panda. The third installment of that celebrated film franchise is set to hit theaters in late 2015.

Thereafter, Polk does not know what his future holds in a competitive industry as filled with the glamour of red-carpet events as it is with the grit of grueling 60hour workweeks. Unlike other professional fields with defined advancement tracks, Polk says animation has no set path. While some animators hope to work on large commercial projects at major studios, others

aspire to be directors or production supervisors. Some, meanwhile, have visions of establishing their own studio.

“My journey here certainly hasn’t been a straight line. It’s been a consistent process of discovery, and each experience has served as a springboard to the next,” he says. “Ultimately, I just want to continue to make great films, whether it be as an animator, a supervising animator or even a director.”

And that’s a mission that will continually return Polk to theaters, where he can sit alongside audiences and know he’s touched work that entertains.

“To see people laughing and enjoying something that you helped create is exactly why you do this in the first place.”

SUMMER 2014 25

ALUMNI ESSAY

N SELECTION SUNDAY, I’m pretty sure I heard voices.

The CBS broadcasters were announcing the details of the bracket, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

The voices were telling me I needed to go to San Diego for the game against VCU. It was subtle, but something told me if I didn’t go, I would regret it. I’m so glad I listened. Our boys had earned their spot in the tournament, and there was no way I was not going to be present to let them know that this Lumberjack supports them 100 percent. Even if I were just one more purple-shirt-wearing fan in the stands, I was going to be there to cheer on our team and university. Once I got the green light from my wife, also an alum, I was on my way.

I departed Houston at 9 p.m. Thursday, caught a connecting flight in Phoenix and landed in San Diego at midnight, local time (2 a.m. for me). A short cab ride later, I was in the hotel and fidgeting in my bed like a child on Christmas Eve. I arrived at Viejas Arena at 2:30 p.m. Friday, and it was only then that I got nervous. I’d been in San Diego for less than 24 hours after catching a one-way flight halfway across the country, and I didn’t even have a ticket to the game yet. A one-way flight, you ask?

You bet. We weren’t expected to beat VCU, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t. I needed to leave my schedule open.

The ticket search was rough. I had $100 cash in my pocket, and scalpers were asking $250 for tickets. Five minutes before tipoff, I was about to break down and hit the nearby ATM, but then I encountered a young man who was trying to sell a lone ticket. “$150,” he said. “Man, all I have is 80 bucks,” I told him.

He said he couldn’t do it. I pleaded my case: “I’m here all the way from Texas! I’m here to see my underdog school in this game right now. I spent my cash on taxis today, and all I have is $80.”

In what I assume was a moment of weakness on this guy’s part, he agreed, and I was grateful. A sigh of relief. I was in. I spotted across the arena, in section Q, a small ocean of purple. Maybe not a small ocean. Maybe a bay or gulf. But there they were – fellow Lumberjacks. And they were cheering their hearts out.

Everyone knows what happened on Friday. I’m no sports writer, so recapping the game here isn’t necessary. But let me tell you, in case whatever television you were watching somehow didn’t do the moment justice . . . the reaction from the crowd after Desmond Haymon’s three-point shot was nothing short of aweinspiring. I hope it’s something he had the time to soak in before he went on to nail his subsequent free throw and tie the game. At risk of sounding cliché – that play, that moment, the noise from the crowd – amazing. Undeniably amazing.

The final buzzer sounded, and the Jacks were victorious.

That was when the night, for me at least, went from amazing to unbelievable. I sprinted up the stairs with my fist in the air, just screaming gibberish. As I circled the arena in the deafening cheers, people from schools all over the country who had never heard of SFA were stopping me for high-fives, handshakes and hugs. People HUGGED me. Total strangers. I was congratulated 100 times in the frenzy. Everyone got on their phones to call

26 SAWDUST

friends – “Were you watching that?! I just watched the most incredible college basketball game of my whole life! Stephen F. Austin! Ya, they WON!!”

The following celebration in the lobby of the team hotel was fantastic. Not so much for the players, who promptly retired to their rooms, but for the cheer squad, band, coaches, administrators and regular alumni like me, it was quite the scene.

Everyone was on cloud nine. Saturday came and went in a blur, and the next thing I knew, it was 2:30 p.m. Sunday – almost game time. And, yet again, I had to figure out a way to get into the game. (Next year, I’ll plan ahead.) Back at the arena, people were still talking about SFA’s first-round win. Everywhere I went, I heard folks recounting our incredible victory – in person and on cell phones. It would have made any Lumberjack proud.

Then I walked by a young couple from the University of Arizona who were audibly frustrated by the fact that they were unable to get into the arena because their infant daughter did, in fact, require a ticket for entry. I said I was sorry to hear about their situation, but if they were willing to sell a ticket at face value ($100), I was interested. The husband tried to make a profit at $150. Respectable. However, I played to his wife’s sensibilities and again made my case, citing my affiliation with the underdog: “I have traveled from Texas. Look at my purple shirt. Your daughter is so adorable,” etc. She bought it. Rather, I bought it.

And, once more, I was in.

Again, no need to rehash the details of the game. Toward the end of our battle against the Bruins, it was becoming obvious what was about to happen, and as our starting squad came out of the game, I watched some of our guys succumb to the undeniable combination of emotions they must have been feeling – the physical and mental drain of an entire season, the thrill of a victory never before achieved by the university, the excitement of national media attention, the pride of a great accomplishment, the heartbreak in defeat. But all I could think about was there was nothing for the players, coaches or staff to be disappointed about. Next year, nobody is going to say, “If only we had beaten UCLA.” No. People are going to say, “Last year was the most amazing season the Lumberjacks have ever had.

Let’s see how far we can go this year . . .”

The team returned to the hotel, and what a welcome they received. The fire marshal might have had a panic attack at the sight of the purple throng of fans clogging the front lobby, chanting, “SFA! SFA! SFA!” A human tunnel of supporters hugged and congratulated everyone on the team. It was only a short time later that everyone had to pack up, hop on the bus and fly back to Texas – the final leg of a long, unforgettable journey.

I’m so happy I had the opportunity to travel out there and support the ’Jacks, and I’m grateful for what the team has done for my beloved SFA. Finally, to our fantastic players and to Coach Brad Underwood, congratulations on one hell of a season.

Everyone is so proud of what you’ve accomplished, and we can’t wait for next year.

Elliott J. Soeder ’06 is a regional sales manager for Pinch Flatbed, a logistics company, and resides in Spring, Texas, with his wife, Katie Freed Soeder ’05.

’JACKS OF ALL TRADES

Christopher Kirk ’74 & ’77 Brazos County Sheriff

WELL ON HIS way to a career as a park ranger, Christopher Kirk had two SFA forestry degrees and the better part of a Ph.D. under his belt before realizing he was meant to wear a different kind of badge. Needing to work at night when he wasn’t in class, he took a position as a Brazos County jail officer in 1980, never expecting it to be the start of a successful 33-year career in law enforcement.

“The only other night job available was at a fine dining restaurant,” recalled the Illinois native who is now serving his fifth four-year term as sheriff of Brazos County. “If I’d had any interest in waiting tables, I might not be sitting where I am today.”

After a year as a jail officer, he became a certified peace officer and was promoted to nighttime patrol deputy. Two years later, he advanced to criminal investigations, specializing in crimes against children for the next 14 years before deciding to run for sheriff in 1996.

Popular with his constituents, Kirk has run basically unopposed in the ensuing four elections and plans to run one last time in 2016.

“Looking back, I just think that God had a different plan for my life than I did,” the sheriff said. “He put me right where I was meant to be, and I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to serve the citizens of Brazos County for all these years.”

During his fourth term, the county’s residents voted in favor of a $55 million bond issue to construct a state-of-the art, 1,088-bed jail facility now operated by 147 jail officers – a far cry from the tiny jail where Kirk started his career more than three decades ago.

Criminal investigations also have changed drastically since he joined the department, with technology becoming a critical aspect of the job. “The technology we have available to us is absolutely incredible,” he said. “A few weeks ago, a smartphone was stolen in a burglary, along with some weapons and other electronics. We were able to access the camera lens in that stolen phone and, after a period of time, determine the location and recover it along with other stolen property and some drugs.”

Over the years, Kirk said, the general public has become much more informed about the criminal investigation process, particularly with respect to forensics – something he attributes in large part to the popularity of television shows such as CSI and NCIS. “The shows are pretty accurate except in how long things take. In reality, it takes many weeks to get DNA analysis back from the crime lab, and that can be very frustrating for victims and their families,” said Kirk, himself an advanced blood-stain pattern analyst who has provided expert testimony in criminal court cases.

In addition to running the Sheriff’s Office and participating in community events, Kirk has held numerous state and national leadership positions, including president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas and the Western State Sheriffs’ Association and member of the National Sheriffs’ Association Board of Directors.

He was twice appointed to Gov. Rick Perry’s Criminal Justice Advisory Committee on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairment.

Although his career progressed in an unexpected direction after he left East Texas, Kirk says his SFA education has helped him tremendously, especially in conducting and reporting research, an important aspect of the job. “I have always been very proud of the education I received at SFA and also fondly recall the time I spent in Nacogdoches fishing and duck hunting and probably ignoring my studies a little more than I should have,” he said.

Occasionally, Kirk enjoys an opportunity to put his first love of forestry to good use. When the new Sheriff’s Office administration building was constructed, he went to great lengths to save a stand of old post oaks from careless heavy equipment operators and urged the relocation of a drainage system that would have disrupted the root system and meant the end of the stately trees.

“I was just bound and determined that those trees were going to survive,” recalled Kirk as he proudly surveyed the shady spot that still serves as the front yard of the impressive facility. “I guess you could say I am still a forestry major at heart.”

–AMY ROQUEMORE

SUMMER 2014 27

ALUMNI NEWS

SPORTS JUNE 22 • CLINT CONQUE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAMP II for grades 10 to 12 • clintconquefootballcamps.com JUNE 22-25 • BRAD UNDERWOOD BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP I for boys in grades two to 12 • bradunderwoodbasketballcamps.com JUNE 26 • JOHNNY CARDENAS LUMBERJACK BASEBALL HIGH SCHOOL EVALUATION CAMP II for ages 15 to 18 • sfabaseballcamps.com JUNE 26-29 • WALLY CRITTENDEN SOCCER ELITE RESIDENTIAL CAMP for boys and girls ages 12 to 18 • soccercampsfa.com JUNE 26-29 • WALLY CRITTENDEN SOCCER GOALKEEPER RESIDENTIAL CAMP for boys and girls ages 12 to 18 • soccercampsfa.com JUNE 27-28 • BRAD UNDERWOOD BASKETBALL TEAM CAMP for high school varsity, junior varsity and AAU teams • bradunderwoodbasketballcamps.com JULY 7-10 • WALLY CRITTENDEN SOCCER LITTLE KICKERS SUMMER CAMP for boys and girls ages three to five • soccercampsfa.com

JULY 14-17 • DEBBIE HUMPHREYS VOLLEYBALL COACHES’ CLINIC for all levels • championshipvolleyballcamps.com JULY 17-19 • DEBBIE HUMPHREYS VOLLEYBALL ADVANCED POSITION CAMP for girls who just completed grades seven to 12 • championshipvolleyballcamps.com

JULY 20 TO AUG. 2 • SUMMER THEATRE WORKSHOP - TECHNICAL THEATRE AND DESIGN for high school students • sfasu.edu/summerworkshop JULY 24 • ALL-STATE CHOIR CAMP for grades nine to 12, preparing for All-State auditions • sfasu.edu/choircamp JULY 27 TO AUG. 1 • PIANO CAMP for students entering grades seven to 12 • sfasu.edu/pianocamp

JULY 20 • CLINT CONQUE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAMP III for grades 10 to 12 • clintconquefootballcamps.com JULY 27 • CLINT CONQUE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAMP IV for grades 10 to 12 • clintconquefootballcamps.com

OTHER

JULY 29 TO AUG. 1 • BRAD UNDERWOOD BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP II for boys in grades two to eight • bradunderwoodbasketballcamps.com

JUNE 24-27 • TWIRL-O-JACKS TWIRLING SFA HALF DAY CAMP for grades kindergarten to third • twirlojacks.com

ART AND MUSIC

JUNE 24-27 • TWIRL-O-JACKS TWIRLING SFA COMMUTER CAMP for grades four to 12 • twirlojacks.com JUNE 24-27 • TWIRL-O-JACKS TWIRLING SFA OVERNIGHT CAMP for grades six to 12 • twirlojacks.com JUNE 27 • PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT for ages five to 12 from 6 p.m. to midnight • sfasu.edu/campusrec/102.asp

JUNE 22-26 • RETREAT FOR ART EDUCATORS teaching all levels • art.sfasu. edu/retreat

JULY 11 • PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT for ages five to 12 from 6 p.m. to midnight • sfasu.edu/campusrec/102.asp

JUNE 22-27 • MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND CAMP • sfasu.edu/bandcamp

JULY 7-11 • WALLY CRITTENDEN SOCCER DAY CAMP for boys and girls ages five to 10 • soccercampsfa.com

JUNE 22-27 • DRUM MAJOR CAMP • sfasu.edu/bandcamp

JULY 7-11 • WALLY CRITTENDEN SOCCER ACADEMY CAMP for boys and girls ages nine to 13 • soccercampsfa.com

JULY 6-11 • STRINGS CAMP for junior and high school students • sfasu.edu/ stringscamp

JULY 13-16 • DEBBIE HUMPHREYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM CAMP for varsity, junior varsity, freshman and eighth grade teams • championshipvolleyballcamps.com

JULY 20 TO AUG. 2 • SUMMER THEATRE WORKSHOP - ACTING AND CHARACTERIZATION for high school students • sfasu.edu/summerworkshop

JULY 25 • PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT for ages five to 12 from 6 p.m. to midnight • sfasu.edu/campusrec/102.asp

iversity

tate Un S n ti s u A .

F n e h p te S

S P M A C R E SUMM

28 SAWDUST

ALUMNI NETWORKS

HONORING TRADITION

GROWING LO YALTY AND

G ALUMNI

CONNECTIN

PRIDE

REUNIONS

HAPPY HOURS Tuesday, July 8 SFA Alumni Night - Rangers vs. Astros 7:05 p.m.

Globe Life Park, 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington sfaalumni.com/event/rangers2014 Friday, July 18 Athletic Trainers Network Event SWATA - Frisco Frisco Roughriders Baseball 7:05 p.m. sfaalumni.com/events Friday, Aug. 8 SFA Alumni Night - Astros vs. Rangers 7:10 p.m.

Minute Maid Park, 501 Crawford St., Houston (post-game fireworks show) sfaalumni.com/event/astros2014

NETWORKING

TAILGATES

SEND-OFFS

SUMMER 2014 29

CAMPUS NEWS SCHOLARSHIPS

THE BOB AND JANICE MCKNIGHT SCHOLARSHIP was

endowed to benefit students who are married with children.

The McKnights understand the challenges of obtaining a college degree while working and raising a family. Bob and Janice graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler before attending Tyler Junior College. Prior to moving to Nacogdoches to attend SFA, the couple decided to marry and start a family.

While at SFA, Bob worked at the Fredonia Hotel as a waiter seven days a week, and Janice was a mail sorter for the SFA Post Office five and a half days a week. Bob graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration, and Janice obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the university.

The couple has two sons, Roger, who also graduated from SFA with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, and Wes, a graduate of Texas A&M University. Roger met his wife, Linda, at SFA, and they have two daughters, Macey and Hadley.

Currently, Bob and Janice work together with their two sons in the insurance and financial planning business.

The couple has lived in Nacogdoches for the last 50 years and has no plans to retire or move anytime soon.

The Bob and Janice McKnight Scholarship will be awarded to married students who have at least one child.

Recipients must maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average and may acquire a degree from any SFA college.

30 SAWDUST

Your gift to support SFA students secures educational opportunities for generations of future Lumberjacks.

Create your legacy – endow a scholarship through the SFA Alumni Association.

How to endow a scholarship: 1. Make the decision to help.

Future SFA alumni need your financial assistance. Plan your contribution today.

2. Name your scholarship.

You may name your scholarship after yourself or in memory or in honor of someone else.

3. Determine eligibility criteria.

You may include college major or GPA or restrict the scholarship to certain types of recipients.

4. Complete an endowment packet.

You may download and submit documents online at sfaalumni.com or request documents via U.S. mail.

5. Contact us.

(936) 468-3407 or (800) 765-1534 sfaalumni@sfasu.edu SFA Alumni Association, P.O. Box 6096, SFA Station Nacogdoches, TX 75962-6096 Phone: 936.468.3407 | Toll Free: 800.765.1534 Fax: 936.468.1007 Website: sfaalumni.com | Email: alumni@sfasu.edu

Scholarships are endowed by cash or gifts of stocks, bonds, life insurance, memorial contributions and wills, as well as corporate matching gifts. A minimum of $20,000 is required to endow a scholarship. This can be accomplished during a 10-year period.

The Official Ring of Stephen F. Austin State University You can still be part of the tradition!

For more information, please visit us at www.theSFAring.com or call 866-BALFOUR

©Balfour 1970–2010, all rights reserved.

CAM1153-10 13424

SUMMER 2014 31

CLASS NOTES 1950s

Billy Guinn ’52 & ’58 of Jacksonville was honored at the Jacksonville Education Foundation’s “Evening with Our Stars” for his contribution to education.

Carson Joines ’52 of Carthage retired from a 40-year career as mayor.

Joyce Adams Wilson ’59 of Kountze was inducted into the Southeast Texas Coaches Association Hall of Honor 2014.

Dr. Bonita Jacobs ’71 & ’73 of Dahlonega, Ga., president of the University of North Georgia, was named one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians.

Dr. Chester Juroska ’71 & ’80 of Alvarado is superintendent of Alvarado ISD. Dianne Baker ’74 of Nacogdoches is an advisory director on the Commercial Bank of Texas Board of Directors.

Jim Phaup ’75 of Sunnyvale is president and chief operating officer of Sanden International USA.

1960s

Kenton Harvey ’60 of Aledo received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Weatherford College.

Jerrie Davis ’63 of Carthage and her husband, Larry, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Charles Christopher ’64 & ’66 of Austin is President/CEO of Ultimate EOR Services.

Robert Loper ’66 & ’76 of Jacksonville is the Daily Progress’ Sportsman of the Year following his 800th career win as the head men’s basketball coach at Frankston High School.

1970s

Glynn Hair ’70 of Greenville, Miss., is president of Marine Chemists of Greenville. Certified Marine Chemists test air samples in confined spaces for safe entry and welding. The company completed 20 years of service to the marine transportation industry in May. Bill Priefert ’70 of Mount Pleasant, owner and CEO of Priefert Ranch Equipment, was awarded the Mount Pleasant-Titus County Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.

32 SAWDUST

Cliff Todd ’75 of Carthage is board president for the Sabine River Authority of Texas.

Gary ’77 & ’01 and Faith ’77 & ’99 Fort of Longview received the 2014 Ruby Award from The Crisman School in Longview.

Lynette Calfee ’79 of Humble is the 2013 Haden McKay Citizen of the Year.

Margie Centers ’79 of Tatum received the Educator of the Year award at the fifth annual Rusk County Black History Gala.

1980s

Donny G. Johnson DR. WILLIE F. TROTTY ’70 & ’72 is former vice president for research at Prairie View A&M University and is currently the special assistant to the president for research initiatives at the institution.

Trotty was recently honored by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Black Heritage Committee for his contributions to education.

Donny G. Johnson ’84 of San Augustine received the 2014 Gilbert I. “Buddy” Low Excellence in Education Award.

Madolyn Clark Scott ’85 of Longview received the Cornerstone Award at the Longview ISD Foundation’s Lamplighter Awards Banquet.

David Craft ’86 of Addison received RE/ MAX DFW Associates Rookie of the Year Award.

Melissa Laurent ’87 of Winnsboro is the veteran service officer for Wood County.

Scott Marcotte ’87 of Lufkin retired after more than 25 years as the city’s police chief.

Nathan Reese ’89 of Katy is an account executive with Gartner Inc.

Jed Day ’81 of Houston is vice president and general manager in the residential and commercial service line, western operations for Davey Tree Expert Company.

Winston P. Sauls ’81 of Borger has been appointed to the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission Board of Directors in Amarillo.

Elizabeth “Libby” Wallace ’89 & ’96 of Stephenville celebrated the graduation of her daughter, Joshlyn Shavaughn, from SFA on May 11.

1990s

Dr. James Garrett ’90 of San Diego, Calif., is principle engineer in bioprocess development for British Petroleum.

MELANIE DENMAN ’81 of Danville, Calif., received the 2014 bronze IPPY award for Regional Southern Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards for her novel, Visiting the Sins.

Mezzo-soprano Jill Grove ’90 of Studio City, Calif., and former student John Pickle, a tenor, recently performed as soloists with the Houston Symphony.

They were among the more than 400 artists who performed Symphony of A Thousand, Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony directed by Christoph Eschenbach.

Stuart “Stu” Musick ’90 is superintendent for Hubbard ISD. William Price ’90 of Lufkin is a loan officer associate for the ag-lending cooperative at Heritage Land Bank in Nacogdoches.

Craig Sessions ’90 of Nacogdoches is an orthopedic surgeon at the North Texas Medical Center Specialty Clinic in Gainesville.

Kathryn “Kat” Haraka Spofford ’92 has written her first children’s book, Pup’s Diner, now on sale at all major outlets.

Dr. Jeff McDonald ’93 has been appointed senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Nacogdoches.

Billy Watson ’94 of Rusk retired in March after serving 34 years on the Gateway Community Partners Board of Directors.

Misty Coe Bowie ’95 of Nacogdoches is the forestry environmental education coordinator for the Texas Forestry Association.

Richard Cooper ’95 & ’06 of Lovelady is the superintendent and CEO for Kennard ISD. James Jensen ’95 of Frisco is the territory manager for Harrell’s South Central Texas team.

Ross Sproul ’96 of Austin is principal of Salado High School.

Gretchen Minks Bass ’97 of Conroe is vice president and full-time distiller at Big Thicket Distilling Company in Conroe.

Andrew Barlow ’98 & ’00 of Athens is president of BlazarHosting.com.

Stephanie Meshell ’91, ’92 & ’02 of Houston is the principal at Cypress Ridge High School.

Jessica Ray Neikirk ’98 of Houston has joined Patriot Bank as senior vice president/director of marketing and PR.

David Cook ’92 is mayor of Mansfield, Texas.

Kayle Pannell ’98 of Kaufman received the Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Educator of the Year Award.

Stephen Greak ’92 of Lufkin is on the board of directors for Commercial Bank of Texas – Nacogdoches.

Michael Johnson ’92 of Mount Vernon is an orthopedic surgeon at Titus Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant.

Eric Hueber ’99 & ’04 of Cushing recently wrote and directed the film Flutter, a tribute to his late mother.

Flutter was the “Texas Grand Jury Prize” winner at Dallas International Film Fest 2014.

KEN MURPHY ’98 of Houston has been appointed chief operating officer at Mattress Firm, overseeing sales and operations, marketing, merchandising, information technology, business development, and supply chain.

Murphy has more than 15 years of experience with the company. He became executive vice president, sales and operations, in 2010 after holding various positions within the company, including regional vice president of sales, vice president of field and talent management, director of training and recruiting, and several field management positions.

Murphy holds a Master of Education from the University of Pennsylvania and serves on the SFA Business Communication and Legal Studies Advisory Council.

2000s

Scott Haygood ’00 of Longview is the first vice president at BancorpSouth – Longview.

Will Skelton ’00 of The Colony is principal of Flower Mound High School’s ninth-grade campus.

Galen and Elizabeth Pase Collins ’01 announce the birth of Kaitryn Leslie Collins on March 2.

Susan Grimes ’01 is Chester ISD’s Teacher of the Year.

SUMMER 2014 33

CLASS NOTES

Ryan Kahlden ’03 of Nacogdoches is the chief financial officer for Waxahachie ISD. Chris Hardy ’04 of Carthage is the first police chief for Carthage ISD. Rachel D. Allen ’05 of Austin is marketing director for Ford Nassen.

Stephanie (Sipes) Ellis ’06 of Longview has been named one of Consulting Specifying Engineer Magazine’s “40 under 40.”

Holli Snyder ’06 and Derek Snyder ’01 of Nacogdoches celebrated their first anniversary on May 18.

Genie Linn ’01 of Hideaway received the Margaret Montgomery Leadership Award from the Texas Council of Women School Executives.

Summer Stewart ’01 of Tyler and Chad Clements were married April 5.

Matt Lyle ’02 of Dallas co-founded Bootstraps Comedy Theatre and serves as artistic director. His latest work is Barbecue Apocalypse.

Brett A. Richardson ’02, has been appointed coordinator of music education, director of bands and assistant professor of music at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

Derek Wayne Johnson ’06 of Carthage is an award-winning independent filmmaker.

Megan Smith ’07 of Mineola is the owner and operator of Lonestar Learning Academy.

Darralyn Scobee ’08 of Kilgore is tourism director for the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce.

Nathan Hague ’09 of Tyler is sports editor for the Marshall News Messenger.

34 SAWDUST

The SFA Alumni Association would like to thank the following alumni who recently became life members.

We appreciate your support.

7902. William E. Richardson ’12, Nacogdoches 7903. Robert R. Belt ’88, Houston 7904. Blake D. Taylor ’14, Nacogdoches 7905. Carla A. Oliver ’14, Nacogdoches 7906. Kirby J. Hildebrand ’18, Jasper 7907. Kourtney L. McDonald ’18, Arp 7908. James P. Hawkins ’83, Silsbee 7910. Justin R. Sawyers ’05, Silver

Spring, Md. 7911. Christopher L. Gallerson ’07,

Concord, Calif.

7912. Jessica L. Layfield ’13, Katy 7913 Malina R. Andel ’10, Ganado 7914. Keith A. Myers ’93, Arlington, Va. 7915. Kerry Vaught ’03, Nacogdoches 7916. Laura L. Redman ’80, Tyler 7917. Dorian J. Nero ’13, Tomball 7918. James W. Turnell ’85, Celina 7919. George A. Teel ’11, Nacogdoches 7920. Wendell Scott Russell ’90,

Broomfield, Colo.

7921. Barry E. Nelson ’71, Dallas 7922. Haley L. Moody ’10 & ’12, Huntington

Noel Redus ’09 & ’11 of Nacogdoches is the family and consumer sciences agent for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Angelina County.

2010s

Kaitlyn Andrews ’11 of Acton was inducted into the Halton Hills Sports Museum Hall of Fame as a recordbreaking shot put and discus thrower.

Theodus Luckett III ’11 of Pine Bluff, Ark., is the director of instrumental music at Mount Pleasant ISD.

Katie Godfrey ’09 & ’11 and Paul Elliott ’10 of Carencro announce the birth of their daughter, Hannah, on Sept. 13, 2012, and son, Luke, on Nov. 19, 2013.

LIFE MEMBERS

Kaylee Keuthan ’12 of Houston is serving in Guyana as a member of the Peace Corps.

Garrett Cook ’13 of Mount Pleasant is an editorial writer for the Allen American.

Lindsey Palmer ’13 of Stafford received Katy ISD’s district-wide Outstanding First-Year Teacher of the Year Award.

IN MEMORIAM Delbert Ballard ’56 of Quitman, Jan. 26 Patricia Bittner ’83 of Austin, Feb. 10 Barbara Brunt ’37 of Tyler, Feb. 9 Norman Bynum ’59 of Marshall, Feb. 8 Gary Marcus Crisp ’88 of Nacogdoches, May 10 Cathy Davis ’93 of Kennett, Mo., April 5 Maxine Domino ’62 & ’63 of Palestine, Jan. 21 Robert Drake ’62 of Henderson, March 9 Luellen Fain ’80 of Nacogdoches, Jan. 31 Richard Falck of Fort Worth, April 5 Virginia Falck of Fort Worth, April 18 Bill Gaston ’60 of Jasper, Feb. 9 Ronald Henry ’68 of Austin, Feb. 13 Jack Hess, Jr. ’72 of Houston, Jan. 27 Wanda Houston ’54 of Henderson, Jan. 21 Ellen J. Houston of Nacogdoches, Feb. 3 Dick Hudson ’60 & ’66 of Tyler, April 6 Rex Humphreys of Nacogdoches, March 20 Carroll Joiner ’62 of Nacogdoches, March 6

GWENDOLYN “GWEN” PECK COLE, longtime friend of SFA, passed away March 3. She was 91. She was born June 4, 1922, in Hamburg, Ark. Her parents, Callie Sanford Peck and Emma Chavis Peck, died at an early age, and she was reared in Shreveport, La., by her sister, Flora Temple, and family.

She graduated from Byrd High School and attended Draughn’s Business School.

She worked at Home Federal Savings and Loan for 26 years until she met and married the love of her life, Thomas Edward Cole on Feb. 14, 1966, the beginning of a 48-year marriage. The couple lived in New Orleans, La., until they retired to Nacogdoches in 1978. They shared a deep love for the city of Nacogdoches, First United Methodist Church, SFA and all the good friends they made through these connections. The couple also shared a passion for education, and through their generous donations to the university, they have given many the opportunity for a college degree. Not only have the Coles established scholarships for students, but their support has made possible the establishment of many new facilities on the campus, including the Ed and Gwen Cole Student Success Center, Cole Arts Center, Ed and Gwen Cole Concert Hall, Ed and Gwen Cole Simulation Lab in the School of Nursing, and Gwen and Ed Cole Audiology Lab. Active supporters of many programs, including academics, athletics and the arts, the Coles have been among SFA’s greatest advocates since moving to Nacogdoches.

Beverly Kilgo ’85 of Houston, March 2 Linda Lamberth ’72 of Tyler, March 2 Mary Lane ’56 of Jacksonville, Jan. 22

W. D. Singleton ’67 of Cassville, Pa., Dec. 11, 2011

Frances Lawrence ’64 of El Dorado, Ariz., April 17

Elree Smithart ’58 of Lindale, Jan. 22

Marty Matchett Linder ’89 of Nacogdoches, Jan. 28

Sandra Stephens ’58 of Tyler, April 11

R. Orin Littlejohn ’56 of Marshall, March 3

Brian Sterner of Gainesville, Ga., Feb. 2

Janice Lowe ’49 of Houston, April 9

Geraldlyn Strahan ’67 of Houston, Feb. 11

Hebe Riddick Bair Mace of Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 8

Azalea Thompson ’54 of Tyler, Jan. 26

John Maspero ’79 of Temple, March 22

Pamela Treadwell ’75 of Nacogdoches, Feb. 25

Marjorie McDuffie ’55 & ’58 of Nacogdoches, March 6

Katherine Tregilgas ’73 & ’77 of Richardson, Jan. 14

Morgan Moses of Longview, April 17

Shireen Vincent ’77 of Norway, Maine, March 12

James Mike Murphy ’67 of Midland, April 21

Derwin Walker ’50 of Nacogdoches, Feb. 24

William H. Peacock Sr. of Nacogdoches, Jan. 27

Jill Waller ’81 of Nacogdoches, March 11

Bradley Randolph of Nacogdoches, March 29

Curtis Watson, Jr. ’90 of Longview, Jan. 29

Rex Ray ’67 & ’71 of Longview, April 24

Cason Westmoreland of Marshall, Feb. 7

Raymond Rinker ’56 of Plano, Feb. 1

Auline Whitaker ’44 & ’61 of Nacogdoches, April 17

Jeanne Robinson of Reston, Va., Jan. 24

James Richard Youngblood Sr. ’62 of Lufkin, April 16

Clifford Trevathan ’48 of Lufkin, Feb. 23

Willard T. Scott II ’02 of Lufkin, March 31 James Seale ’45 of Nacogdoches, Feb. 23

SUMMER 2014 35

l umberjacks

OPEN AD SPACE make great _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

(We want to hear from you!)

Tell us which profession you would like to see featured in the SFA “Lumberjacks Make Great” advertising campaign. To have your voice heard, cast your vote at sfasu.edu/GreatSurvey before July 15, 2014.

36 SAWDUST

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Liberty Mutual is a proud partner of the Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association Celebrating Lumberjacks past and present!

Responsibility. What’s your policy?

Š 2009 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.

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SUMMER 2014 37

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38 SAWDUST

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HELP US DREAM BIGGER!

“What a great time to be a Lumberjack! For years, we have known we are STEPHEN F. AWESOME, and now the world knows it as well.”

Our Lumberjack basketball team demonstrated that solid teamwork can overcome impossible odds. “Dream Bigger” is the mantra we will use next season, and it’s time for SFA alumni to band together as a team and “Dream Bigger” as well. Let’s continue to propel our university to greatness!

Axe ’em, Jacks!

Brad Underwood Lumberjack Basketball Head Coach

sfasu.edu/give

Help us build a foundation of success by participating in the SFA Walk of Recognition.

Permanently make your mark in the Sesquicentennial Plaza next to the Stephen F. Austin statue by designing a brick inscribed with your personal message. Brick prices are $100, $250, and $500.

Contact the Alumni Center today for more information about how you can help build the foundation of tomorrow’s Lumberjacks.

P.O. Box 6096 - SFA Station Nacogdoches, TX 75962-6096 Office (936) 468-3407 Toll Free 800-765-1534 Fax (936) 468-1007 alumni@sfasu.edu

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SUMMER 2014 39

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The East Texas Research Center and Sawdust would like to know more about this SFA photo. If you have information about this photo, please contact: alumni@sfasu.edu or (800) 765-1534. The ETRC at SFA collects, preserves and provides physical and virtual access to East Texas’ unique cultural history. It also is responsible for managing SFA’s Records Management Program and caring for the university’s archives. If you have SFA-related photographs, journals or memorabilia you would like to donate to the ETRC, please call (936) 468-4100.

40 SAWDUST

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SUMMER 2014 41

Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association P.O. Box 6096, SFA Station Nacogdoches, Texas 75962

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Stephen F. Austin State University