NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Created with the combined goals of spreading an understanding of diversity and connecting university departments and programs, approximately 300 people have signed up to attend the free second annual Stephen F. Austin State University Office of Multicultural Affair's Diversity Conference.

The brainchild of OMA director Dr. Osaro Airen, the upcoming conference will fittingly serve as Airen's last program in his position. He recently accepted a job in Dallas.

Faculty and staff appointments and promotions were among the items approved by members of the Stephen F. Austin State University Regents during the board's January meeting.

In the Nelson Rusche College of Business, Todd Brown was approved as the new associate dean for faculty and administration, and Shirley Ann Wilson was approved as associate dean for student services. Professor Mikhail Kouliavtsev was approved as interim chair of the Department of Economics and Finance.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association announced that Collin Rutherford of Celina, Texas, and Olivia Miller of Arlington, Texas, have been selected as recipients of the 2016 Mr. and Miss SFA Award.

The Mr. SFA Award was established in honor of the late Stan McKewen, a 1934 SFA graduate. The Arnodean Covin Miss SFA Award honors the alumna who was named Miss SFA in 1940, 1941 and 1942.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Members of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved a new online Master of Science in nursing program within the Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing during their quarterly meeting Tuesday.

The university is seeking approval from agencies including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Board of Nursing in preparation to offer the specialized program in spring 2017 to enable students to prepare to become family nurse practitioners.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - In an effort to encourage more local young musicians to attend the distinguished 2016 Schmidbauer Young Artist Competition at Stephen F. Austin State University, event organizers have agreed to allow students under the age of 18 free admission to both the semi-final and final rounds.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Like much of East Texas, the air at the SFA Real Estate Foundation's forested land in Cherokee County harbors the rich scent of pine. Walking through the rows of trees, one might regard the tract as just another pine plantation dotting the region's landscape. But to do so would be missing the forest for the trees.

Since 2001, 3,449 acres of Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture-managed forestland in Cherokee, Houston and Shelby counties has sequestered 293,000 metric tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Wind Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the program "Welcome Home" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Six of Stephen F. Austin State University's largest in-house grants for 2016 were awarded this month through the University's Research Enhancement Program and the SFA Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, totaling approximately $120,000 in support of faculty research and creative projects.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Eleven-year-old Nacogdoches pianist Antonio Ajero has been awarded a National Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program, earning him the status of being the only Texas resident to garner this prestigious prize.

A recent student of Linda Parr in the Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music, Antonio scored the top mark in the nation on the Level 9 Piano assessment.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Eight outstanding young musicians have been accepted as participants in the distinguished 2016 Schmidbauer Young Artist Competition at Stephen F. Austin State University.