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Following the successful launch of its educator support initiative last year, Stephen F. Austin State University’s JacksTeach program has named alumna Amy Calhoun, chemistry teacher at Sabine High School in Gladewater, as the recipient of the second annual JacksTeach Science Teacher Fellowship.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved today $70 million for Stephen F. Austin State University to construct the 100,000-square-foot Lumberjack Crossing residence hall directly east of the Lumberjack Landing residence hall and south of Pineywoods Dining Hall. The four-story building will provide housing and support amenities for up to 335 students. It will include double-occupancy rooms with suite-style bathrooms, accessible accommodations, lounge and study spaces, staff offices and student collaboration environments. The project also will expand campus cooling capacity with a new chiller and supporting infrastructure planned for the university’s central plant. Construction is anticipated to begin this year with substantial completion targeted for 2028. This rendering shows the Lumberjack Crossing’s west entrance.

Barret Williams, a senior business economics major from Wake Forest, North Carolina, speaks at the spring 2026 Archer Fellowship graduation. Williams represented Stephen F. Austin State University in the Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., during the spring 2026 semester. (Photo courtesy of the Archer Center)

Following a nationwide search, Stephen F. Austin State University has appointed Dr. Elisabeth Ploran as the inaugural dean of the College of Health Professions, effective July 1. Ploran comes to Nacogdoches from Hofstra University, a private university in Nassau County, New York, where she currently serves as professor and associate dean for student success and belonging.