Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– In celebration of Stephen F. Austin State University’s dedication to academic excellence, the university held its inaugural Endowed Faculty Recognition Ceremony to honor 25 distinguished faculty members who hold both new and continued endowed professorships April 29 in Cole Concert Hall in the Wright Music Building.
Faculty members were awarded medallions inscribed with the name of their endowment to represent their contributions to world-class research, teaching and scholarship. The medallions will be worn at academic events and ceremonies.
Dr. Judy Abbott, interim provost and executive vice president for the Division of Academic Affairs, presided over the ceremony.
“Endowed positions are important to a university because they help to attract and retain high-quality faculty,” Abbott said. “The funding also helps increase and enhance research activities. “Each professorship is made possible thanks to the generous contributions from alumni and friends of the university.”
The recognition ceremony — held as part of a week of events leading up to the Presidential Investiture Ceremony — was a way to “shine a very bright light on Stephen F. Austin State University, the great quality that exists here and the impact we are making on Texas and the world,” according to Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA President.
“There is no more important function that we do here at the institution than quality education,” Weaver said. “There is no symbol greater than high-quality education than an endowed professorship faculty member. You have raised the bar for all of us here at this institution.”
During closing remarks, Weaver stated a goal to double the number of endowed faculty positions over the next decade and announced SFA has received commitments for seven more positions in the future.
To learn more about the impact these funds have and how to establish an endowment to support faculty members, contact SFA’s Office of Development.
The complete list of endowed faculty members is as follows:
New endowed positions
Dr. Justin Blount, Sanner-Berry Business Professorship, Nelson Rusche College of Business
Dr. Kelly G. Noe, Beverly Hatfield Smith Professorship, Nelson Rusche College of Business
Dr. Nikki Shoemaker, Michelle and Harmon Smith Professorship, Nelson Rusche College of Business
Dr. Janet Jones, Temple-Inland Employees Distinguished Professor in Accounting, Nelson Rusche College of Business
Dr. Pat Stephens Williams, Dr. Hiram and Gloria Arnold Distinguished Professorship, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
Dr. Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako, Dr. Donald Gregory Professorship, College of Liberal and Applied Arts
Recognition of existing endowed positions
Nelson Rusche College of Business
Dr. Emiliano Giudici, John Lewis Professorship
Dr. Matthew Jaramillo, John and Karen Mast Professorship
Dr. Stephanie Ross, Sammie L. Smith Professorship
James I. Perkins College of Education
Dr. Barbara Qualls, E.J. Campbell Distinguished Professorship
Dr. Sarah Straub, Montgomery Professorship for Humane Education
Dr. Lauren Burrow, Margaret Hoover Perkins Research Professorship
Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
Dr. Jeremy Stovall, Bone Hill Foundation Distinguished Professorship
Dr. Yanli Zhang, Marilyn Cranford Professorship
Dr. Brian Oswald, Joe C. Denman Professorship
Dr. I-Kuai Hung, Robert E. Minton Professorship
Dr. Daniel Unger, Kenneth Nelson Professorship
Dr. Matthew McBroom, TLL Temple Chair Fund
Dr. David Kulhavy, Laurence C. Walker Distinguished Professorship
Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts
Dr. Stephen Lias, Dean’s Circle Endowed Professorship of the College of Fine Arts
Dr. Gregory Grabowski, Gene Moon Professorship
College of Liberal and Applied Arts
Dr. Emmerentie Oliphant, Buddy Zeagler Professorship
College of Sciences and Mathematics
Dr. Dan Bruton, Micky Elliott Engineering Professorship
Dr. Michele Harris, Tom F. and Deborah Nichols Pruitt Patent Education Professorship
University-Wide Professorship
Dr. Elizabeth Spradley, Jim Towns Mentoring Professorship