College of Sciences
and Mathematics

A matter of life and breath

Julia Gaona saves lives as a respiratory therapist on an elite neonatal and pediatric intensive care team that travels by jet to patients more than 100 miles from Texas Children’s Hospital – once going as far as Guatemala. Julia’s journey began when she earned her biology degree at SFA. She then earned her Bachelor of Science in respiratory care at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Julia also assists in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit and works as a respiratory therapist at UTMB-Galveston. 

From SFA to Google

Samuel Jentsch is a 2017 SFA graduate with a double major in computer science and mathematics. While attending SFA, Sam was a grader, a tutor and provided technical support for the department. He also spent summers interning for NASA and GE, where he was recognized for innovative projects. Sam has accepted a job at Google doing software development.

SFA Student Excels On and Off the Field

During his SFA career, Marlon Walls was a first team Academic All-American and was named Southland Conference’s Student-Athlete of the Year. Prior to graduation, Walls, an engineering physics graduate, interned with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to work on the Europa Propulsion Module, a joint project with NASA.

SFA Student Wins Best Undergraduate Poster

Carmel Tovar received an award for the best undergraduate poster in chemistry and biochemistry at the 2016 College of Science Research Conference for her project titled "Metal Affinity Chromatography and Protein Refolding Techniques.”

Carmel leveraged her hard work in the SFA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry research program to beat out competition from universities and colleges across Texas.

STUDYING PREHISTORIC FORMATIONS WITH ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

Jacob Meinerts was an SFA graduate student in geology. Currently, he is working in the Lampasas Cut Plain in Central Texas within Fort Hood Military Installation. Jacob is studying carbonate rocks from the Cretaceous era. The delineation of heterogeneous carbonate strata, including detailed mapping and petrographic analyses, will help determine the depositional and diagenetic history of the Edwards Group, unique biozones and the geomorphic evolution of the Owl Mountain Province.  

Inspired to Serve

Tim Hernandez has made a career of helping others. Prior to attending SFA, Tim worked in prehospital emergency services, assisted with rescue and evacuation during Hurricane Katrina, and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a combat medic in Iraq – all in an effort to serve others. Tim earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SFA in December 2017. He credits the SFA faculty with preparing students to not only perform but to excel in real-world environments. 

FROM SFA PRE-HEALTH TO VETERINARIAN AND AUTHOR

Dr. Nikki Lejeune, Class of 2013, was a bit of an overachiever at SFA, and that hasn’t changed after graduation. At SFA, she served on the Traditions Council, as a writing and chemistry tutor, and as a student member of the American Medical Student Association among many other activities. Nikki went on to graduate from veterinary school as well as co-author a book with her father. Now, she is a successful veterinarian at Mission Veterinary Hospital in Mission, Texas.