NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The 29th annual Nacogdoches County’s Opportunity for a Better Learning Experience banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 30, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Nearly 200 students were invited to attend this year’s banquet, which will honor Nacogdoches County high school seniors who chose a more rigorous recommended or distinguished program of study in their high school courses and completed a service project.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University is one of only two Texas universities included in Study.com’s list of 50 Best Hospitality and Tourism Schools for 2020.

The rankings are based on information from the U.S. Department of Education, which includes tuition costs, graduation rates, acceptance rates and student-to-faculty ratios. On-site facilities for hands-on learning and internship and networking opportunities also were considered.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Stone Fort Museum on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University will serve as the venue for a St. Patrick’s Day concert by local band El Camino Real de Nacogdoches from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

“Live performances help us connect to our musical heritage in the same way that hands-on activities help learners connect to their studies in new ways,” said Carolyn Spears, curator of the Stone Fort Museum.

The St. Patrick’s Day musical celebration will showcase Celtic, bluegrass, traditional country, Appalachian, folk and other music genres.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s speech-language pathology graduate program was named one of the 25 Best Master's in Speech Pathology Schools 2020 by GradReports.com.

The rankings were based on tuition, median salaries and median debt as reported by the U.S. Department of Education for students who completed a degree in the indicated field of study.

SFA faculty and staff work hard to ensure student success, said Dr. Lydia Richardson, assistant professor and director of SFA’s speech-language pathology program.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. March 19 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

Rick J. Lewandowski, director of the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange, will present “Plant Treasures in the Piney Woods of the Gulf South.”

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Christina Meyers, a Stephen F. Austin State University student pursuing a Master of Arts in professional counseling with a clinical rehabilitation counseling concentration, was named 2020 Master’s Student of the Year by the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association.

She will receive the award at the ARCA/American Counseling Association annual meeting in April in San Diego, California.

Meyers, who is originally from Bay City, said the award “means the world to me. It is life changing for me both personally and professionally.”

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — A wide range of topics concerning women in leadership, health and wellness, and other women’s issues will be discussed during the fourth annual Women’s Empowerment Summit, hosted by Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs March 20 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom.

Veronica Beavers, OMA director, is excited to host an event that empowers women and educates the community on issues women face every day.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The SFA Percussion Ensemble, directed by Dr. Brad Meyer, will welcome guest artist Dr. Andy Bliss in a performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

Bliss, who is director of percussion studies at the University of Tennessee, will perform a snare drum solo on Bob Becker’s “Mudra,” a major work for percussion quintet and an example of how Becker fuses military drumming style within the context of Hindustani practices.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “The Great Hack” at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Guest artists Dr. Ryan Gardner, trumpet, and Rebecca Wilt, piano, will present the program “An American Portrait” when they perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

Their program at SFA will feature “L’Esprit” by James Stephenson; Sonata No. 3 by Allen Vizzutti; “Simple Gifts” by Aaron Copland; “The Adventures of …” by Kevin McGee; Three Preludes by George Gershwin; and Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Brahms by Eric Ewazen.