The Pine Log

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Volume 93
Issue 23
Next Publication:
Monday, January 28, 2013
Thursday, December 6, 2012
PINE LOG The
The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University
Page 6
Fencing club teaches
as giving them
opportunities to
compete.
L 51
H
58
By Sara Zavorka
Contributing Writer
The dean of the Arthur Temple
College of Forestry and Agriculture,
Dr. Steven Bullard, has been elected
president of the National Association
of University Forestry Resources
Programs (NAUFRP).
This presidency will be conducted
as a two-year term, which will begin in
January. This organization was formed
in 1981, and its purpose is to help ad-vance
science and forest resource man-agement
through support, education,
service and further research. Its mem-bers
consist of scientists, specialists
and other faculty members from at least
80 different universities.
Having earned a bachelor’s and mas-ter’s
degree in forestry from Mississippi
State University, as well as a Ph.D. from
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, Bullard has worked long and
hard for this achievement.
He was named dean of the College
of Forestry and Agriculture at SFA in
2009 and has also served as the chair
of the Department of Forestry at the
University of Kentucky for five years. He
was a faculty member and administra-tor
at Mississippi State University for 18
years. In addition, Bullard was selected
as a Fellow of the Society of American
Foresters (SAF) in 2010.
SAF’s mission is to advance the prac-tice
of forestry, as well as technology,
science, and education as a whole. In
addition, it teaches and encourages life-long
skills and the conservation ethic
to assure forest ecosystems and forest
resources are cared for and used both
effectively and efficiently in order to
benefit society as a whole.
In Bullard’s nomination letter, co-worker
Dr. Jimmie Yeiser, an SFA for-estry
professor and current SAF Fellow,
stated how he admired Bullard for his
commitment to student success, in the
field of forestry as well as in life.
“As a university servant to the for-estry
profession, [Bullard] influences
countless young professionals, thereby
multiplying and extending his contri-bution
to forestry and SAF for many
years to come,” Yeiser wrote.
For example, Bullard planted trees in
2004 for the STMicroelectronics, a lead-ing
manufacturer, and, through the
dedication and caring for those trees,
has since seen students measuring
and researching the growth patterns.
Through this work, lands are used for
“educational purposes, and are also
providing the funds for much needed
scholarships.”
The NAUFRP associates itself with
university-level forestry issues while
working through the general public,
federal government agencies, nongov-ernmental
organizations and educa-tional
and scientific organizations.
Outstanding donors to the University will be honored
during the 24th annual SFA Gala on Saturday, Dec. 8, in the
Student Center Grand Ballroom.
This year’s Gala honorees include Shelby County Judge
Rick Campbell; local businessmen Jim, Tom, John and Bob
Kingham; and the late Cecil Richey Jr., an SFA alumnus and
long-time East Texas educator.
“Support from donors and special friends like the ones
being honored this year is crucial to the success of SFA and
its students, and we look forward to honoring their com-mitment
to the University at the upcoming Gala,” said Jill
Still, SFA vice president for university advancement.
Campbell’s family has been in Shelby County for at least seven
generations. Campbell is a loyal supporter of many SFA pro-grams,
including the
Arthur Temple College of
Forestry and Agriculture,
the Nelson Rusche
College of Business,
the Richard and Lucille
DeWitt School of Nursing,
and the Department of
Athletics.
The four Kingham
brothers, Jim, Tom,
John and Bob, were
born and raised in
Nacogdoches and at-tended
local public
schools through high
school. Jim, Tom and
John graduated from
SFA, and Bob attended Texas A&M University. The broth-ers’
parents, Jim and Beth Kingham, also are SFA alumni
and were among the earliest members of the Stephen F.
Austin Society. The brothers are proud to be supporters
of SFA and continue their parents’ legacy of giving back to
the University that has helped shape the lives of the entire
Kingham family.
Richey was a dedicated East Texas educator, serving
the West Rusk County Consolidated Independent School
District as a teacher and principal for 38 years. A graduate
of Rusk High School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history
from SFA in 1948. An avid supporter of education, Richey
quietly helped many deserving students pursue higher
education. A trusted friend and valued mentor to many, he
passed away on April 11, 2011. A generous gift from Richey’s
estate will fund annual scholarships for high-achieving
students in both the West Rusk and Rusk school districts
who wish to attend SFA.
The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. and will be
followed by a candlelight dinner at 7 p.m. Senior ROTC ca-dets
give back to the community by ushering at the event.
Signed Sealed Delivered of Dallas will be the entertainment
for the evening. The eight-piece band performs a mixture of
pop, rock, jazz, swing and country music.
Two faculty achievement awards to be presented dur-ing
the ceremony will recognize innovation and excel-lence
in teaching and research. Fred J. Allen, professor of
music and director of bands, will receive the 2012 Faculty
Achievement Award
for Teaching. Dr.
Nathan Nabb, as-sociate
professor of
music/saxophone,
will be honored
with the Faculty
Achievement Award
for Research.
Tickets are $175
for orchestra seat-ing
and $125 for
ballroom seating.
Proceeds from the
Gala help build a
permanent endow-ment
created by
the SFA Foundation
to honor faculty
achievement.
SFA to honor six outstanding donors at Gala Saturday
Forestry dean
elected NAUFRP
2013-14 president
By Alicia Sanders & Brendan Oglesby with
contributions by Khakie Jo Holland & Cecil
Tatom
Contributing Writers, MCM 205
He has been known as Hornet, Longhorn,
Coyote, Grizzly, Scorpion and Baby Giraffe
while playing for various baseball teams
growing up, but the story of San Francisco
Giant Brandon Belt is uniquely human.
Sitting in Dr. Wanda Mouton’s media writ-ing
class wearing a hoodie and jeans, Belt
seems like an average East Texas resident.
He was born in Nacogdoches to a teacher/
coach and a hairstylist. He grew up loving
sports and married his high school girl-friend
in Hudson.
However, this 24-year-old is first baseman
for the 2012 World Series Champions San
Francisco Giants. Belt’s win at this year’s
World Series brings him his first ever cham-pionship
in baseball.
Belt said much of his success is due to the
energy of the fans and his support system.
Part of Belt’s support system is his wife
Haylee. He says she sends him a text before
every game. Though many of the texts carry
a reassuring message, Haylee, who attended
SFA before she moved to San Francisco with
Brandon, said she occasionally sends the
reminder, “Don’t strike out.”
“Someone needs to give him a reality
check,” she said. He agreed, saying, “She’s
my number one fan.”
This grounded attitude is mutual between
the couple.
Belt said one of the mottos he lives by is
“so what.” His determination to push for-ward
was put to the test during his days at
Hudson High School.
Belt recalled feeling pain in his arm while
pitching in high school. He said he thought
the pain was temporary and didn’t want the
scouts to see that he was hurt.
“I pitched through the pain, but the pain
never went away,” he said.
By his sophomore year of college at the
University of Texas—Austin, Belt could no
longer be a pitcher. He was then switched
to playing the outfield. Though Belt was an
education major at the time, he said he had
never thought of being anything other than
a baseball player.
During his time at UT, he and his team-mates
coined the mantra, “So what?” When
things aren’t going his way or things are
looking down, he just says, “So what?” and
pushes on, he said.
Belt began playing baseball at the age of 8.
“My little league coach Ken Beck was
probably one of the most influential people
in my life. He taught me how to really play
the game of baseball and the basics of hit-ting,”
he recalled.
Growing up as a tall left-handed pitcher
it’s no wonder one of Belt’s favorite players
as a kid was Randy Johnson. “I wanted to be
just like that guy,” he said. Born and raised in
Texas, Juan Gonzalez, former Texas Rangers
outfielder, was also one of Belt’s favorite
players growing up.
On June 13, 2011, Belt was a part of some-thing
he won’t soon forget. Teammate Matt
Cain threw the 22nd perfect game in MLB
history. Belt was in the lineup on that chilly
San Francisco night, going 2-3 with 3 RBI’s.
More importantly, he was on the receiving
end of the final out that will forever be re-membered
as a perfect game.
According to Belt, “It was the highlight of
my career. I was so nervous I thought I was
going to puke. I wasn’t pitching, but I was so
happy for Matt.”
The Giants played with their backs against
the wall the entire season. When it was all
over, Belt and the San Francisco Giants had a
World Series Championship. In considering
his first ever championship, Belt admitted,
“It hasn’t really sunk in.”
The Giants’ World Series rings won’t be
presented until Opening Day 2013. Belt said
he believes the feeling of being a world
champ will “really sink in once we have the
rings.”
The San Francisco Giants drafted Belt in
2009. He played for the Fresno Grizzlies and
Scottsdale Scorpions in the 2010 season of
the minor league.
In 2011 Belt began playing for the Giants.
He started questioning whether he was good
enough to play in the major league. Belt said
he was overwhelmed and wanted to deliver
amazing results fast.
“I started trying to compensate for what I
perceived as a weakness…and got out of my
game,” he said.
After a poor start to the season Belt had
a revelation which restored his confidence.
“You have to trust in yourself and your
abilities,” he said. “It’s not about being a
World Series champ visits SFA
Belt, page 3
students fundamentals
of fencing as well
SFA alumnus Cecil Richey Jr.
The four Kingham brothers: Jim, Tom, John and Bob.
Judge Rick Campbell
Courtesy Photo
Brandon Belt, East Texas native and a member of the 2012 World Championship San Francisco Giants,
participates in an interview with a beginning newswriting class in SFA’s Department of Mass Communication.