Dr. Joe Gotti, animal science professor and coordinator of the University Equestrian Center, gives a tour of the equine facilities and the equine science program. Not only can you receive college credit for riding and learning how to care for horses, but you can compete on the Western Ranch Horse Team and the English Team. The Equine Center has great facilities, including a large arena that allows students to ride no matter the weather, and a boarding and breeding facility for students who want to bring their own horses. Students in the equine program are successful because of the hands-on courses, facilities, and internship opportunities that SFA has to offer.

David Smith is a 2008 graduate from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture’s Master of Science in Resource Interpretation (MSRI) program. David has spent the last twenty years in national parks across the western United States, starting out as a law enforcement ranger, and eventually discovering his passion as an interpretive park ranger. He is currently one of two people chosen each year to serve as a Bevinetto Congressional Fellow. Under this distinguished fellowship, he is a congressional aid to the House Subcommittee for National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, and will be moving to the NPS Washington Office for the last year of his term. David credits his advancement to the flexible, accommodating nature of the online courses and customized subject matter of the MSRI program. After his fellowship is over, David hopes to become an administrator of a national park.

Larissa Philpot is a 2006 graduate from the SFASU Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, where she received bother her bachelors and masters degrees in environmental science. She now works as the City Planner for the City of Nacogdoches. She credits small class sizes, personalized degree plans, and hands-on labs to her success. A large portion of her career involves the use of skills she learned in classes such as geographic information systems, soils, ecology, reclamation, environmental law, and dendrology.

Dr. Hans Williams introduces a course on wetland delineation.  This video describes the combined lecture and field laboratory that the students get to experience. While the lecture concentrate on theory, the laboratories provide student with an opportunity to get real world, hands on experience.  Our students are able to practice their plant, soils, and hydrology assessment skills using a technique required for use by the regulated community.  Students are also exposed to modern location and data collection techniques like GPS and GIS, as well as wetland functional assessment techniques.

Dr. Matthew McBroom narrates his course on environmental hydrology. This class explores environmental interactions with water resources, especially how land use effects water quality and quantity.  The video describes how students are given a chance to learn while performing a valuable service to the community.  Students return to the lab to process water samples collected, thus integrating field and laboratory methodologies.