Former regent to address SFA graduates during August commencement

Dr. Scott Coleman, clinical associate professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry and Stephen F. Austin State University alumnus and former regent, will give the commencement address during SFA's graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, in Johnson Coliseum.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Dr. Scott Coleman, clinical associate professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry and Stephen F. Austin State University alumnus and former regent, will give the commencement address during SFA's graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, in Johnson Coliseum.

Coleman received a bachelor's degree in biology from SFA in 1980 and graduated first in his class from UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry with a doctorate in dental surgery.

A member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Coleman also is an Eagle Scout, a third-degree black belt in hapkido, first-degree black belt in taekwondo, and an avid college basketball fan. He spends his free time training for Run Disney half-marathons with his three grown children.

To attend commencement, attendees 5 years and older must have a ticket to enter Johnson Coliseum. Tickets are free and will help university officials ensure the venue is not overcrowded. A limited number of tickets per each graduate candidate is available and must be reserved in advance by the candidate.

The public also is invited to attend, and community tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis at the coliseum ticket office one hour before the ceremony begins.

Degrees to be awarded include 230 bachelor's, 82 master's and six doctoral degrees. More than 50 students will graduate with honors, including 19 cum laude, 16 magna cum laude and 20 summa cum laude. Two students will graduate with the university scholar designation.

For more information, visit the commencement information for guests webpage.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers' college in Texas' oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges - business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor's degrees, more than 40 master's degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at the SFA website.