News

Nominations Open for Prestigious 2019 Athena Award

BJ Kirkpatrick News
Austin College Athena Internatioal

Press Release | Austin College | Sherman, Texas


Nominations are now open for Austin College’s Athena Award and Athena Young Professional Award. The College’s Center for Community and Regional Development and its Texoma Women Get Connected program will recognize two exemplary leaders with the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award® and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award at a luncheon on Friday, May 2.

Nominations will be accepted for the 2019 awards until February 28, with completion of the online ATHENA Leadership Awards® Nomination Form.  Local honorees may represent either the for-profit or not-for-profit sector and must work and reside in Fannin, Cooke, or Grayson counties. Past award recipients are not eligible to receive the award, though previous nominees may be nominated again.

Event sponsors and table sponsors are needed for the event. Learn more from the Sponsor Information Sheet. Event sponsorships benefit the College’s Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation (SEPA) summer intern program. For more information, please contact Ginger Nye at 903.813.2834.

The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to individuals who have attained and embody the highest level of professional excellence in their business or profession, devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership nominees are emerging women leaders under age 40 who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as role models for young women both personally and professionally.

Since 2014, the ATHENA Award has honored Stacy Rake Murphy, owner and principal agent of Nationwide Insurance in Sherman (2014), Brenda Hayward, executive director of Child and Family Guidance Center of Texoma (2016), Michelle Castle, branch manager at Guild Mortgage Company (2017), and Luann Daniel, executive director of Women Rock.

The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award has honored Michelle Lemming, president and CEO of Texoma Health Foundation (2014), Hillary Luckett Clark, a Sherman attorney and community leader (2016), Trish Bridges, director of critical care services at Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center (2017), and Amber Pilcher, banking services manager and regional retail manager for Landmark Bank Denison.  No awards were given in 2015.

The ATHENA Leadership Award Program is administered by ATHENA International, a non-profit women’s leadership organization, along with licensed host organizations and sponsors. Over 6,000 awards have been presented in the U.S. and around the world since the program’s inception in 1982. Recent recipients include Condoleezza Rice, Billie Jean King, Pat Summit, and Gabby Giffords.

Austin College was founded in 1849 and is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter. During the 2018-2019 academic year, the campus recognizes 100 years of co-education and has hosted several events commemorating the history of women and accomplishments of current alumnae. The Athena Awards Luncheon will highlight the 2019 award honorees as well as some of the pioneering women associated with Austin College history.

Sherman Cultural District 2019 Winter Art Dash

BJ Kirkpatrick News
Sherman Art Dash

Press Release | Sherman, Texas

The Sherman Cultural District warms up downtown with the first Winter Art Tour featuring more than 30 artists exhibiting at 14 locations in February. The peak of the month-long exhibit is the Art Dash, an artists’ reception where ticket holders go home with an original piece of art.

The Art Dash on February 16 begins at 3 p.m. at the Courthouse Market Building on the corner of Travis and Houston in downtown Sherman. The artists participating in the Winter Art Tour have created new original work for the Dash. At the signal, ticket holders hurry to claim their favorite piece for keeps. All are welcome, but only ticket holders participate in the Dash. Tickets can be purchased online at www.shermanarts.org.

“The Winter Art Tour and Dash are fun for our community, and they meet the goals of the Sherman Cultural District,” says Ginger Nye, director of the Center for Community & Regional Development at Austin College. “We aim for the District to be lively, walkable, creative and entertaining. This event meets all those expectations. We’re pretty sure the Dash will certainly be lively.”

Maps for the self-guided tour are available at the Sherman Main Street and Tourism office at 100 N. Travis, Suite D, and the Old Iron Post restaurant. Maps are also available at all the exhibit locations.

The exhibiting artists use a variety of mediums and techniques including oils, acrylic, mixed-media, photography, and woodcarving; and they range in experience from elementary school through international acclaim. Some of the exhibited works are available for purchase.

  • Winter Art Tour

“We’re excited to increase the foot traffic through our existing downtown galleries and arts related businesses while also putting original artwork in the stores, boutiques and even the library,” Nye said. “We invite everyone to make a trip downtown if that’s not something you usually do, and encourage the downtown regulars to pause and appreciate all that we have.”

Sherman received official designation as a Texas Cultural District from the Texas Commission on the Arts in September 2018. The Sherman Cultural District is both a geographic district encompassing cultural sites, restaurants, museums and theaters, and a partnership comprising the many arts and cultural groups. The Cultural District Advisory Council is hosted by Austin College in cooperation with the City of Sherman. For more information about the Sherman Cultural District visit www.shermanarts.org.

New Home Announced for Northeast Texas Children’s Museum

BJ Kirkpatrick News

Press Release | Commerce Texas

After two years of an uncertain future, the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum is pleased to announce the purchase of a 26,500 sq. ft. building along Highway 11 East in Commerce, Texas. The building is located on approximately 7.9 acres and meets the museum criteria for building space and an outdoor play area. The move from the current location is scheduled for September 1, 2019.

The Northeast Texas Children’s Museum had its beginning in the defunct David’s Grocery Store in early 2002.  The museum struggled with the rising cost of the lease, and in 2006, under the leadership of Dr. Keith McFarland, Texas A&M University – Commerce offered a new location on the campus. The Children’s Museum moved to the building formerly known as Watson’s Cafeteria. 

 For the next thirteen years, the Children’s Museum continued to grow, increasing the number of visitors each year.  When the future of the Museum at this location became uncertain because of lease restrictions and the age of the building, the Board of Directors were forced to consider other possibilities. One option was to relocate as part of a proposed agricultural complex on Highway 24. “The timing of vacating the current location and the availability of moving to the proposed agricultural complex left few options for the Children’s Museum. We certainly understand the necessity for the Children’s Museum to make this move. Texas A&M University – Commerce will certainly continue its support of the Children’s Museum,” said Dr. Mark Rudin, President of Texas A&M University – Commerce.

When a building became available just a few miles east of the current location, the Museum’s Board of Directors began to envision this building as a potential site for their new home. In November 2018, Sharline Freeman, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum, approached the Commerce EDC Board of Directors (owner of the building) with a request to purchase the building. The CEDC took this under consideration, and with 30,000 annual visitors, acknowledged that the Children’s Museum is a great asset to Northeast Texas, especially Commerce.

Future home of Northeast Texas Children's Museum

“With limited sites available, the CEDC was pleased to have a property for sale that met the criteria and needs of the Museum,” stated Robin Alexander, President of the CEDC Board of Directors. “We are excited that they will remain in Commerce, and we look forward to the Museum’s growth at their new location.” 

“Quality of life is important when working to attract new businesses, and the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum has become a landmark for Commerce. This purchase is a win / win for both entities. The size and layout of the building will provide ample space for existing and new exhibits and offers plenty of space for the outdoor play area. When their enhancements are finished, it will be a showcase for our community,” said Bonnie Hunter, Executive Director for the Commerce EDC.

 Donna Tavener, President of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum added: “The level of financial support will determine how many new exhibits can be added at this time. The next big fundraiser will be our Annual Silent Auction on Monday, April 29 at the Sam Rayburn Student Center on the campus of Texas A&M University – Commerce. We ask our patrons and donors to mark their calendars, plan to attend, and come support the Children’s Museum as they transition to their new home.”