By Walter Denmon

For the second year in a row, Stephen F. Austin State University’s entrepreneurship academic program and Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship in the Rusche College of Business were collectively named one of the top three emerging entrepreneurship programs in the nation by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

This award recognizes colleges and universities for their efforts developing nascent entrepreneurship programs that demonstrate outstanding progress toward becoming comprehensive, bold and innovative educational programs with early records of student impact.

“We introduced the entrepreneurship major in fall 2020 and opened the center in 2023, and it is amazing to see what ACE has accomplished in just a short amount of time and the impact that it is having not only for SFA students but also for the community,” said Matthew Smilor, ACE director. “This award validates a lot of work Rusche College of Business faculty, staff and students, as well as local community members, have done to build this hub for entrepreneurs in East Texas.”

The Center for Leading the Integration of Faith and Entrepreneurship at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and The University of Tulsa’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Oklahoma were the other two finalists in the category.

“From the Lumberjack Entrepreneurship Competition to the Piney Woods Entrepreneurship Network, ACE plays a central role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of East Texas and trains students to create, explore, invent, pioneer, imagine and innovate,” said Dr. Raymond Jones, director of SFA’s entrepreneurship program. “Our students and community are the wellspring for the startup of new businesses and the growth of existing enterprises.”

Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship is an inclusive community of educators, researchers and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship and practice. They are considered the premier entrepreneurship educational organization in the U.S.

ACE and its subunit, the Small Business Resource Hub, are two of four entities launched by the Rusche College of Business to help bolster local businesses. The others are Business and Community Services and the Center for Business and Economic Research.

By Jason Mannet

Skywatchers are in for a treat this week as seven planets - Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn will all be briefly visible in the evening sky.

This phenomenon, known as a 'planetary parade' is a rare sight, and it will be the last time seven planets can be seen simultaneously so well until 2040.

The best chance to see as many planets as possible will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Four of the planets - Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars - will be visible to the naked eye. Saturn will be harder to see because it will be low in the horizon. You will need a telescope to spot the other two planets - Uranus and Neptune.

A good view of the horizon and clear skies will offer the best chance of spotting them all. However, the window to see all seven planets will be very brief.

Dr Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: "There's a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them."

As the sun sets, Saturn and Mercury will also be setting, making them particularly difficult to see.

"You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon. After that, you'll still be able to see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars clearly for a much longer time," Dr Bloomer added.

The planets in our solar system orbit the Sun within roughly the same flat plane as the Earth.

As they orbit at different speeds and distances from the Sun, there are moments when they appear to line up from Earth's perspective creating a spectacular visual display, although the planets remain separated by vast distances in space.

Venus and Jupiter will be the easiest to spot due to their brightness, while Mars will have a distinct reddish hue.

"Uranus is technically visible with the naked eye, but you'd need perfect eyesight and ideal conditions," Dr Bloomer explains.

To improve your chances of seeing as many planets as possible, Dr Bloomer advises heading to a location with a clear view of the horizon and minimal light pollution.

"If you just pop out of your kitchen into your back garden, you will take time to adjust to the light levels. Give it a bit of time - your eyes take about half an hour to fully adjust," said Dr Bloomer.

"Avoid looking at your phone, get comfortable, and ensure you have an unobstructed view of the horizon."

While this is an exciting opportunity, Dr Bloomer encourages people to make a habit of gazing at the night sky.

"See how things change," he said, adding that observing the heavens is "a chance to witness the ongoing mechanics of the solar system at work." Will the skies be clear enough to see them all this week?

Whilst the weather is still rather unsettled currently, clearer and calmer conditions are expected to develop later in the week.

Tuesday evening will start with clear spells, but cloud and rain will move in from the west later.

On Wednesday night, skies will be generally cloudier with showery rain at times.

By Thursday, expect a drier, clearer view of the night sky. Earlier in the evening is best, as mist and fog patches may develop further into the night.

For Friday high pressure is expected to dominate, keeping dry conditions for most with clear spells. Soon after sunset is most favoured as mist and fog patches may develop later.