May 7, 2001

May 3, 2001 Contact: Gregg Fort (936.468.5183) or Jill Still (936.468.2106)

INAUGURAL "FIRST & GOAL" PROGRAM TO BENEFIT STEEN LIBRARY

Nacogdoches, Texas -- As part of the new athletics "Campus Initiative" project, the SFASU Foundation and Stephen F. Austin Athletics will launch the First & Goal program this fall. "We are thrilled to have this opportunity to once again link athletics and academics at SFA," said Jill Still, associate director of development. "Hoops-For-Scholars was the first fund-raiser of this type at SFA, and we look forward to promoting more events of this kind. This could become a model program at other universities once it is implemented at SFA."

Utilizing a designated Lumberjack football game as the development vehicle, this cooperative effort will raise funds directly for a selected campus project each year. The first beneficiary of this innovative program will be the Ralph W. Steen Library.

"First & Goal is a project that we envisioned last year when we began to develop our Campus Initiative program," said Gregg Fort, associate athletic director for external affairs. "One of the ways that athletics can positively impact other areas of the university is by using our events as a means to raise funds for specific non-athletic, campus needs."

Based on the successful "Hoops-For-Scholars" program that has raised almost $200,000 for National Merit Scholarships, First & Goal will take pledges based on the total points scored by the Lumberjack football team during their game with Cal State-Northridge on Sept. 22 at Homer Bryce Stadium.

"The Hoops-for-Scholars program was a great idea when the program was implemented and has continued to grow each year in terms of benefits it provides," said Dr. Janelle Ashley, vice president of academic affairs at SFA. "First, we see the benefits to academically talented students in the form of scholarships. Equally as important are the benefits to the talented student-athletes as they give of themselves to stress the complementary roles of academics and athletics on our campus. It is exciting to hear of the new plans to take this relationship between academics and athletics a step further with the announcement of the First & Goal program. We predict it will be another winning endeavor."

All funds raised by the First & Goal program will go directly to the purchase of additional books, according to library director Al Cage.

"This is the type of program that allows us to help give back to the university and express our appreciation for the athletic scholarships we receive," stated SFA quarterback Wes Pate. Other projects that are part of the SFA athletic "Campus Initiative" include the successful Hoops-For-Scholars event and the Campus Coach program.