NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– James Adams, associate professor and director of Stephen F. Austin State University’s sound recording technology program, was named a recipient of The University of Texas System’s 2025 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. The recognition marks the first time an SFA faculty member has received the award since the university joined the UT System.
Established in 2008, the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award is one of the most prestigious teaching honors in the nation, reflecting the UT System’s mission to recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate excellence in classroom teaching and student engagement. Each year, recipients are selected through a rigorous process led by UT System leadership and peers to recognize faculty members whose dedication and innovation have profoundly impacted student learning and success. Awardees receive a $25,000 monetary prize, medallion and certificate.
“I am incredibly honored to have been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award,” Adams said. “Teaching and working with our passionate sound recording technology students is the most satisfying work I have ever done in my life. Being recognized for my efforts and impact with this honor is an incredible feeling and further inspires me to keep working hard for my students.”
As director of SFA’s SRT program, Adams has been instrumental in shaping one of the university’s most dynamic and hands-on areas of study as he prepares students for careers in music, audio engineering and related industries. His teaching philosophy emphasizes both technical mastery and creative exploration, providing students with a strong foundation for professional success.
“In the field of music recording, production and mixing, we creatively leverage technologies through various processes to produce music,” Adams said. “The ability to understand and command many of these processes cannot be taught in theory alone; they must be learned through hands-on experience, training and repetition over time. I hope to continue to teach and inspire students to be creatively nimble in an ever-changing field.”
Adams will be recognized during the UT System Board of Regents’ November meeting, which will include a livestreamed presentation celebrating this year’s award recipients.
“This award is a fitting tribute to James’ extraordinary teaching and leadership,” said Dr. Gary Wurtz, dean of SFA’s Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts. “He brings far more than technical instruction — he shares his professional experience, creative insight and unwavering support for his students. James is deeply invested not only in student success but also in the growth and excellence of the SRT program, and we are honored to have him as part of our college.”
For more information about SFA’s SRT program, visit sfasu.edu/srt.