The Piper| Winter 2020 by Lyon College

Community

Reimagined.

CONTENTS Winter 2020 | Volume 50 | Issue 2

4 ALL ACCESS

Map to Lyon’s many murals

7 What does Community mean to you Catching up with Lyon alumni across the country

8 Virtual Reality

Remote learning leads to surprising beneﬁts, innovation

12 Learning to belong

The ﬁrst-generation student experience

13 Honoring a legend

Basketball court named for successful coach

14 Silver linings

Virtual engagement connects alumni across the country

16 Something old, something new

Traditions connect 148 years of community

18 The Future Is...

Lyon leaders adjust to "new normal"

22 LIghts, Camera, Scots

Spotlight shines on former Lyon students

27 Lyon, Virtually

Connection takes on new look, meaning

28 Impact Report

Your gifts making a difference

37 Leaving a legacy

Springer enjoys lasting impact

38 Lyon Legends

Diane Ellis pursues passion at Lyon

40 Bullseye!

Lyon expands archery into new program

42 Milestones

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Celebrating Lyon alumni

www.alumni.lyon.edu | @LyonCollegeAlumni

A RETURN A

W. Joseph King, Ph.D. co-author of How to Run a College and the 1 th president o Lyon College

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TO NORMALCY?

hundred years ago, the world had ust experienced the 191 u pandemic and was trying to recover rom World War I Lives were lost, the economy su ered, and higher education still ached rom the loss o students pecifically in the nited tates, the country saw another wave o the u in the spring o 19 ew ork City was one o the hardest hit This sounds somewhat amiliar ven the 19 presidential candidate, Warren arding, called or a return to normalcy in his campaign That slogan echoes our desire today or li e to go back to normal O course, as I m sure you ve read, seen, or heard, the world won t really go back to normal but rather, it will ad ust to the new normal, whatever that ends up looking like I make this point because despite the call or normalcy in 19 , the was never the same, and this was especially apparent in higher education ost-pandemic, colleges and universities in the 19 s returned with a new ocus on educating the whole person and expanding student services, such as financial aid and academic advising The new normal meant more progress and innovation or colleges, especially in developing more supportive college communities ince Lyon College moved to remote instruction, I ve watched students, aculty, and sta adapt and find new ways to stay connected ost importantly, I ve watched the Lyon community grow stronger and more inventive The College continues to upgrade student services to make them sa er and more engaging, including a virtual residence li e program, increased IT server support, and online advising con erences I expect some o these additions will become regular practices o our Lyon experience I mention all o this because I like to think that history will repeat itsel t the beginning o October, I announced to aculty, sta , and students that Lyon College intends to be in residence or the upcoming spring semester The College s COVID-19 task orce has taken several actions in order to prepare or a residential semester, including campus-wide testing, sa ety renovations, and implementing daily health screenings With these precautions in place, the Lyon College community can return to an improved, sa er learning environment erhaps, ust like in the 19 s, we ll see a new normal that s better than we ever imagined

ALL ACCESS MAP TO LYON’S MANY MURALS

Photo by Jake Cypert | The Greetings from Batesville Mural depicts THE AREA's iconic sites.

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eady for a road trip? Looking for new, socially distanced fun for you and your family? Batesville has you covered. The Lyon College art program has transformed the Batesville area by adding more than 10 murals over the past few years, encouraging visitors to explore not only Main Street but the entire city. Next time you’re in town, why not take an outdoor art tour? Start with the repainted Coca-Cola mural, nearly three stories high on the side of BIG’s Restaurant at 101 E. Main St. Grab a bite and take in the sight! Professor of Art Dustyn Bork says the 30-by90 foot mural is one of the art program’s most ambitious projects yet. Originally painted in the late 1920s or early 1930s, it may be the oldest preserved mural from Coca-Cola featuring the mascot, Sprite Boy. “The students’ craftsmanship was impeccable, ork said I have confidence in any one of them that they could, from start to finish, execute a large-scale mural like this on their own.” ext, stop and smell the owers o the “Blossoming Main Street” mural on the side of Rutherford Hall at the intersection of North Cleveland and Main Streets. This mural

depicts an apple blossom on Main Street to represent the recent growth of Batesville’s beautiful downtown. You can then swing by Siloe at 181 S. Central Ave. to see the “Be The Light” mural by Morgun Henson, '19, on the side of the women’s clothing boutique. Henson enjoys creating designs with uplifting messages to inspire others to look for the positives in their lives. “I really enjoy doing this because not only is it relaxing, but I also get to meet new people,” Henson said. After seeing Henson’s work, take a peek inside the Citizens Bank Pocket Park at 325 E. Main St. to see the “Greetings from Batesville” mural. The piece features iconic sites from around the area within each letter of the word “Batesville,” including the Melba Theater, the Batesville Community Center and the Independence County Courthouse. Head to the Independence County Library when you’re done to check out the newly completed “Unity” mural at the Water Street entrance. Bork said the mural honors Batesville’s diverse community and its tradition of civic engagement. “In a time when a lot of people may feel isolated, it was great to be a part of something that’s meant to bring people together,” said

“In a time when a lot of people may feel isolated, it was great to be a part of something that’s meant to bring people together,”

Photo by Jake Cypert |Top Photo: The Protect mural, located at the Independence County Sheriff’s Department at 1750 Myers St., honors all emergency services and first responders in the county. Middle Photo: The Be the Light mural, by Morgun Henson, ’19, is located at 181 S. Central Ave Bottom Photo: The Quilt mural, located at 810 N. Central Ave., is a colorful take on a traditional quilt block mural. Left: Senior Hayley Cormican completed her solo mural, ‘You are... ARt,’ in 2019.

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– Molly Mellor, Batesville

junior Molly Mellor, of Batesville. “I’ve lived in Batesville all my life, and it’s really cool to be able to leave something so tangible. Murals really add character and beauty to spaces.” Walking to the next mural on foot may take awhile, so drive over to the west side of town to see the “Quilt” mural at 810 N. Central Ave. Students worked with artist Olivia Trimble of Fayetteville, Ark. to produce this colorful take on a traditional quilt block mural. From there, drive to the Independence County Sheriff’s Department at 1750 Myers St. to see the “Protect” mural, which honors all emergency services and first responders in the county. End your mural tour with a solo mural by senior Hayley Cormican, of Batesville. The “You Are ... ARt” mural is located at 1375 E. College Ave. Take in the mural’s message before heading up the road to Lyon. “My inspiration for this mural came from how often people see art and ask, ‘But what does it mean?’” said Cormican. “The truth is, art is subjective, and oftentimes it can mean whatever you want it to mean. You are entitled to your own opinion and views, and that’s why the mural depicts the saying.” The Lyon College art program never stops producing public art. If you’re feeling adventurous, continue your tour by visiting nearby Cave City to see the newest mural project. The Bank of Cave City commissioned the Lyon art program to create a mural for the Cave City Library, located at 133 S. Main St. Sarah Winters, '18, created the design for the mural. “I still don’t think I have fully grasped that something I designed is going up on a giant wall in the middle of Cave City!” Winters said. Bork recognizes that these murals not only beautify the community but provide opportunities for students. “(These murals) are an awesome opportunity for our students and our alumni to branch out and share their creativity and talents with a much broader audience,” Bork said. “Art doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and it’s great to bring our studio practice to a wider community audience.”

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This Photo by Jake Cypert | The Blossoming Main Street mural depicts an apple blossom to represent the growth of Batesville’s beautiful downtown.

Right Photo: Morgun Henson, ’19, senior Hayley Cormican, Victoria Hutcheson, ’19, and Kacy Perkins, ’19, were some of the students in Lyon’s murals class who were paid by Coca-Cola to repaint the company’s mural in downtown Batesville.

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

The creator of our digital portraits is Geneva McCaulley, a senior psychology major set to graduate in May of 2021. When students were sent home from campus in March of 2020, she bought an iPad and taught herself how to illustrate portraits digitally. McCaulley said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The opportunity to create these portraits for the Piper is something I will cherish for years.â&#x20AC;? Her contact information is geneva.mccaulley@lyon.edu.

am fortunate to be a member o several communities my church amily, my gourmet group, my amily group, and several riends groups y church community includes those that I have worshipped with since uly, 19 y gourmet has evolved into a community focused on ellowship rather than exotic dishes y amily community keeps me grounded and eeling loved One o my riends groups is made up o five other women who en oy each other s company while eating, singing, or playing games These women are my posse nother community o mine or which I am very grate ul is my Lyon community I have known and loved these riends or years They taught me the significance o living in community years ago, and I treasure them riendships we ormed in our Lyon community have become the rock on which we have grown into compassionate and loving individuals When people ask me about my our years in atesville, I always say they were the best our years o my li e I am so thank ul or the sense o community that Lyon College has ostered in my life

Becky DeLoach, class of 1970

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ntil very recently, if you were to ask someone to define community, they likely would have given an answer that involved an actual place a physical location person s community would be based on a literal place a school, a neighborhood, a region or city sk someone that uestion today, however, and odds are you ll get a very di erent response Language changes over time The way it s used today, community tends to revolve around something even more personal than your home one s identity The Ox ord nglish Dictionary defines it as a body o people or things viewed collectively ot ust a place you exist or fit into, but something you choose or yoursel n active orm o togetherness We asked alumni rom di erent generations, across the nation and various walks o li e to share with us what exactly community means to them Their stories can be ound on pages , 11, 1, , , 9, 1

PLANNING STAGE The challenge of facilitating

an entirely remote semester was ensuring that the value of the Lyon education would remain the same. In order to accomplish this mission, the college worked on improving services across the board. The college’s informational technology (IT) department adopted additional support services to offer effective remote learning options. Lyon partnered with Apogee, an Austin-based technology services provider with over 400 higher education institutions as clients, to improve its technical infrastructure and remote learning capacity. An estimated 15-20% of departmental time was saved, and technical capacity dramatically increased. An upgraded server core meant faster services and better security, which were imperative for remote learning practices. The faculty attended a series of workshops led by a team of informational technologists in June and July to prepare for remote courses. Provost Melissa Taverner said this training offered a basic overview of how to think about online education from a pedagogical standpoint, targeted workshops on the use of discussion boards, instruction on how to use small breakout groups in online classes and recommendations for fostering meaningful discussion and interactions virtually.

SCOT WEEK ow were first-year students supposed to eel

VIRTUAL REALITY:

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FALL 2020 REMOTE LEARNING LEADS TO SURPRISING BENEFITS, INNOVATION

yon College made the difficult decision in July to continue remote learning for the fall 2020 semester in order to keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. New resources were developed for everything from freshman orientation to upper level biology labs. While Lyon plans to return to in-person education for the spring semester, faculty and staff plan to continue using many of these innovations into the future.

like Lyon was their new home when they could not be on campus? That was one of the biggest challenges faced by the college s first-year studies team as they prepared for Scot Week. “We went from planning for an in-person event to planning for a hybrid event with social distancing measures to planning for a fully virtual semester, first-year adviser risti rice said Dean o irst- ear tudies urt ra ton said Lyon had already planned to move away from the traditional Student Orientation Advising and Registration weeks in favor of face-to-face advising sessions. “We had also started to plan for an online experience we called Becoming a Scot, ra ton said. “That was meant to engage students from the point of deposit all the way up to Scot Week.” Becoming a Scot was designed as a preorientation program that would also function as a resource for freshmen to get valuable information about the college and to share information with the advisers. Because Scot Week would be the new students first experience with Lyon College online, the team worked hard to create something special With the o fice o strategic marketing and communication, they developed a series of videos covering topics like Lyon traditions, the honor and social codes and campus services. Lyon alumni pitched in to help ene Craw ord, ’85, president of trust services at Citi ens ank, recorded a video on financial literacy Chris Robinson, ’19, told students about his “favorite failure” to celebrate the importance of perseverance.

"Arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all classes fun, full of ideas shared among myself and my students? Zoom has done nothing to change that. In some ways, it may have even enhanced it!â&#x20AC;? - Terrell Tebbetts, Ph.D.

First-year advisers (from left) Kristi Price, Karen Cherwien and Amanda Mathews prepare care packages for students, including a t-shirt, a student ID card, a handwritten postcard from the first-year advisers and a candle for the matriculation ceremony.

Cherwien said this also helps the first-year advisers identi y potential problems, such as technology issues at home, and connect the students with resources to solve them I also have better attendance at my advising visits this year, rice said It s almost 1 percent because they don t actually have to get up and walk through bad weather to see me he plans to o er uture advising meetings online

STUDENT LIFE tudent Li e ocused on the social component, making sure students were connecting with each other outside the virtual classroom This included events both old and new, such as a murder mystery event where students logged into a virtual room, interacted with actors to pick up clues and had to try to solve the mystery together live chat was part o this activity, and new students were able to get to know each other during the event, said Director o tudent ngagement nswella nkton Trivia contests were held throughout cot Week, with themes like Lyon College, the s and alloween The tudent ctivities Council C continued holding trivia every Tuesday at p m throughout the all semester nkton said her personal avorite event was Lyon Cribs, C s version o the show TV Cribs tudents and sta submitted videos o their homes or avorite rooms, and tudent Li e shared them on the C Instagram We tried to incorporate as much virtual un into cot Week as we would have i the students were on campus, nkton said

Top: Photo by Jake Cypert | Only a handful of students were given permission to be on campus this semester. Bottom: Junior Hannah Wu (right) picks up her microscope for Histology lab from Dr. Maryline Jones.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The content in those videos is what helped make cot Week something special, said firstyear adviser manda athews acilitators watched the videos with groups o about 1 students who provided eedback on the content and completed assignments related to the videos I think the traditions video is one or the vault, rice said I think every student got that taste o being a cot irst-year adviser aren Cherwien said the team made sure to include parents in the process as well, providing them a handbook with resources and in ormation relevant to parents The first-year studies team planned out training sessions in advance and worked through several dry runs to ensure technology worked Lyon was essentially streaming massive content videos through secondary sources, like oom and oogle eet We learned there were ideal circumstances and then had to uickly make sure everyone had a working machine, good solid internet and all those nitty-gritty details, rice said I m glad we exercised those dry runs When cot Week finally came, everything worked I think I m proudest about that athews said the first-year studies team even ound some advantages o having reshman orientation online, particularly when it came to first-year advising dvising online has been really cool because I can see the students where they are, she said They re in their house, so I can see pictures on their walls and it sparks conversation I m getting to know the students better, more uickly than I would on campus because I can see what it s like or them at home

Director of Residence Life Sh’Nita Mitchell said Lyon also adapted its Resident Life Services (RLS) to serve students virtually. She said 27 resident assistants are participating as virtual staff members and complete a variety o tasks each week, such as check-ins, oor meetings and programs with their residents. The residents are organi ed by the oor they would have been on this semester. “We feel virtual RLS will be helpful in keeping the residents engaged, as well as provide an additional resource for residents as they navigate their online experience,” Mitchell said. Junior Hannah Wu is working as a resident assistant (RA) this semester and said she checks in with her residents weekly by either texting, calling or emailing them. It s definitely a challenging shi t because I am not able to interact and hold conversations with my residents on a day-to-day basis,” Wu said. “Virtual RLS places a lot of limitations on what I can do. However, texting them weekly and getting to see their virtual faces allows me to build a closer bond with them.” Wu said RLS staff have also created virtual programs for their residents. Wu had her residents come up with three bucket list items that they wanted to accomplish before the end of the semester. “We realized that the majority of us have the same goals and priorities,” Wu said, “which makes us feel better that we are not alone in trying to conquer online learning.”

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YEAR ONE The Year One

program has undergone a few revisions in its history, according to Jenn Daniels, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and director of Year One for the past 12 years. “About two years ago we changed to a topical model, which empowers faculty and allows them to teach to their passions, while making content more interesting and informative to new students.” Daniels said the new format made it easier to transition to remote instruction. The classes meet once per week and they’ve had no attendance issues and have retained all of the student mentors. Daniels said that the student mentors are an important part of Year One, giving valuable perspective to the new students. Some of the classes offered this fall include psychology of horror and the French experience. While the classes are fun, students are expected to do college-level writing and projects. Daniels said when students are on campus, each Year One professor receives $100 for experiential learning such as field trips or lunches together. But this year, the faculty were forced to get creative. Biology professors sent stuffed microbes and lab materials to each student, and the French experience students received French treats in the mail. "Necessity is the mother of invention, you know, " Daniels said.

Top: Middle: Photo by Jake Cypert | Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Irosha Nawarathne uses molecular models while teaching her students virtually. Bottom: Photo by Jake Cypert | Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Jennifer Daniels said Year One transitioned smoothly to online education.

Photo by Jake Cypert | As an international student, Warren Simpson was one of the few campus residents during the fall.

for their upper-level courses, too. Assistant professor of biology Maryline Jones, Ph.D., loaned microscopes to the six upperclassmen in her histology course in order to continue handson labs during virtual education. The students made a loan agreement with Jones, promising to pay for the equipment if they damage the microscopes or do not return them to the college. Jones also gave the students an attachment for their phones, which allows them to display what they are viewing through the microscope on their computer screens. “They shared what their phone camera was seeing,” she said. “So every time they looked through the microscope I would see what they were seeing.” Senior Allison Mundy said this helps with the pace of the lab. “When one student asks a question, we can see the slide as Dr. Jones gives an answer,” Mundy said. “I almost like it better than an in-person lab. “Almost.” Jones said she hoped that by providing the necessary equipment, her students would feel like they were still getting a real lab experience while doing remote instruction. Senior Téa Mason was surprised at the opportunity. “Being able to have these at home and participate in lab has been a major game changer for me in comparison to last semester,” Mason said. “I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything from being forced to take classes virtually this semester.” Terrell Tebbetts, Ph.D., the Martha Heasley Cox Chair in American Literature, admitted that he was “highly suspicious” of remote instruction in the beginning, fearing that Zoom classes would be as dreadful as a few of the Zoom meetings he had attended before the semester started.

“But no! I’m loving my fall classes,” Tebbetts said, laughing. “The students are engaged as ever, maybe more so, connecting well with one another and with me. Why had I been so suspicious? Aren’t all classes fun, full of ideas shared among myself and my students? Zoom has done nothing to change that. In some ways, it may have even enhanced it!”

STUDENT RETENTION Despite the challenges, Lyon has not seen a drop in enrollment this semester. “You might have expected overall retention to have gone down, but it actually increased a little bit,” Grafton said, adding that the freshmen retention rate has improved from previous years. Lyon’s freshman retention rate improved from the previous year, Grafton said. “That is almost entirely a testament to the first-year advisers and the work they did with those freshmen all last year,” he said. “They were really doing some good work with those students to give them an individualized Lyon experience.” Sophomore Payne Moser said adapting to online learning for the fall semester was easier after doing it in the spring. “Most professors have gotten much better at teaching online,” Moser said. However, he said some classes translate to online learning better than others. Sophomore Maddie Poole said she misses the face-to-face contact with professors and other students, but overall she believes the virtual semester has been going well so far. One o the benefits o online classes is that I have a lot more free time,” Poole said. “I don’t have a lot of distractions or other things to do, so I’m really able to focus on schoolwork. I do really miss having study groups and lab partners, and I see now how beneficial those are

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU

his is a loaded question in this unprecedented time in our country, but it is a very important one nonetheless. I could only expect such a request from my alma mater! From a formal perspective, I believe community is a sense of belonging. An ideal community is composed of a diverse group of people, often with very different ideals, but ultimately, they are unified in wanting the same things To me, this unified desire is most basically — but profoundly — expressed in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. From an informal perspective, community can simply be sharing successes and failures with fans of your favorite sports team (like LSU football for me: Geaux Tigers!). Community is also a foundation of people we interact with and build our daily lives around, including family, friends, work colleagues and neighbors. These various interactions shape our life experiences and satisfy a common human desire for companionship.

Brian Evans, class of 1997

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CLASSES Faculty have been thinking outside the box

LEARNING TO BELONG THE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT EXPERIENCE

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore,” Nobel Prize-winning French author Andre Gide said.

hese words capture the challenge aced by students who are first in their families to pursue a college degree. Nearly 40% of Lyon College students are first-generation, and fully one third of those come from disadvantaged backgrounds ot unlike explorers, these students find themselves bravely embarking into unfamiliar territory. But Lyon offers many resources to guide their way In early 19, the Center or irst- eneration tudent uccess reported that first-gen college students faced the same types of challenges as their non-first-gen counterparts, but with higher levels o academic and financial distress reshman adison ardy, o aumelle, rk , was drawn to Lyon by its pet- riendly policy, but both she and her cat remain at home while classes are online. “My parents don’t really grasp the amount of work it takes to be in college, said ardy, who works at a local Chick- il- ranchise to make ends meet Counselor Diane llis said first-year programs and staff support are important for first-generation students llis added that programs like upplemental Instruction and diversity training are help ul, as are caring sta like the registrar and first-year advisors ayli Womack Chovanec, , o

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LOWER Photo: Kayli (Womack) Chovanec celebrated remotely in May 2020 when she became the first in her family to earn a college degree.

UPPER PHOTO: Madison Hardy attended classes remotely in Fall 2020, her first semester as a college student.

Columbia, o , chose Lyon because o an impressive medical school acceptance rate, but today Chovanec is enrolled in law school. he praised her aculty advisor Dr ohn erda, ssociate ro essor o panish, or helping her navigate the change in trajectory. “Dr. Herda helped me see that I could do what I wanted to do, not ust what was expected o me, she said Chovanec expressed gratitude, too, or lessons learned in adjusting to residence hall life. “I had to learn how to communicate with others and end or mysel , she said eing part o something, living in community with others like that, was very rewarding “Lyon taught me what type of person I wanted to become, a more well-rounded person, someone who reali es many viewpoints can be valid and worthy o respect, even i they are di erent rom my own t Lyon College, I learned to persevere and ust keep on pushing, to not give up Lyon’s faculty is well positioned to serve first-gen students, with roughly hal o aculty

having been first-gen students themselves Dr enni er Daniels, ssociate ro essor o sychology, said her parents were supportive, but offered little guidance. “I also needed the support o people who could do college, she said, underscoring the help she received rom her professors. Daniels and other faculty have received additional, specific training This means I do not have to ONLY rely on my personal experiences to connect with these students or on my training as a social psychologist, Daniels said. he challenged students to get to know their professors. “Find people who want to support your entire development. You are more than your academic talent or musical talent or athletic talent The life you lead after you leave undergrad is yours and will amount to more than the jobs you get and the degrees you earn

"Lyon taught me what type of person I wanted to become" -Kayli (Womack) Chovanec

HONORING A LEGEND

College. When teams play a game at Becknell Gymnasium, they will now be playing on Terry Garner Court. From 1980-1994, Garner served as head men’s basketball coach at what was then Arkansas College. From 1994-95, he held that position at the newly renamed Lyon College. He also served as the school’s director of athletics from 1986-2007. Over his distinguished career, Garner earned numerous honors and recognitions, including NAIA District 17 Coach of the Year, NAIA Area V National Coach of the Year and Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Lyon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 and the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2008. Garner made an immediate impact for the Scots when he became the head coach, as he led the team to four consecutive 20-plus win seasons from 1980-84. During that stretch, in the 1983-84 season, he led the Scots to their only NAIA National Tournament appearance in program history. This past spring, David Brogdon, class o 199 Rodney ri fin, class o 199 and Ryland Kieffer, class of 1998, pitched the idea to do something special for their former coach. The trio came up with the idea to redesign the playing surface inside Becknell Gymnasium and to dedicate the court to Garner. “My entire life I have watched Coach Garner impact young men's lives, and he helped make me who I am today,” Brogdon said. “He was super competitive, tough and never backed down from a challenge. Yet, Coach also had a huge heart for his players and truly loved us. Coach Garner deserves this honor and I will forever be indebted to him for the opportunity he gave me to play basketball at Lyon and the lessons he taught me along the way.” The new hardwood court, which was

Director of Athletics Kevin Jenkins '86, Ryland Kieffer '98, Terry Garner, David Brogdon '93, and Rodney Griffin '96 pose together, shortly after surprising Coach Garner with the newly named court.

completed in June, features the Lyon College navy and crimson surrounding the boundaries, with “Lyon College” and “Fighting Scots” lettered on opposite baselines. The Rampant Lion logo will be placed at mid-court. rogdon, ri fin, ie er and current director of athletics Kevin Jenkins, who also played for Garner, unveiled the new court design to their former coach over the summer.In addition to the court dedication, Lyon College has one more tribute planned for Garner. He will be recognized as the Scots Champion Award

recipient at the second annual Scots Spectacular on Saturday, July 24, 2021. Garner will be the second recipient of the award after Fred Wann accepted the honor at the first cots pectacular in July 2019. Garner summed up his feelings about the court naming and the award after having spent countless hours of his career in Becknell Gymnasium. “To have my name put on the court is a blessing, especially with the players who helped make that happen,” Garner said.

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fter 15 years coaching, a trip to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Tournament and more than 200 wins, former long-time head basketball coach Terry Garner was honored with an everlasting gesture from Lyon

SILVER LININGS VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT

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CONNECTS ALUMNI ACROSS THE COUNTRY

ow do you keep a community of alumni engaged when everyone has to stay home? Lyon College had to address this question quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and campus was cleared last spring. Director of Alumni Engagement Cindy Barber said there was a keen sense of loss as live events were cancelled one after another in 2020. “So, we persevered,” she said. “We switched gears, brainstormed, Googled ideas and got creative. And what we learned is that maintaining the Lyon community doesn’t require being on campus or physical contact.” Executive Director of Advancement Gina Garrett typically travels frequently to meet with alumni and donors in person, but the travel restrictions during the pandemic forced her and other development o ficers to rethink their “terms of engagement.” Online tools, such as video, email and Zoom, helped them bridge the distance virtually. The logistics are simplified because we don t have to organize those visits around available ights or specific locales, arrett said It s possible to virtually visit with alumni on both coasts the same day.” She also encouraged alumni to join ScotsConnect.com, another online platform that fosters community despite physical distance. “It works like LinkedIn, but is inclusive of the Lyon College community only,” Garrett said, “allowing alumni and students to network and share opportunities for professional development, like job shadowing, resume reviews, mock interviews and internship or job openings.” As the weeks went on, Barber said the team knew they wanted to start getting alumni and friends together in new meaningful and interactive ways.

Lyon held several alumni roundtables with President Joey King and members of Advancement to stay connected with the community. Then an idea sur aced that confirmed meaning ul engagement can occur virtually and still be a lot of fun: the Lyon Alumni Book Club. The first book club meeting was held on June 29 to discuss “Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue. A group of 18 alumni from six states spanning seven decades enjoyed a spirited discussion moderated by Anna Leinweber, Lyon College public services librarian. The book club has gone on to meet monthly with increasing numbers attending, reading a wide variety of books selected by the members. “Book club members communicate regularly and have their own o ficially branded bookmarks said Barber. “The members have already come to the conclusion that this club will continue to exist long after the pandemic is a distant memory.” An idea from a book club discussion inspired Lyon’s next virtual alumni event: Lyon Libations, an online bartending class led by Adam Penman, ‘08. It brought together 26 attendees who had a great time learning how to mix four cocktails from the safety of their own home. The event was so popular they added a second Lyon Libations during ScotsFest Virtual Homecoming, led by Len Rayburn, ’91. “It was appropriately Scotch-themed,” Barber said, laughing. Holding alumni events online has even led to some surprising benefits The virtual lumni Council meetings have seen an increase in attendance because everyone could attend without having to make the drive to Batesville. Despite campus being closed to visitors, the new 1872 Society was able to hold its inaugural meeting virtually, and the college honored the recipients of the 2020 Lyon College Alumni wards with special individual profiles with photos online. “Hopefully, we will honor the recipients in person in pril 1 arber said

BOOK

CLUB

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LYON ALUMNI

Lyon has also expressed its gratitude throughout this socially distanced era. The Advancement team recognized the college’s donors through the “Why I Give” feature articles and thanked alumni teachers for going the extra mile during the pandemic. “Our donors need to know they are valued and appreciated; they need to know they are making an impact,” said Assistant Director of Stewardship Mary Lemings, who organized the “Why I Give” series. “This series also gives voice to our donors’ passions and reasons for supporting our college and our students.” Barber said that they also thanked frontline workers by sharing alumni essays and team members have mailed countless handwritten personal notes. Barber said Lyon has also celebrated good news with alumni, like the Princeton Review naming Lyon College “Best in the Southeast” for the 15th time and U.S. News and World Report adding Lyon to their 1 est College list or the first time since 2014. The success of Advancement’s summer engagement endeavors inspired the team to undertake an ambitious project: the first ever cots est Virtual omecoming amily Week, an entire week of free online activities with something for everyone. Barber reached out to alumni and staff to share their talents. The week of virtual events included a paint & sip, taught by Sarah Winters, ’18; a beginning yoga class, taught by Nancy Love, ’12; a Scottish cooking class, taught by the creative dining staff, where participants learned how to make Scottish meat pies; a live-streamed Lyon Pipe Band rehearsal, so everyone could hear bagpipes during omecoming various class and group reunions, including the Black Students Association, the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, and Club 50, for alumni who attended 50 or more years ago; Lyon Libations with Len Rayburn, ’91; live comedy with mily leming, ’08; and the traditional Kirkin o’ the Tartans service on Sunday. cots est also included several online exhibits, including an alumni art exhibit, a photo exhibit of students through the decades, and the Club 50 annual slideshow. olding events virtually allowed Lyon omecoming to stretch from coast to coast. Alumni, faculty, staff, students, community members and even Lyon legends, like Dr. Roberta Bustin, attended events throughout the week. Participants included representatives from the Club 50 Class of 1970 to current students and residents ranging from California to North Carolina, from Texas to Minnesota, and many states in between. “Lyon should do this every year,” said Tiffany Angotti, ’16, of Jonesboro, Ark. While the college typically does everything it can to make omecoming special or alumni, this year Lyon alumni came together to support their alma mater and help make Virtual omecoming special or each other leming, o Los ngeles, Cali ornia, en oyed per orming live comedy or omecoming he said it elt like she was paying forward the great memories and fun from her time at Lyon. “It’s a weird time to be a student right now, and I hoped to bring that sense of fun and normalcy to all involved, including mysel , leming said Rayburn, o ountain Inn, outh Carolina, agreed, saying he “appreciated the opportunity to share a fun event and mix a couple of Scottish-spirited drinks with fellow alumni.” “We cracked the ice, grabbed the bitters, and raised a glass to Lyon omecoming rom a ar Rayburn said Although Advancement looks forward to hosting events on campus again, the team has discovered that virtual engagement opportunities allow them to reach alumni around the world easily and with no extra costs to the college. This silver lining has inspired them to plan for blended options in the future, including both in-person and online events, to serve more of the Lyon community.

TORCHLIGHT CEREMONY Originating in the 1990s, the Torchlight Ceremony traditionally follows the annual baccalaureate service; graduates encircle the shoreline of Bryan Lake, silently passing the flame, symbolizing the light of learning, as the sound of bagpipes fill the air.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

Pipe Band Processional

TRADITIONS CONNECT 148 YEARS OF COMMUNITY

PIPE BAND PROCESSIONAL

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The Pipe Band heralds the beginning and end of academic ceremonies on campus, playing the familiar Lyon College March as audiences rise in honor.

HOMECOMING PARADE The parade is an activity that comes and goes over the years, but the tradition of Homecoming remains a strong element of the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s year.

HomecominG Parade

The Gauntlet One of the newest, but already most beloved traditions at Lyon, The Gauntlet forms at the close of the commencement ceremony. Faculty and staff part, making a pathway for the new graduates to pass, receiving celebratory hugs, high fives and applause with every step.

Chapel Walk The Chapel Walk tradition celebrates growth of the fraternities, as each new member exits Brown Chapel having accepted an invitation to join a brotherhood and then walks or runs into the loud, excited throngs of their chosen organizations.

he night air is still, a respectful silence hovering over the dark waters, until a solitary light begins to shine. First one, then another and another, so t, dancing ames making their way across the darkness. A solo voice, thin and reedy, the sound of a lone bagpiper offering up the sacred hymn, ma ing race This solemn, powerful night, the baccalaureate torch lighting ceremony, has taken place at Lyon or more than a quarter century. A rite of passage, it is the very definition o college tradition The idea o tradition on campus re ers inevitably to connection â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the past, to people, to place. And they are powerful, as they allow students to come together and eel a part o something larger than themselves Traditions are our olklore as a campus they carry on our collective story, re ecting our culture and giving it meaning When in times o great change and turmoil, we are especially aware o tradition, the name we give to those eatures o our culture we hope to preserve for our future selves and for the generations to come Whether or not it takes a village to raise a child, the likelihood of success in anything is higher when you belong to something bigger than yoursel a amily, a house o worship, a village, a community or an institution rom the silly to the solemn, Lyon rkansas College is rich with traditions great and small

SERVICE DAY

Service Day

Kissing Rock

Service Day, with its origins in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s, is a day when classes are cancelled to allow students, faculty and staff the opportunity to give back to the local community through service to many civic organizations and charitable causes.

Kissing Rock Legend says the KISSING ROCK tradition was born of students who, while sneaking from the bluff on campus to a drive-in and shake shack below, would pause for a quick peck at this boulder. While the drive-in and shake shack have long since disappeared, the Kissing Rock continues to offer sweet respite along the bluffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hiking and mountain bike trail.

Sledding

In an earlier era, when snow covered the campus, students would re-imagine cafeteria trays as sleds, gliding down every incline with joy. Sadly, trays are no longer part of the dining room experience.

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Sledding

n 2020, the whole world has adjusted to a new normal. As modern society calls for industries to be inclusive, accessible and adaptable to change, Lyon alumni are rising to the occasion, expanding services to new demographics and overcoming obstacles to chart new career paths.

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The future is in good hands with Lyon leaders like Angelica Holmes, Jon-Michael Poff and Omar Fabila Nieto.

ngelica Holmes, ’15, is making outdoor spaces more accessible for underserved communities as the new executive director of Black Outside Inc. lack Outside is a nonprofit organization that provides outdoor programming for Black and rown communities in Texas olmes first started working with the nonprofit in 19 as the director of the Camp Founder Girls, helping relaunch one o the first summer camps or lack girls ounded in 19 When Alex Bailey, the founder and former executive director of Black Outside, started a new ob in , olmes uickly emerged as a possible replacement. I was one o the first people mentioned because I’m so familiar with the organization,” Holmes said. “I’ve always been on the board for Black Outside, and its mission has been close to my heart since the very beginning.” While she will continue serving as the director of Camp Founder Girls and working hand in hand with Bailey, Holmes will be taking the lead on Black Outside’s projects. She is helping coordinate programs like The Brotherhood Summit, an annual outdoor retreat for Black male high school students, and The Charles RoundTree Bloom Project, which aims to create a space of communal healing for youth impacted by incarceration and over-policing in their communities. Preparing for such a big leadership role meant working through some “imposter

Top Photo: Photo by Stephanie Marquez Camp Founder Girls helps campers feel comfortable and confident while pushing themselves into new experiences. Bottom Photo: Angelica Holmes, ’15, was promoted to executive director of Black Outside, Inc., in 2020.

syndrome,” Holmes said. “I’m an introvert, and I never imagined this would be my role,” she said. “It’s been kind of crazy and still a lot to process.” he has already aced uni ue challenges as executive director, including adapting Camp ounder irls or the COVID-19 pandemic The camp pivoted to a hybrid model this year, hosting day camps with three small groups of 1 girls instead o the typical overnight model “With everything going on in the world, we recognized the importance of our girls having a chance to get together and convene, even if it was on a much smaller scale,” Homes said. She said Lyon taught her the importance of opportunities like Camp Founder Girls and The Brotherhood Summit through her participation in the Black Students Association (BSA). “At Lyon, I felt like I was in an environment where I was a minority,” she said. “Having organizations like the BSA and having that safe space helped me feel connected to the Lyon community as a whole.” Holmes said the goal of organizations like BSA and Black Outside is inclusion. “When I was going to camp, no one ever explicitly told me ‘This isn’t for you,’ but you receive those messages implicitly when you don’t see any other campers or counselors who look like you,” Homes said. “I’m really excited to be part of an organization like Black Outside Inc., and (to) provide the kind of experiences I would have loved to have growing up!”

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Holmes expands access to outdoor spaces for Black communities across Texas

O Fabila Nieto makes global connections at Costco, beyond

mar Fabila Nieto, class of 2019, was disappointed when he could not continue his first ob in the U.S. after his work permit ended. Fortunately, the career connections he had already made led not only to a new ob in exico, but also a management role. Originally rom exico City, abila ieto completed an internship with Costco exico during his unior year at Lyon College ter graduating, the tra fic and imports team he had worked with in exico helped him contact Costco Wholesale s corporate o fices in Issa uah, Washington, to apply or a new outbound tra fic coordinator position When I did my interview, it was a little bit overwhelming because it was with about 1 managers rom the tra fic department, abila Nieto said. “Since I had already worked at Costco exico, the interview went pretty well, and I was granted the ob abila ieto worked as an outbound tra fic coordinator for a year and was responsible for hiring carriers to transport reights or Costco, negotiating the costs and tariffs, tracking and monitoring the trucks to make sure they arrived on time at Costco s warehouses and other logistics.

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Omar Fabila Nieto, ’19, moved to Washington in 2019 to work at Costco Wholesale’s corporate offices.

“It is amazing how coordinated and organi ed the Costco team is, abila ieto said They are very pro essional people is boss gave him two depots to oversee the first month so that he could get used to the ob Over time, abila ieto wound up overseeing 12 depots in total, including eight in the U.S., three in Canada and one in exico Costco expanded abila ieto s responsibilities a ter he helped them find new carriers to support the company s only depot in exico The carrier they had contracted wasn t doing well, and they told me we needed 70 trucks the next morning, abila ieto said Fabila Nieto was the only person in the department who spoke Spanish, so his boss asked him to contact carriers in exico and find a solution ost o the carriers do not open their emails right away, but Fabila Nieto was able to speak with some carriers on the phone and got the support Costco needed that same night. ter that, my boss told me I would be in charge o the exican depot That success made Fabila Nieto more confident at work It wasn t only my boss asking or that support It was my boss s boss s boss, he said, laughing It s awesome to see that you re an asset or the company you re working or and that you can offer that much support in those types o emergency cases n ortunately, his time at Costco was cut short ven though his boss and leadership from the department wanted to keep him on the team, Costco changed some o its policies, which included not being able to sponsor work visas or oreign workers The tra fic team asked abila ieto to keep in touch in case Costco changes its policies in the future. They told me, ou have the doors open here at Costco, abila ieto said ecause o his experience with the company, Fabila Nieto was offered a great career opportunity when he returned to exico In eptember, he started a new ob as the planning manager or Transportes onroy chiavon T , one o the leading assetbased carriers in exico e will be reviewing all o the company s departments to find areas or improvement and developing plans to make those changes happen. I ll be reporting directly to the general director o the company, he said T became amiliar with abila ieto when he had contacted them as a potential new carrier or Costco s exican depot “They were glad I called because they had been trying to get a oot in the door with Costco or 1 years, abila ieto said When they learned I was coming back to exico, they asked me to oin their team Due to his Costco connections, he was also tasked with helping T get more business opportunities with the company. abila ieto said moving to the to get a college degree and accepting a soccer scholarship at Lyon was the best decision he made in his life.

Lyon education helps Poff succeed at BuzzFeed, IN LIFE

on-Michael Poff, class of 2013, has found a career in modern media requires more than writing and editing skills. Fortunately, his Lyon education gave him the background needed to succeed in the ever-changing media landscape. Poff applied to BuzzFeed in 2014, receiving a spot in the editorial fellowship program at u eed s ew ork o fice “It was a crash course,” Poff said. “I essentially had a digital media bootcamp akin to a grad school program.” BuzzFeed is like a fusion of media and technology companies, he said. “You can’t just exist as a writer and never think about numbers at BuzzFeed,” Poff said. “Data analysis informs what we do, and I think we had a better idea of who our audience was and what they wanted from us as a result.” Poff worked at BuzzFeed from 2015 to

Jon-Michael Poff, ’13

2020, holding many job titles over the course o five years e served as an editor on the community team and a staff writer covering internet culture, pop culture and entertainment before starting on the management track. “I eventually took over the editorial fellowship, which is really the talent pipeline into BuzzFeed.” After a hiring manager had taken a chance on him, Poff wanted to return the favor by recruiting new voices and making BuzzFeed a more diverse place. It is critical that our companies re ect the diversity of the readers we’re talking to every day and the world that we live in.” Making space for unique voices, particularly

those from marginalized communities, held personal significance or him “I didn’t come out until my senior year of college,” Poff said. “It took a lot of internal reckoning before I was ready to say ‘I’m gay’ publicly.” He continued, “I listened too much to the fear inside my head. I wish I’d had that last year to make my school and fraternity a better place by advocating for people like me.” o is satisfied to have helped make that impact at BuzzFeed later in life. “I feel like I left having made a real impact in terms of recruiting, hiring and training some of the most interesting people on the internet.” While BuzzFeed was a great experience or o , he wanted to find an opportunity or growth and accepted an offer in 2020 to be the Editorial Director at Digg. He now manages the editorial team and is the primary liaison for the business team. He credits his liberal arts education at Lyon for developing him into a well-rounded person who can think strategically in very different ways. “I think that’s what has taken me as far as I’ve gotten,” Poff said. “I have the background and the tools to take on a job that is a little bit of marketing, writing and editing, and strategic planning.” His goal at Digg is to curate and create content that not only speaks to the site’s current audience but also expands the audience. Poff concluded, “I want to lean into more original content from the powerful, diverse voices on my team that can use Digg as a platform and develop their own audience. I think it would be a mistake to throw this platform away.”

g MEAN TO YOU

Navisimo Chifunda Kambafwile, ’05

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WHAT DOES COMMUNITY

rowing up in Zambia, I was constantly surrounded by a caring community with my extended family. In our home we not only had my parents and my six siblings, but also aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews. The African proverb rings true: it takes a village to raise a child. It was the custom that you would not leave home until you got married. However, I left home at 22 and subconsciously sought out the community I greatly missed. I came to the U.S. under the auspices of Camp Counselors USA (CCUSA) and was fortunate to be placed at Ferncliff Camp near Little Rock. I immediately became part of the closeknit community with the summer camp staff. It truly felt like family and my home away from home. The following year I was able to enroll at Lyon. There I again found my community, particularly among the international students. Now married and raising a newborn, my community is among my co-workers at Emory University Hospital Midtown and many Zambians in greater Atlanta. As a new mother, I can only hope that my daughter Tsitsi will have many villages of community that will nurture her path as they have mine.

Q Lights Camera SCots

Alumni create community through film and TV

ow did your e perience at Lyon in uence your career in film

What was your first successful pro ect the one that solidified your interest in a filmmaking career

Jack Lofton, class of 2004, grew up on a farm in Hughes, Arkansas, and made his

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way to Lyon College via an acting scholarship he received at the Summer Shakespeare Page to Stage AEGIS Program. Though starting his career as an attorney, Jack has been ully committed to film or the last year as he builds his production company, Mudroom Films, and focuses on documentary filmmaking or him, films are about the passion within. “Stories should move you; if they don’t, you’ll never have the energy to complete the project, especially as an independent filmmaker, Lofton said. “Filmmaking is like going to war: long hard battles against the odds and being committed or three, five years however long it takes to get the work done

y first big success was called ll bout nn, a documentary about iconic Texas governor nn Richards The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and played at several others, including the Austin Film Festival and AFI Film Festival, eventually being picked up by HBO. I was awarded an Epic Award from the White ouse ro ect, a nonprofit organi ation whose goal was to put the first woman in the White House, for my work on All About Ann. What pro ect are you most passionate about currently

A: I currently have two projects in postproduction and scheduled or release next year The Vous is about the amous barbecue restaurant, The Rende vous, in emphis Celebrating its 70th year, the world-famous restaurant faces unprecedented change as the legendary waiters retire and the family business moves into a third generation y film focus is always on the cultural relevance of the topic and the theme of the barbecue community coming together, judging each other by talent and creativity not the color of their skin is very apropos to today’s societal climate.

y second pro ect, ings o Tort, was inspired by my work as a counsel attorney for Linville ohnson ings o Tort provides a courtside seat into the high stakes, big money consumer case game where the top, charismatic trial attorneys go head-to-head with the largest corporations in the world. This project also allowed me to collaborate with ellow Lyon alumnus and filmmaker, T Tarpley.

y experience at Lyon and relationships I built here are major reasons I had the confidence to attempt the extremely di ficult and risky world o independent filmmaking Lyon provided more opportunities to get meaning ul experiences at a young age In many universities, you wouldn’t have the opportunity or option to do as many extracurricular activities at once and to obtain roles and opportunities as a freshman or sophomore. I was able to hone event planning and project management skills through my work with Kappa Sigma (I was the rush and social chair for three years). I learned how to debate and communicate effectively via National Moot Court Competitions with Dr. Scott Roulier. Skip Rutherford’s class taught me invaluable lessons about politics, professionalism, networking and how the world really works Dr it s history classes taught me the necessary research skills or documentary filmmaking asically living in the Holloway Theater taught me about creating a story and connecting with audiences. ow do you think film promotes community

A: Film is a powerful medium to aid in pushing social agendas and bolstering the economic and cultural revitali ation o communities Through the development and implementation of youth educational programs, speaker series, film workshops, and the recruitment o culturally significant films rom around the world, I helped shape the Little Rock Film Festival into a free, relevant and educational event and organi ation that will constantly strive for the betterment of the community. The ideas and mission of providing a service to the community are ones that I hold dear to my heart y work in film has shown me the importance individuals and organi ations can have in helping the local, national and international communities.

JT Tarpley, class of 2010, recently completed his Master of

What was your first successful pro ect the one that solidified your interest in a filmmaking career y first eature, The Voice o the People,” is a success in that it’s wrapped, finished and I don t have to open that computer file anymore It s a small documentary made with no money and it’s not going to set the world on fire, but it came out as the slow and southern, talky and political, slyly funny hangout movie we had in mind going into it And it feels like an honest contribution to the American direct cinema tradition it came out o or a first pro ect, that s success enough or me It might be a mortal sin, though, i I told my Presbyterian alma mater magazine that I ve made anything resembling a proper filmmaking career out o this What pro ect are you most passionate about currently I m in production on another eature, this time with a partner, Matt Rowe (brother of Elizabeth Rowe Cummings, class of 2002, and cousin o Daniel aney, class o It s a amily history about the man who opened the very first video store in merica The store, ama ingly, is still operating and has been continuously since 19

Ron Hanks

Everything about the store and the family gets a lot wilder rom there The working title is The Last Video tore, and it was selected or a undance Institute lab earlier this year, which was a huge encouragement Other than that, everyone always has a few different ideas in different phases of preproduction and development ut right now, the story I most hope to find production unds or is a short film essay about murder, high school football, communal memory and urdon, my hometown, in the early 19 s ow did your e perience at Lyon in uence your career in film These documentaries are regional and multi-vocal, they deal with social and political themes and they all take a critical position about (the) almost unbearable historical circumstance we’ve found ourselves in That s to say, these movies grew directly out o Dr Tebbetts aulkner classes and Dr Robbins critical theory course, without a doubt I plan on keeping one oot in Yoknapatawpha County and another in the rank urt chool as long as I can All the while Jack Lofton, who was already one of my closest friends from Lyon, is out here producing and directing a couple of really compelling, big-time eatures e has brought me in as part of his work process, and we’re always hanging out on his porch, talking about storycraft, editing and all that good, heady documentary business!

Actor, writer and producer , grew up in Little Rock and graduated from Lyon in 199 ow living in Cali ornia, his work in film and television has garnered numerous awards and nominations, including two Primetime Emmy nominations for roken, which he produced Complementing his acting and producing work, Hanks has found a niche working behind the scenes at game shows such as Cs ollywood ame ight e and wife Elizabeth, a cinematographer, also produce educational videos for 2U, a company that serves institutions in virtual delivery of graduate programs What was your first successful pro ect the one in which you felt as if film and television was the right path for you Disaster L is a movie I was in that had a super low budget It s about five riends who survive asteroids hitting the earth and the ombie apocalypse that ollows ven though the film had an absolute shoestring budget, it got picked up by Warner rothers Distribution, and it aired on etwork It was even at Walmart and Redbox ma ing or something that cost so little to make

ow do you think film promotes community I love that Roger bert uote about movies being “like a machine that generates empathy and think about it a lot In the months before my son, Benny, was born in 1 , I was running a microcinema that showed art-house classics on 1 mm film in the back o a pi a place eople didn t come to it because they wanted to see “Breathless” or ersona or the first time they came because they wanted the rare chance to see it in a group instead of on some couch by themselves eyond that, so many essential, deeply rewarding works by some of the greatest filmmakers kerman, Tarr, Rivette, Lan mann, my idol rederick Wiseman can be the most challenging to sit through ut with an audience enduring it with you, there can be a network o accountability and no pause button

I remember the director kept saying to us, It doesn’t matter about the graphics (which were really cool) if the audience doesn’t believe that you five guys are actually riends o one cares about the zombies or the asteroid if no one cares about your group o riends That was how it was with this community o filmmakers rom the sound guy to the lighting girl, it was this real communal e ort

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who Arts from the University of Arkansas School of Journalism and Strategic Media, lives in North Little Rock, where he is launching a career in documentary film is most recent pro ects are The Voice of the People,” about community radio station during the Trump transition, and “Election Day,” a three-channel video installation about diversity and democracy during the 1 midterm elections Tarpley often works with members of the extended Lyon family and has several projects currently in production and development

Q: What project are you most passionate about currently?

A: Oh, there are a couple — and they both have ties to Lyon. I directed and produced “After the nd, a film we shot in Oklahoma about a 1 -year-old doomsday prepper who shelters in a tornado shelter through a pandemic everal other Lyon alumni are connected to the film Warren McCullough, class of 2001, tapped me into his network which became invaluable e hooked me up with a lot o di erent crew members and a couple o cast members as well issy peer ipson, ’99, was part o the cast, and her husband Chase, ’96, helped behind the scenes. Holly Payne, ’99, did the costumes ter The nd was a low-budget pro ect that has taken several years, but watch or it in distribution in early 1 The success o the film, or me, was that I got to work with my riends, and it was so much un I m also very excited about Capacity It s a movie I co-wrote it was a semifinalist in the cademy o otion icture s prestigious icholl creenwriting ellowship, meaning it was in the top o the , -plus scripts submitted It s a superhero origin story with uite a twist We already have roughly 1 times the budget we had or ter the nd nd my college network is connected to this pro ect also It s set in northeast rkansas we plan to shoot it on armland owned by the grand ather of Brad Young class of 1997. Q: How did your experience at Lyon College in uence your career in the film industry?

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Two ways irst, the motto o the college erseverance Con uers ll, od Willing I say it almost every day to mysel , especially when I m on set It this business takes so much perseverance o, yeah, the college motto along with a ety irst are always my two go-to mottos on set econd, in this business, you have to possess the ability to think across disciplines and communicate with people o diverse audiences Having a liberal arts education is absolutely the oundation or me to think creatively and understand where other people are coming rom

ow do you think film promotes community?

We provide representation to the community We re ect the community s ideals We can bring exposure to people who have never seen themselves represented on film or television be ore ilm, TV especially, ust cuts across all party lines Republicans Democrats Liberals Racists verybody watches TV verybody watches movies ventually, hearts will get changed inds will get changed ut I eel a responsibility to make sure we keep fighting that good fight I really eel film can be the savior o our culture It can wreck our culture, too, so it s a responsibility that we have to take very seriously When people get pushed to a certain point, that pain and that grie have to be expressed It has to come out y mission is to create art that helps tell those stories.

Ward Hake, pictured here with his wife Susannah at the Golden Globes, said he believes film and television promote community through storytelling. His 20-year career involves more than 500 television projects, including numerous Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning shows. While a student at then Arkansas College, Hake said, he bought a book that listed various careers in music and helped him understand he could do more with his love of music than “teaching the instrument or selling the instrument.”

of Disney Television Studios: 20th Television and Touchstone. He attended Lyon College in the early 1990s, before transferring to Florida Southern College, where a degree in business and music was offered. From script to pilot, then through its life on the air, Hake oversees all aspects of a show’s music. This includes the creative vision of the score, theme songs, special guest music artists, original songs, budgeting and soundtracks. He also supports the selection of composers, music supervisors, and music producers that creatively fit each TV pro ect In his 20-year career in television, Hake has been involved with many Emmy and olden lobe award-winning pro ects, including “Glee,” “Modern Family,” “24,” “Homeland,” “Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “New Girl,” “Ally McBeal,” u y The Vampire layer, amily Guy,” “American Dad,” “The Simpsons,” “American Horror Story,” “Empire” and “Central Park.” To date, he has worked on well over 500 shows and pilots.

y ob is to do that to find that special spark and make that connection. And, you know, I believe we did that with “Glee.” There were over 460 songs in that series’ run, and by 2015, we were up to 45 million downloads. Almost every record went triple platinum or gold. It was an incredible bar we set. That show was more than a show. “Glee” was a cultural phenomenon. What pro ect are you most passionate about currently A: Really, I’m working with two right now that I think are going to be special. I can’t say a lot about them because they are still under development. One is called “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” based on the book o the same name It s a pro ect or ulu, and Teddy hapiro whose film scores include “13 Going on 30” and “The Devil Wears Prada”) is helping with the score. The other is “Big Sky” for ABC. David E. Kelley is the show creator; we worked together before on “Ally McBeal” and some other pro ects, so it s good to get to work together again. ow did your e perience at Lyon College in uence your career in the film industry A: Well, it was Arkansas College (AC) when I was there. After discovering Purdue University wasn’t for me, AC gave me a soft place to land, to keep going in my pursuit of a degree and feel out what I wanted to do. I’d started playing guitar the summer before I started at Purdue, and I knew I wanted to explore a career in music, but I didn’t want to teach the instrument, and I didn’t want to sell the instrument.

What was your first successful pro ect the one in which you felt as if film and television was the right path for you It wasn t the first, but lee is ar and away one of the most successful. I remember Ryan Murphy (who has created numerous hit TV series including ip Tuck” and “American Horror Story”) had this intriguing script about this choir. Then Adam Anders (a Grammy Awardnominated executive music producer) played these demos of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” sung by a choir, and it was magical We had to find the right man or woman who would mesh well with the show and the show creator.

At that time, I didn’t know what other careers existed in the music industry, but AC gave me a safe structure to begin exploring it. I felt engrossed in the culture of Batesville and the small campus. My time there helped me elevate my study skills and improve my test performance. Really, that experience, that time in Arkansas, was me learning how to learn. I am grateful for it. ow do you think film promotes community A: Storytelling. Period. I see the power of storytelling every day nd the in uence Sexual orientation. Racial issues. Film and TV can bring those challenging sub ects into light a positive light Our screens give us a deluge of content daily, and I see how much it in uences people. And then, of course, you are also entertaining people, giving them a break from their normal, day-to-day lives, and I believe that is important, too.

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU

t has been a blessing for me to have lived in many different communities over the years. From the Arkansas Delta to the foothills of the Ozarks, central rkansas, ul states and finally back home to the mid-south. In all the communities where I have lived and currently reside, the most important things to me are community service and community pride. Community service means we care deeply for one another and support each other. Community pride means we love ourselves as a whole community. When crises came to our communities, including our colleges, the responses to those crises have always been outstanding. One thing I have learned while working with communities is the ma ority o us have the same goals We may have different visions or strategies to accomplish the goals. Once we combine our ideals and passions, there are no limits to our success.

Clifton Avant, ’78

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Ward Hake, ‘92 is the senior vice president of music for two divisions

( A N D # 1 4 N AT I O N A L LY )

Named by Forbes as “One of America’s Top Colleges,” Lyon College offers a well-rounded education that prepares graduates both to succeed in their careers and to contribute to society as productive citizens. The College fosters each student’s development through meaningful mentorships with faculty and staff in an inclusive learning environment. See why LendEDU recognizes Lyon as the “Most desired college in Arkansas over the last decade (and #14 nationally)” at lyon.edu. Future students can receive an additional $1,000 toward scholarships* when they take an official campus tour. Plan a visit today at lyon.edu/visit.

Top biology program among private colleges in Arkansas

Lyon grads are admitted to medical school at a rate more than double the national average

LY O N . E D U • B A T E S V I L L E , A R *renewable annually for freshmen who enroll in fall 2021

12:1

student-to-faculty ratio

99%

of grads are employed or in grad school within six months of graduation

Lyon, Virtually By Cassia Oliveira, Ph.D. Associate professor of biology Spragins House faculty mentor

during these difficult times, establishing a sense of community is even more critical. -Cassia Oliveira, Ph.D.

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ach August, the quietude of the summer is replaced with new energy and excitement as students arrive on our beautiful campus. In the expectant faces of the first-year students, we see a mix o emotions ranging from uncertainty to eagerness. This year, though, with the COVID-19 pandemic still unraveling and orcing classes to be online again in the fall, plans were restructured around virtual engagement. At Lyon, where faculty take pride in offering a rigorous education in an individualized setting and the physical classroom is our domain, teaching online seemed unbecoming to our academic standards owever, as experts in our fields, we o ten encourage students to broaden their horizons and push through obstacles. We know that feeling uncomfortable when faced with a new challenge is part of the learning process. Despite the challenge and our own insecurities regarding online teaching, the faculty are committed to providing our students with a high- uality online education experience. We still value the small classroom concept, as it is more conducive for discussions and getting to know our students, but we have worked hard to recreate this concept online. Alongside academics, mentoring is central to academic success as connections are orged by one-on-one interactions nd during these di ficult times, establishing a sense o community is even more critical. Whether communication takes place through a Zoom meeting or both parties wearing masks, we can still reach out, talk and help one another. I am proud of the work my colleagues are doing to bridge the gap social distancing has created. irst-year advisers, earOne aculty, and student li e personnel, to name a few, have done an amazing job connecting with our students in di erent ways I find com ort in connecting with students synchronously, hosting outdoor lunch meetings with small groups o local first-year students, picnicking with international students, and sponsoring monthly coffee mornings at the Salty Dog. I long to host events like the raft race again and look into those naive faces who believe that they can cross Bryan Lake on a cardboard craft and still be dry when they reach the other side. I yearn for the busy nights at the MAC and the smell of coffee as I share a drink with students at the Salty Dog. I miss exchanging morning greetings with students and colleagues alike as I commute from the Spragins House to the Derby Center. I am itching to use my red pen again when I grade exams. As I prepare the garden at Spragins for next spring, I hope students will be back to see the tulips blooming, hear the birds singing and smell the freshly cut grass. But I will keep a smile on my face even if I have to use my camera and microphone again. Stay safe, Scots!

THANK YOU the PIPER

[ IMPACT REPORT 2020 ]

$1,474,855

AVERAGE GIFT

2% OTHER 1% STUDENT EMERGENCY FUND 1% SCOTTISH HERITAGE

47 % STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

4% ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS 14% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

15 % ENDOWMENT

This year represents a period of transition, as our advancement efforts center around three key concepts to our mission and our future: opportunity, sustainability and community. The stories we tell here about our community — strengthened by your philanthropy — show how we can make Arkansas and the world better when we invest in each other.

$30 $267

EY GO

This Annual Impact Report celebrates some truly extraordinary acts of philanthropy, telling the story of the difference these gifts make in the lives of our students, and how they support the college’s people, programs and activities.

MEDIAN GIFT

MON

We’re truly in this together.

TOTAL DOLLARS RAISED

Among the most enduring institutions in the world, colleges and universities fuel progress, shaping generations of leaders and improving the quality of life for people around the globe. When you make a gift to Lyon College, you join forces with an incredible place — a college where students and faculty collaborate with countless others to create immediate and enduring impact. You are also a part of a broad and diverse community of supporters, from alumni and current faculty and staff to parents, churches and friends in nearly every state and overseas.

It takes gifts of all sizes to make the Lyon experience possible.

RE W HE

16 % ATHLETICS

Thank you.

HOW LYON SPENDS ITS DOLLAR UTILITIES - 6% INSURANCE - 2% TECHNOLOGY, FOOD SERVICE, GROUNDS & MAINTENANCE - 16% STAFF AND FACULTY SALARIES - 44% BENEFITS - 8% OTHER (ACADEMIC SUPPORT, STUDENT ACTIVITIES, ATHLETICS): 24%

SCAN SCAN HERE TO SEE THE FULL 2019-20 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS!

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David Hutchison, Ed.D. Vice President for Advancement & Alumni Relations

[ IMPACT REPORT 2020 ]

EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH COMMUNITY Who are Giving matters; donor dollars drive progress and create opportunities. But at the end of the day, the heart and soul of the college is its people. Faculty, staff and students are the day-to-day life of the campus experience, but we are also a global community, with alumni living in every state; Washington, D.C. and 41 countries.

We’re staying together, apart! Check out how we’ve been helping alumni stay connected near and far.

6 TOTAL ALUMNI EVENTS 2019 HOMECOMING - 325 ALUMNI ATTENDEES 575 BURGERS AT THE TAILGATE AND 700+ ALUMNI, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES 4 OTHER EVENTS (SCOTS SPECTACULAR, HALL OF FAME, BASKETBALL REUNION AND

435

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79% of all alumni live in these five states

ALUMNI

ARKANSAS: 4,874

Ahead of the curve! On Feb. 6, Vice President for Advancement Dr. David Hutchison hosted a virtual town hall with more than 1,600 alumni on Facebook live.

TEXAS: 546 MISSOURI: 317 TENNESSEE: 230 FLORIDA: 147

SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN:

LIVING ALUMNI BY AGE:

45 UNIQUE ALUMNI VIRTUAL EVENTS, WITH 400+ ATTENDEES INCLUDING 14 VIRTUAL HOMECOMING EVENTS AND 19 CLASSES OPEN TO GUESTS VIA ZOOM, WITH MORE THAN 200 ATTENDEES. 30

6,065 TOTAL NUMBER OF LIVING ALUMNI

PRE-PANDEMIC ALUMNI EVENTS:

TEBBETTS 50TH CELEBRATION) TOTALING

our alumni?

A TOWN HALL Q&A WITH PRESIDENT JOEY KING THAT REACHED

411

ON FACEBOOK LIVE

22-29: 1,119 (23%) 30-39: 1,303 (26%) 40-49: 1,153 (24%) 50-59: 755 (16%) 60-69: 333 (7%) 70-79: 121 (3%) 80-PLUS (1%)

the 1872 Society recognizes leaders whose generosity creates significant opportunities. THANK YOU to our Charter Class of the 1872 Society!

To view members, visit: alumni.lyon.edu/pages/1872-society

The generosity of its members makes it possible for Lyon to turn plans into progress and move forward faster. Our members are partners who believe in the power of our shared mission to educate and inspire our students. rkansas pioneer college began in 1 with five students, two aculty members, and a vision The society is named or our ounding year, to honor that vision and recogni e the perseverance and dedication of Lyon's early leaders. nnual membership in the 1 ociety, or visionary donors who give 1, or more to the nnual cholarship und, helps create li e-changing experiences or our students In our charter year, 9 households took this leadership level step in their giving, accounting or in dollars given toward student scholarships in the 19cademic ear

Outsized Impact of 1872 Society Donors Annual Fund impact Total Contributed $625,557

Overall FundRaising Total Raised $1,474,855

1872 SOCIETY MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS

$385,783

$613,311

62.3% of Annual Fund

MARLON BANKS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;03

41.6%

HOMETOWN: ROGERS, ARKANSAS MEMBER OF 1872 SOCIETY CHARTER CLASS

of Total Raised

I give to Lyon College, because I hope that my donation allows opportunities for others to have the wonderful experience I did I was a orded a great education in a place that made me feel safe and also allowed me to continue doing something I loved. I encountered people at Lyon that truly cared about me, and I created memories that will last a lifetime.â&#x20AC;&#x153;

2021

GOAL

Households by fiscal year

2018

HELP US REACH THIS GOAL AND JOIN THE 1872 SOCIETY TODAY BY VISITING

LYON.EDU/1872 2019

2020

2021

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150

[ IMPACT REPORT 2020 ]

THE LYON COLLEGE ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND: FUNDING YOUNG PEOPLE’S DREAMS

An education is a cherished opportunity, but for many graduating high school seniors, affording a college degree can seem all but impossible. That’s where YOU come in.

The Annual Scholarship Fund helps: •

UNDERWRITE SCHOLARSHIPS, RANGING FROM ATHLETIC AND ACADEMIC TO HIGH FINANCIAL-NEED STUDENTS.

•

RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE NATION.

•

MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE FOR STUDENTS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS.

•

PROVIDE A WAY FOR DONORS OF EVERY LEVEL TO HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SUCCESS AND FINANCIAL HEALTH.

Annual Fund + Endowment earnings vs.unfunded aid in 2019-20

Your generous giving to scholarships and financial aid means that students rom a diverse array of socio-economic backgrounds will be able to experience Lyon’s life-changing curriculum and community.

total aid package

$20,148

More than 98% of Lyon students receive scholarship assistance, which helps them find a balance between studies, work and extracurricular activities. Scholarships play a key role in maintaining Lyon's affordability for all students.

ANNUAL FUND PER STUDENT = $1,042.87 ENDOWMENT EARNINGS PER STUDENT = $3,540 UNFUNDED AID = $15,565.13

SPENCER RHODEN

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CLASS OF 2024 HOMETOWN: BRYANT, ARKANSAS

Annual Fund Total

“Without the help of scholarships, Lyon would not have been a financially reasonable choice or my school, and I believe I would've missed out on attending a school that I believe will change my life. At Lyon, I will be able to continue my passion for archery as well as engage with a wonderful community that I think will be very helpful with my education as well as career goals. One day, I hope to be in the position to give back to the Lyon community as well and help others as I have received so much help to this point! "

FISCAL YEAR 2018:

$324,000

FISCAL YEAR 2019:

$369,000

FISCAL YEAR 2020:

$625,000

Give Now:

YOU CAN BE A STUDENT’S HERO. VISIT LYON.EDU/GIVE OR TEXT GIVE TO (870) 433-2822

ANNUAL FUND FISCAL YEAR 2021 GOAL:

$750,000

Young and heart Challenge triples impact, secures 40% of annual goal:

veryone loves a good challenge nd during the final ten days of the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year, longtime friend of the college and former trustee, Robert and Mary Young, issued one that brought our community of alumni and friends to life! For every dollar donated to the Annual Fund, Mr. Young would give two. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair to say that you more than rose to the challenge!

GOAL:

$50k for scholarships, with a $100k match

ommunity means there's a group of interdependent people coming together to create positive change in each other's lives and for posterity. The process of building community is not always fun nor easy. More likely, the process is frustrating because progress seems incremental to those doing the work. Despite these hardships, I believe having, building and celebrating community with others is one of the most valuable experiences we can have as human beings. When we lift up those that are disenfranchised or in need, we are creating powerful communities.

Chin-Yee Chew, class of 2015

from Mr. Robert Young.

+ $85,454

$169,864

from alumni and friends

mr. youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final match

$255,318

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU

grand total raised in 10 days

of annual fund total raised in just 10 days

2 in 3

gifts came from alumni

205 22 19

total donors

first-time donors

gifts over $1,000

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40%

A Love Story the PIPER

[ IMPACT REPORT 2020 ]

dam Robertson swept Ginni Tucker off her feet from the moment they met … literally. “The library of Arkansas College was the center building of three which had previously been a Masonic Home for Children,” said Robertson, a 1963 graduate. “There was no porch outside the front entrance of the library; the door opened directly to the stairs leading down to the sidewalk and street. Ginni is just 5 feet tall. As the library was closing in the evening a ter the first day o classes I walked out of the library, looked straight ahead, saw no one, and bumped into her, causing her to fall on the steps I apologi ed pro usely, she orgave me, and then in the dim light rom inside the building I reali ed I was in love Tucker, a 1964 graduate, had graduated from an American dependent high school at Wiesbaden Air Force Base in Germany. “My journey to Arkansas College was perhaps different from most of the other students," said Tucker, a 1964 graduate. Her step-father was in the Air Force and stationed in Holland. Tucker needed to be back in the continental United States for college, and she would not be able to return to her family in Holland until the following summer. "Arkansas College was the logical choice because I had many members o extended amily in Independence County, she said I arrived in early September 1960, having absolutely no idea how this experience would shape the rest o my life." She recalls when Robertson started showing interest in her. “On the day after the library stairs incident, I was sitting at a table in Dr mith s oology classroom when Adam came in — at the last minute before the bell — and sat down beside me,” Tucker said. “He proceeded to engage in conversation ter a ew minutes o this, Dr Smith said, ‘Mr. Robertson, if you wish to court

iss Tucker, please wait until a ter class I was horrified ter that, it is a wonder that we started dating at all!” But they did date, and later were married — 10 days after Tucker returned from having performed on a nited ervice Organi ations O tour to Greenland. Now retired, the couple resides in Mountain Brook, Alabama, where Robertson spent decades as a physician in emergency medicine. But, they return to Batesville regularly. Tucker said they enjoy attending the Scottish Festivals, giving them a chance to visit the college and family members who live in Batesville. “Since the Robertsons are of Scottish descent, we deck out in appropriate tartans and kilts, march in the Parade of Clans, and have a great time,” said Robertson, who was named Distinguished Alumnus in 1999.

dam s atesville cousin Charles arnett has often joined him in donning kilts to participate in the irkin O the Tartans service at omecoming Tucker says the couple s participation in annual gatherings was originally spearheaded by 1960 grads Cliff Tackett and Fred Gray. These gatherings of alumni from the 1950s and 1960s now coincide with major Lyon College events in the fall and spring and provide opportunities to reconnect with old college friends and meet new ones.

“We can feel the necessity of supporting programs which we remember as dear to us.” -Ginni Robertson In addition to the excellent, caring faculty, Tucker said the size and close-knit nature of the campus community help Lyon students excel. “The close relationships between faculty and students and the mentoring available is, I believe, as important as the academics, especially since many students come from families which have never had a member attend college,” Tucker said. “The emotional support is crucial for success in their future lives.” Indeed, it is this sense of community that prompts much o the couple s financial giving to the college. Tucker said she believes alumni of small colleges like Lyon have stronger ties to their alma maters than those who attended larger universities. “We can feel the necessity of supporting programs which we remember as dear to us,” Tucker said. “It is incumbent on us to make available the opportunities to these future generations that were granted to us, to ‘Pay it forward’ as the saying goes. We wish more people knew of Lyon College: its excellence in so many academic areas, its Scottish and Presbyterian heritage, its beautiful campus and its small-town setting.”

Alumni Adam and Ginni Robertson said they give because they are grateful for the education they received at Lyon College and feel a sense of obligation to ensure students continue to have opportunities to build close relationships with faculty and to participate in activities that engage a broad set of interests.

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Tucker also served three terms as the alumni representative to the college’s governing board. “The name changed to Lyon College during that time,” Tucker said. “I’m not sure I contributed much, but it was an enlightening experience and made me really appreciate what this college offers to its students.” The couple’s connections to the college run deep, and Robertson said enrolling at Lyon was an “easy choice” for him. His father, two uncles and two aunts had attended the college, and a great uncle, Jerome P. Robertson, became president of the college in 1913. His grandfather, Edward D. Robertson, served as an interim president. Another uncle, I.N. Barnett also served as interim president at one time, and another cousin, Nelson Barnett and his wife Sandy, have been college employees over the years. “As a child I visited my aunt, uncle and four cousins who lived in Batesville, so I was well aware of Arkansas College,” he said. Fond memories of their undergraduate years help them continue to feel connected to the college, despite the distance and years, Tucker said. “There were many special times at the college over the years: the friends living together in Independence Hall, my time in Sigma Alpha Sigma, other friends from Batesville whom I met in various classes, working in the library with Mrs. Dorothy Sydenstricker, and participating in Harlequin Theatre productions with Miss Doris Hammett,” she said. But some of her most powerful memories center on her participation in the choir and the Lassies vocal group, including the Lassies first USO tour abroad: “The choir tours we took on that red and white (Arkansas College) bus to high schools and churches throughout the state, the many performances the Lassies did, were all important bonding experiences,” Tucker said. “Two incidents stand out among the Lassie events. In October o 19 we per ormed at the o ficial opening of the Greers Ferry Dam. President John F. Kennedy was there for the ceremony, and he walked right in front of us as he made his way to his appointed position with the other dignitaries.

We girls thought he was very handsome. “Then in November, we made a trip to Louisiana to sing for a Rotary convention. On our way back to Batesville on Nov. 22, 1963, listening to the car radio as college age young women did back then, we learned that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Needless to say, we were all very despondent for the remainder of our trip.” Both Robertson and Tucker remarked on the importance of supportive faculty in making their undergraduate experience positive, a quality of the Lyon education they believe continues today. For Robertson, his appreciation for Lyon professors grew during medical school. “I would be remiss if I did not relate that in taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), I feel certain that I answered all the chemistry and biochemistry questions correctly, thanks to the dedicated instruction of Mrs. Virginia Kirk,” he said, adding he believes he performed better in med school than in undergrad because of the rigorous education he received at Arkansas College. “I stood shoulder to shoulder with my classmates and never felt inferior to any of them. The professors and instructors at the college showed support for the other disciplines They had no specific agenda which would exclude other areas of learning. It was a community effort.”

[ IMPACT REPORT 2020 ]

STUDENTS ARE THE POINT “These students, faculty, and staff helped me successfully triumph through change. Without the community I built, or perhaps the community that is built in for a Lyon student, I most definitely could not be succeeding in everything I am doing during this unique semester.” - MICHAEL UECKER, CLASS OF 2023

Academic Year 2020-21 A Snapshot of the Lyon Campus Community

664

TOTAL FALL 2020 ENROLLMENT

Fall 2020 Incoming Class: TOTAL: 231

“Without scholarships, I would not have benefited rom the small student-to-teacher ratio here at Lyon, which has been a small, but important, key to my success.” - MAGGEE HOBSON, CLASS OF 2021

GPA: 3.85 (UP FROM 3.63 IN 2019) ACT: 25.4 (UP FROM 24.7 IN 2019) RECEIVING PELL GRANT (150% POVERTY LEVEL): 39% FIRST GENERATION: 44% MALE/FEMALE DEMOGRAPHICS: 57% MALE, 43% FEMALE

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18 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, REPRESENTING 13 COUNTRIES STUDENTS FROM 30 U.S. STATES

“Because I chose to attend Lyon, I had the opportunity to fall in love with learning and thinking for myself. In high school, I studied, but did not truly apply anything I was learning to myself or my surroundings. At Lyon, I was taught how to apply what I was learning in everyday situations. Lyon truly is the place that treats you as a valued individual, not just a number." - TAYLER GINN, CLASS OF 2016

Leaving a legacy greater than just one individual. Likewise, the College helped me understand what it is like to be part of the community.” Springer said he is grateful for the impact his college experience had on his life. “Arkansas College (now Lyon) gave factory worker parents’ children a new perspective on life in the real world,” he said. “Most of us only knew college-educated people as teachers. We soon realized there was more to living than going to work and working by the hour for a living. We learned that (a) ‘what is in it for me’ attitude is not how the world really works.” “The College had faith in us as individuals,” Springer said, adding that he believes his life is better because of his years in Batesville. He cares deeply about Lyon’s mission and

Let us not become weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

The pen is mightier... Brown Society members rest assured that their values will live on while helping students for generations. Individually, they have: • created funds to support specific programs, including fine arts, • endowed scholarships to make higher education affordable, and • erected some of the college's most iconic buildings. Collectively, the shared legacy of Brown Society members will sustain Lyon College through its next 150 years. Join the Society now, and you, too, can make a mighty impact with the small stroke of a pen.

To learn more about the benefits of including the college as you plan your legacy, contact Executive Director of Advancement Gina Garrett: (870) 307-7557 or gina.garrett@lyon.edu

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alatians 6:9 is a Bible verse important to Mike Springer, a 1974 graduate from Dennison, Texas. It speaks to the value of humble hard work, something Springer knows well. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education at Lyon, Springer earned three master’s degrees and served 38 years in public schools. Now, in his retirement, he owns and operates Springer Hay Farms. “The College gave me the opportunity to work in the Upward Bound program (as a student),” Springer said. “I met many a student who had the drive to better themselves. I was able to communicate with these students and help them understand that the parts of the whole can be

longevity, and said he wants to support the college so future students can enjoy the same opportunity to develop close relationships with their professors as he continues to have with Terrell Tebbetts, Ph.D., and retired coach Fred Wann. “In 1972, I ran out of funds to attend college, but the College found grants so I could finish school, said pringer y will states that all of my estate will go for academic scholarships in order or students to finish college Springer is joyful about his decision to pen Lyon into his legacy. “I believe students’ main objective is to receive an education,” he said, smiling. “It is time we give back to help others, so they can have the same opportunities we received.”

LYON LEGENDS DIANE ELLIS PURSUES PASSION AT LYON

hat inspires someone to stay in the same job for over 30 years? For Diane Ellis, director of counseling, it is her passion for providing support and direction to Lyon students. “I’ve been here 31 years as of August,” she said. “In our culture, success seems to mean ‘moving up the ladder.’ To me, success is about doing what you love and being true to what your spirit is. That is why I’ve stayed here.” After earning her master’s degree from Southeast Missouri State and teaching part time there, she came across an advertisement for the job at Lyon in a counseling publication. Before she took the job, Lyon had a new counselor each year for three consecutive years. “So one of the things they were looking for was stability I have ulfilled that, llis said, laughing. She started her job at Lyon in August 1989, working out of what is now the Morrow Academic Center. She remembers sitting in the empty o fice and wondering what she was supposed to do. When you start any ob, you figure things out as you go along,” Ellis said. Whenever she needed help or advice, she would call on people she connected with at graduate school, such as faculty or the counseling center staff. She now does the same for Lyon alumni. Dwayne Reli ord, class o 199 , first met llis while visiting the nurse on the freshman quad. She encouraged him to come see her any time. “Coming from an African American family, talking to a counselor was not something encouraged, so I was skeptical,” Reliford said. He was later faced with a situation where he ound himsel in her o fice “Diane always made me feel comfortable,” Reliford said. “She was someone who I could count on to be there to listen, and I never felt judged by what I had to discuss. We have remained friends over the last 30 years. Even

- Diane Ellis Photo by Christopher Hill | While campus has been closed, Diane Ellis has continued to counsel Arkansas-based students online.

in my adult years a ter leaving Lyon, I ound mysel getting direction and reassurance rom Diane on some personal things in my li e that have helped me move to higher and deeper inner peace llis loves working with college students because they are figuring themselves out, and she gets to watch them grow and change so much in a short amount o time tudents have entrusted me with that, and I m glad I can provide a space where they allow themselves to be so vulnerable, llis said arah O uist, class o 199 , said llis has been one o the most in uential people in her li e During the exciting yet vulnerable time o college, Diane normali ed the chaos that un olds as students learn, grow, ail and succeed, O uist said llis gave O uist a oundation to navigate li e s ups and downs, to welcome all that li e has to o er and to be encouraged, inspired and success ul Diane deeply cares or the human spirit o those around her, inspiring growth, health and community, O uist said mily Riley, class o 1 , agreed, saying llis is dedicated to discovering the uni ue personality in every individual she meets er willingness to advocate or others and hersel taught me, by example, how to do the

same, Riley said he lends strength and courage to her community Diane represents some o the best aspects o what Lyon was to me a sa e place to grow in ways both intentional and surprising, a place or community and a place that helps one prepare to dive into the big next, whatever that will be llis said she could not do the ob without colleagues like enni er itts, administrative assistant or tudent Li e, and Dana Davidson, pward ound math-science assistant director, who have worked with her through the years It s been a real honor to have them be part o my memories here, llis said y husband, ohn, is one o my biggest supporters It has always been important to me to show up and support students at their games, art shows and more, and ohn comes with me and en oys that, too er hope, llis said, is that she can give students the oundation to seek out help in the uture i they need it I ve had alumni say that meeting with me early on was good because they saw that counseling wasn t such a mysterious thing llis tries to show students that counseling is not any di erent than going to a pro essor or coach or ideas on how to improve That s what this is about, she said We as humans try to get better throughout our lives and improve upon ourselves

MEAN TO YOU

y first understanding o what community means was with amily I was the seventh child o nine in our arm amily When I was 1 , my mother died and I was placed in Caddo Valley cademy, a resbyterian Children s ome I adopted those orphans and my ellow students as amily There were also community subgroups on the baseball and basketball teams Those relationships were severed upon graduation rom high school, and I went rom orphan to homeless I was homeless on the rkansas College campus be ore homeless was a word In those days, i you were alone in the world with little means, you were ust a bum or i you were to travel, a hobo There was a trans er o a ection rom Caddo Valley cademy to rkansas College rkansas College students became my amily I was ama ed at the warmth and acceptance which I elt We treated each other with respect and there was room or each o us I still eel that warmth and caring when I return to Lyon College We were e ual in our community in that od gave each o us 1 o what we en oyed es, e ual even an orphan

Cliff Tackett, class of 1960

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To me, success is about doing what you love and being true to what your spirit is.

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY

BULLSEYE! LYON EXPANDS ARCHERY INTO NEW PROGRAM

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yon College has expanded its archery program, becoming the first rkansas college to o er archery as a competitive sport. The College signed its first three students or the new program in ay , making reshmen pencer Rhoden o lexander, rkansas reston Linville o ryant, rkansas and avana antis o ensley, rkansas, the first rkansas collegiate archers ead coach Travis Linville said Lyon is the first and only rkansas college to provide scholarships or archery e said each archery team member will have certifications to coach in both the ational rchery in the chools rogram and the rchery program long with competing against collegiate archers at the state and national levels, Lyon archers will host tournaments where they will o ficiate and train uture archers, Linville said Dean o dmissions Tommy ewton said Lyon researched archery programs and spoke with an array o local experts be ore o ficially orming a team igning our first three student athletes means that these students will get a great education and bragging rights or being collegiate archers with scholarships oining the program is e ually exciting or the student athletes To sign with a college team was ust ama ing or me, Rhoden said I personally love archery because, or me, I all into a one o ocus when I shoot that s very relaxing and, in general, really un Santis said signing to compete at a collegiate level made her eel very accomplished I am excited to grow as a person and an archer, antis said I am looking orward to having many learning experiences inside and outside o the classroom at Lyon

n 19 and 19 , another group o archers made their mark on campus The Crossbowettes were a group o students organi ed to promote the auld cottish tradition on campus. Dressed in Scottish kilts, the women gave exhibitions at various events around the state. They shot the modern repeater crossbow, invented by eorge tevens o ountain View, rkansas Founding member Jane Mabry Keith, class o 19 , was in a similar group while a student at ountain View igh chool, and, when she enrolled at rkansas College, tevens gave her use o the crossbows he had made i she could recruit a team r tevens had made eight o the most beauti ul per ormance crossbows by hand, eith said They had less pull than a competition bow Linda Wann, class o 19 1, was also a member o the Crossbowettes s Ruth ulbright, the teacher and assistant

librarian, also sponsored the Crossbowettes, Wann said I think she hand-picked some o us rom class Team member nn Westmoreland Taylor, class o 19 , said she was certain that Keith roped her into it. Taylor praised her riend s talent and described a trick that eith per ormed where she would use a mirror to hit a target over her shoulder I don t believe you can say I was a talented archer, Taylor said, laughing I you will notice, I am holding the ag in the photograph With regard to Lyon adding archery as a scholarship sport, eith said that it was wonder ul It is so like rkansas College Lyon to o er programs that are not only meaning ul and relevant, but traditional as well, eith said I m thinking o archery and bagpipes, but these types o things have always made the Lyon College education so special

Dear fellow alumni:

Tyler Hudgens, class of 2012 President, Lyon College Alumni Council

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU

ommunity is something that is key in these days of uncertainty. It is an invisible string that ties together people, places and experiences. It is the Black Lives Matter protesters on the town square, the regulars at Morningside Coffee or the Greek chapters at Lyon. (Hi, Alpha Xi sisters!) I feel a sense of community every time I visit Lyon’s campus, even though I graduated several years ago. I remember always having someone around to share in the excitement of bingo night and the stress o finals week I remember my freshman year when Edwards Dining Hall burned down. We all stood around together, watching and wondering what would happen next. The campus and town came together to make the best of a bad situation. I remember the campus coming together during Service Day to give back to the town. That is what a community does. It supports its members and it makes you feel welcome. It is where you belong.

Stef Arteaga, class of 2014

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t’s almost a cliche at this point to say that it has been a challenging year. Nevertheless, we’ve all faced situations that we never imagined in our professional and personal lives. All the trials we’ve navigated have been felt by our alma mater as well. Being a small, residential liberal arts college is not easy in the middle o the first major pandemic in a century. In this time of social distancing, we’re discovering the true value of the personal relationships that we so often take for granted. That includes the relationships that we built at Lyon. Lyon’s small, residential, close-knit nature makes the pandemic especially di ficult But the special environment is what sparked those relationships in the first place Lyon is as much a village as a college, and I m not sure I’ve ever lived anywhere that had a stronger spirit of community than Lyon. One of the most vivid examples of this community came during these dark days. When Lyon had to close for in-person instruction and send most of its students home, the college knew that it would cause financial di ficulty or some students That s when Lyon launched a drive for the Student Emergency Fund. Thanks to many of you, the fund was a success, and we were able to show our current students that Lyon is more than an institution; it’s a community. As we come together to bridge the unfortunate, but necessary, distance between us, let’s rededicate ourselves to fostering that spirit of Lyon community. Let’s reconnect with each other and with our alma mater. The pandemic will go down as a watershed moment in the history of higher education in this country. Let’s all keep pulling together to make sure that it’s a positive moment in Lyon’s history, and a story of a true community coming together to overcome all obstacles. Perseverantia omnia vincet, Deo volente.

Milestones 1965 Ann Stephens, ’65, was elected vice president of the Kansas City Symphony Alliance.

1968 Linda Eaheart Berry, ’68, was one of two retired

1992

Jonathan Thompson, ’02, was named CEO of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas in an announcement released by the company’s board of directors on September 8, 2020.

Karrabi Williams Malin, ’92, earned her Ed.D. in higher educational leadership from Texas Christian University (TCU). Malin is the director of Clinical Teaching & Community Partnerships at TCU and her dissertation was titled, "Educational Journeys of Undocumented Latinas Using DACA (Deferred Action for Child Arrivals) in Texas.”

educators to be inducted into the 2020 Hall of Leaders by the Jefferson City, Missouri School Foundation.

1997

1976

International 2020 Educator of the Year.

Dr. Misty Thillen, ’76, retired from her dental practice in Crystal Lake and moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

1979 Billy Burris, ’79, retired from the Division of Behavioral Health Services / Arkansas State Hospital after 36 years, and is now pastoring full time at St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church, and serving as an adjunct professor at Philander Smith College in Little Rock.

1986 Mary Henderson, ’86, was promoted to vice president, assistant loan reviewer manager, at First Community Bank (Batesville, AR).

2002

Mark Sparks, ’97, was named a Rotary

1999 Ben Watson, ’99, started a new role as CEO at deTASO in Conway, Arkansas.

2003 Enid Olvey, ’03, was named to the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy’s 40 Under 40.

2004 Carrie J. Beyerle-Kilgore, ’04, was recently promoted to chief deputy at the Crawford County Circuit Clerk s o fice, where she has been employed for 14 years. She and her husband Billy celebrated their 10-year anniversary in September.

Meredith Wright, ’04, returned to Lyon College as director of developmental mathematics.

2005

Stefan Booy, ’99, was promoted to COO at Seal Solar in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

2000 George Lea, ’00, was elected to the inaugural

Navisimo Chifunda Kambafwile, ’05, and Francis

board of trustees for the Arkansas Bar Association.

Kambafwile welcomed her new daughter, TsiTsi Ava Kambafwile, on August 1.

2001

Bill Pendergist, ’05, recently joined Colliers

Gretchen HalL, ’01, was named chair-elect for the Destinations International Board of Directors.

1988

International in Little Rock as vice president, brokerage, specializing in commercial property sales and leasing.

2006 Justin, ‘06, and Melissa Edwards announce the

Lucinda Elms, ’88, was promoted to senior vice

birth of Colin Bradley Edwards, born on June 16. He was 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and 19 inches long.

president loan documentation manager at First Community Bank (Batesville, AR).

Bethany Wallace, ’01, published “Hindsight

2007

2020,” a new book of poetry.

Camron Hames, ’07, was promoted to vice president senior loan systems analyst at First Community Bank (Batesville, Arkansas).

2008 Daniel, ’08, and Shannon Haney, ’05, welcomed son Asa Lee Haney, born June 30, at 9 pounds, 4 ounces.

Have something to share?

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Tell us about it so we can include it in the next issue!

Send your news to alumni@lyon.edu or give us a call at 870.307.7527

Pipers Reunion: Sarah Meier-Wherry, ’01, Gretchen Hall, ’01, Mary Blake Ray, ‘01, Amy casteel winn, ’01, Julie Church, ’04 and katie Vinson, ’01.

2009

2015 Matthew Baltz, ’15, completed his M.D. at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Aaron Green, ’15, was promoted to assistant vice president loan review assistant at First Community Bank (Batesville, Arkansas).

Sarah Fendley, ’09, completed her law degree (J.D.) at UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and is enrolled in Georgetown University’s Executive LL.M. in taxation.

Jonathan Farrar, ’15, was named Athletic Academic Coordinator for UA Little Rock.

Craig Amos, ’09, was promoted to vice

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

president compliance and BSA (Bank Secrecy Act) ofﬁcer at First Community Bank (Batesville, Arkansas).

Cynthia Barton, ’09, was promoted to vice president secondary mortgage originator at First Community Bank (Batesville, Arkansas).

2016 Robbi Riggs Rosenbaum, ’16, completed her J.D. at UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, and passed the Arkansas State Bar Exam.

Dr. Patrick Sullins, ’10, joined the UAMS

JT Tarpley, ’10, completed his master’s degree in ﬁlmmaking at University of Arkansas.

’09, welcomed a baby boy, Finley Oliver McQueen, on July 6.

Dr. Lauren Gunderman, ’16, graduated with her D.D.S. degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. She is practicing in Batesville, Arkansas, at Beller Dental Clinic.

2018

Business’ 20 in their 20s: Young Rising Business & Community Leaders.

Writers Gina Garrett, ’93, Kelby Newcomb ’15 Cindy Barber ’85 Mary Lemings, Jill Mobley, Matt Jagodzinski

Chris Hill Jake Cypert Dawson Angeles ’20 Bryson Davis ’21

Submissions For milestones, birth or death notices, email alumni@lyon.edu. To update your information, visit alumni.lyon.edu

Vice President for Advancement Dr. David Hutchison

Cindy Barber, ’85

Jon-Michael Poff, ’13, started a new role as Dr. Clare Brown, ’13, was named to Arkansas

Editor Dr. David Hutchison

Director of Alumni Engagement

2013 editorial director at Digg Inc.

Community: Reimagined.

Photographers

Clayton Butler, ’16, completed his doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) at UAMS on May 18, 2020. Dr. Michael McQueen, ’10, and Shanna McQueen,

WINTER 2020 / Volume 50, Issue 2

Adam Watkins, ’15, completed his M.D. at

2010 Family Medical Center in Batesville, Arkansas as a family medicine physician and faculty for the residency program.

THE LYON COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Director of Creative Services Sam, ’18, and Amy Hurford Burchfield were married on June 20.

Dalton Lamons, ’18, is the new sports editor of the Batesville Guard.

Chris Hill

President Dr. W. Joseph King

Provost Dr. Melissa Taverner

Executive Vice President married in Batesville, Arkansas on September 19.

2014 Samantha Jones, ’14, was honored by the Arkansas Press Association’s general excellence awards; she received the ﬁrst place writing award for both feature story and humorous column, published in the Carroll County News.

Chandler, ’18, and Sydney (Carr) McCoy were married on July 2.

Matt Crisman

Lyon College 2300 Highland Road, Batesville, AR 72501 870.307.7000 lyon.edu

This publication was produced in coordination with Arkansas Business Publishing Group.

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Landon Downing, ’13, and Madelyn Grady were

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Little Rock, AR Permit NO. 62

Office of Advancement 2300 Highland Road Batesville, AR 72501

Lyon Social

@katherinegator: Next thing we know...we'll just be

@marcossfernandez: Greers Ferry Lake @lyonleap

@lyonlibrary: Hey Scots! Your librarians are missing

@hayleyerin35: Hi Lyon friends!!! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so thankful to

@lyonleap : Great evening for a ride down to @

@destinysharp__ : I love everything about this

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ghoasts around this place. Bring on spooky season boos!! #lyoninfluencers #seniorszn #spooky

have been nominated for homecoming court my senior year!!!

@lyoncollege #LyonInfluencers

stellasbrickoven for gelato! #optouside #ridemorebikes

you already! Some literary puns to brighten your day! Feat. Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

sweet momma of mine, ESPECIALLY the fact that I get to share being a Lyon Scot with her! I mean, how cool is that??? #lyonalumni #lyonlegacy #lyoninfluencers