Institutional Profile

Lyon College is an independent, residential, co-educational, undergraduate liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Founded in 1872, it is the oldest independent college in Arkansas. Lyon is a closely knit teaching and learning community distinguished by its honor system, innovative residential house system, and endowed Nichols International Studies program. Lyon is classified as a baccalaureate (liberal arts) college by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and is included in the top tier of the country’s best liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Lyon emphasizes the development of character as well as intellect. It provides extensive opportunities for students to assume leadership responsibilities, collaborate with faculty on research projects, study abroad, and explore career opportunities through internships.

Degrees and Programs of Study

Lyon confers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, and offers majors in the following areas of study:

Students may also design an individualized major. The College also offers pre-professional programs leading to careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, veterinary science, education, law and ministry.

Faculty

Lyon faculty members are talented teacher-scholars who regularly contribute to their disciplines. Full-time faculty, 93 percent of whom hold the Ph.D. or other terminal degree appropriate to their field, teach almost all classes. Fourteen Lyon faculty members have been named Arkansas Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A student-faculty ratio of around 10:1 and an average class size of 14 ensure personalized attention for students.

Students

Lyon enrolls approximately 600 students from 22 states and 15 countries. The middle 50% of entering freshmen score between 23 and 29 on the ACT, and 72% rank in the top quartile of their high school graduating class. More than 75 percent of students reside on campus. More than 40 student clubs and organizations, including Greeks, as well as a distinctive Scottish Heritage Program, foster a vital campus life.

Campus and Facilities

Lyon's picturesque 136-acre campus is conveniently located in a comfortable neighborhood setting. It features modern, attractive and functional academic facilities such as the black-box Holloway Theater, Lyon Business and Economics Building, and Derby Center for Science and Mathematics, which was completed in December 2003. Nine student residence halls are grouped into the houses that make up the College's house system. The Mabee-Simpson Library contains 215,000 items and provides access to more than 20,000 periodical subscriptions. Recreational facilities include an outdoor walking track, regulation soccer field, intramural field, six lighted regulation tennis courts, Becknell Gymnasium (which includes a fitness center and an indoor swimming pool), a sand volleyball court and scenic Bryan Lake, surrounded by a walking path and flowering trees. A varsity women's softball field is under construction.

Information Services and Technology

All College facilities, including every student residence hall room, the computer laboratories, and the cyber café in the student union, are connected to the campus fiber-optic network, which provides access to e-mail, the Internet, and standard software applications. In addition, wireless Internet is available throughout the campus.

Athletics

Lyon competes in the NAIA Division I’s TranSouth Conference and fields intercollegiate athletic teams in baseball (men), basketball (men, women), golf (men, women), soccer (men, women), softball (women) and volleyball (women). Lyon offers an extensive intramural program.

Location

Lyon is located in Batesville, Arkansas, a town of around 10,000 that serves as a commercial, medical, governmental, and cultural hub for the surrounding region. Nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, it is approximately 90 minutes northeast of Little Rock and two-and-one-quarter hours west of Memphis. Batesville offers a safe and welcoming setting for the College and its students and extensive outdoor recreational opportunities.