The president of the National Association of College and Universities (NAICU) will lend his knowledge and give best wishes to graduating seniors at Lyon College’s 135th commencement May 10.

Dr. David L. Warren (left) will be keynote speaker at the 9 a.m. Saturday ceremony in Couch Garden. Lyon College also will award Warren an honorary degree.

Commencement weekend begins Friday, May 9, at 4 p.m., with the President’s Reception at Bradley Manor for seniors, their parents, faculty and staff, and at 5:30 p.m., an Alumni Dinner honoring the Class of 2008 will begin in Becknell Gymnasium

Lyon Honors Convocation is April 15

The Lyon College Honors Convocation will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in Brown Chapel Auditorium. Outstanding students will be honored and members of honor societies will be recognized. The Alphi Chi Teacher of the Year will be announced. Awards also will be presented for intramurals, student life and campus ministry. Michael Brown ‘08 will present the traditional “Reflections from the Senior Class.” The Lyon College Pipe Band will pipe in the processional.

The Lyon Community Orchestra will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in Brown Chapel, in a program featuring string orchestra classics. The concert, "A Celebration of Strings," replaces the program "Music of Heroes and Mythology" originally scheduled. Barbara Reeve is director of the orchestra and of string instruction at Lyon College. More

Two popular Celtic performers will headline entertainment at this year’s Arkansas Scottish Festival April 18-20 at Lyon College. Texas-based Needfire will return for the second year in a row along with traditional Scottish performer Alex Beaton to entertain the more than 10,000 people expected to attend the festival.

Island Records recording artist Jon McLaughlin will be in concert at Lyon College April 29 in Couch Garden.

McLaughlin is a 24-year-old Indiana-based singer who grew up in a home surrounded by music. His siblings played piano, and he began taking classical lessons at age 4. But it wasn’t until he was 18 years old that he realized he could start blending his skill with his love for pop music.

McLaughlin attended Anderson University School of Music and began to write songs. In June 2005, he went into the studio to record his first album. He just finished recording his latest album, “Indiana,” and can be seen performing on a ballroom stage in the movie, “Enchanted.”

Gates will open at 6 p.m., with an opening act to play at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and are at the Student Life Office.

Lyon College Associate Professor of Economics Mahbubul Kabir recently presented a paper at the Eastern Economic Association Annual Conference in Boston, Mass. Co-authored by Dr. Azzeddine Azzam, director for the Center for Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the paper was titled "Vertical Integration and Cost Efficiency in Multistage Hog Production: An Investigation by Estimation of Cost Frontier."

The Lyon College Theater Department is gearing up for its performances of “The Heidi Chronicles” in April. Performances are April 10, 11, 12 at 8 p.m. and April 13 at 2 p.m. in Holloway Theatre. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for students/senior citizens. Reservations can be made at 870-307-7510. This production is intended for mature audiences.

The Lyon Concert Band will present its spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 28, in Brown Chapel. The concert will feature the band performing several styles of music including “Don't Cry For Me Argentina” from the opera Evita and “In The Mood.” a Glenn Miller classic. Other selections for the concert will include “Pressure,” a depiction of the adversity we face on a daily basis, “Pictures At An Exhibition,” a six-movement piece originally written by Modest Moussourgsky, “Different Voices,” a representation of the different ways the human voice produces sound and “Chorale and Shaker Dance II,” based on the traditional American Shaker tune "Simple Gifts." Admission is free and the event is open to the public. 

The annual book sale is scheduled for April 18-20 at the Mabee Simpson Library at Lyon College. Book donations will be accepted now through April 11. Donations are tax deductible and proceeds will be used to expand library collections and resources.

Library hours are from 8 a.m.-midnight Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday, noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m.-midnight on Sunday. Donations may be dropped off at the library anytime during normal business hours.

Friends of the Library are invited to the preview book sale from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17. Be sure to join the Friends of the Library group when you drop off your book donation.

For more information, contact Deanna Devall at 870-307-7205 or e-mail her at ddevall@lyon.edu.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Lyon College Summer Academics - Recreation and Fun Included (SAFARI) program. This year's sessions are June 2-13 and June 16-27.

Lyon College to host 29th Arkansas
Scottish Festival on campus April 18-20

For three days in April, the picturesque Lyon College campus will resemble the Scottish Highlands when the 29th Arkansas Scottish Festival takes center stage. Bagpipers, dancers, drummers, sheepdogs and kilts will flood the campus April 18-20 for demonstrations and competitions to celebrate the college's Scottish heritage. More