September 10, 2007

GREENSHEET HEADLINES

• Lyon Summer 2007 is online

• Newport church to celebrate 175th anniversary

• Bagpipers show well in New York games

• Life Plus employees help out at Eagle Mountain Magnet School

• Japan Lecture Series begins Oct. 22

• Lyon runners compete in Sara Low 5K

• Dr. Wray to present lecture Sept. 18

• Harlequin Theatre to hold auditions for fall play

• Arkansas Symphony to perform here Oct. 14

• Annual Service Day plans are under way

• Batesville Choral Society begins rehearsals

• SPORTS

      

Lyon Summer 2007 newsletter is online!

The Lyon Summer 2007 newsletter for alumni and friends is now available online. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read the PDF file. (The Acrobat Reader is free from Adobe, www.adobe.com.) Lyon Summer is a large file (64 MB) so it may take a few minutes to download if you have a slow Internet connection. To keep the file  size from being even larger, the images are small so you will need to zoom in on the pages for easier readability. To access, click on: Lyon Summer 2007.

 

  

 

 

U.S. Department of Education funds Lyon College's Upward Bound programs for another four years

Both Upward Bound programs at Lyon College will continue flying high for another four years following the awarding of a pair of grants from the U.S. Department of Education that commit over $600,000 to the first year of the combined two new contracts.

The APPLE Project and the Upward Bound Math and Science program have each been re-funded through the next four-year funding cycle, and an element of these new grants is that the programs will now focus on Arkansas students.

On Thursday, U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representatives Marion Berry, Vic Snyder, and John Boozman announced that six Arkansas colleges and universities have been awarded
Upward Bound grants totaling nearly $1.8 million.

The other schools funded include Arkansas Tech University, Philander Smith College, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

“The program at Lyon College goes beyond the normal summer program,” Berry said. “It provides disadvantaged students with opportunities beyond the classroom to cultivate their interest in the math and science fields. Any investment in children is an investment in our nation's future, which is why I'm proud to have helped secure funding for such a worthwhile cause.”

Previously, the students at Lyon in Upward Bound came from a five-state region, including Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Lyon's program now aims exclusively at students from 23 target schools in Arkansas located in the north and central part of the state, and in the Mississippi Delta. Some are local, but others are as far away as West Memphis and Blytheville.

The APPLE Project - Accelerated Program of Personalized Learning and Enrichment - is now in its 40th year at Lyon. It works with eligible high school students who have the academic potential and desire to succeed in postsecondary education. The goal of this program is to increase the number of high school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds who enter college and persist to become college graduates.

APPLE serves students in Independence, Jackson, Stone and Sharp counties with target schools that include Batesville, Cave City, Cedar Ridge, Midland, Mountain View, Newport, Southside and Tuckerman.

APPLE Project students make a long-term commitment from their entry into the program in the 9th or 10th grade through their summer of graduation from high school to weekly school-year attendance for tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment and to the six-week summer program of college-preparatory and college-credit classes.

During the school year, APPLE participants receive assistance in improving their study and test-taking skills, in managing their time and stress, in building healthy relationships with peers and others, and in exploring career interests and setting goals. For juniors and seniors, the Project also offers an ACT preparation course and assists students with registration fees. During the summer, students attend classes, participate in educational and cultural field trips, and experience residence hall life.

Kim Boehm serves as the APPLE Project director. She graduated from Harding University in 2002 with a master's degree in Education, and from Lyon College in 1992 with a B.A. in English. Before coming to work with the APPLE Project she taught English, Spanish, and speech at a local high school.

Elaine Severs, director of the Upward Bound Math-Science program at Lyon, graduated from Harding University in 2005, with a master's degree in education, and from Lyon College in 1984 with a bachelor of arts in history.

She said this November will begin UBMS's 17th year at Lyon. The program's purpose is to help students strengthen their academic skills and obtain the motivation and confidence they need to successfully enter college and complete a degree in a math or a science field.

Students selected for the program must qualify as a member of a low-income family or come from a family where neither parent has completed a college degree. Two-thirds of program participants must be both low-income and potential first-generation college students.

They spend two and a half hours each morning in their research groups, where they learn to do hands-on research in the laboratory and sometimes in the field, Severs said. There are about ten students in each group and, under the direction of the Research Mentor, they work together to carry out the experiments and calculations, and prepare a final technical report of their work and their conclusions.

At the end of the Summer Session, they present their findings to the entire UBMS group, usually with a PowerPoint presentation. Near the end of the summer, Lyon College President Dr. Walter Roettger visits each research group to talk with the students about their work.

In addition to their research, the students also take classes in ACT Reading and English, English Literature, ACT Math and a choice class selected from French, art or history.

Dr. David Pace is the program's curriculum coordinator, and Lyon College math and science faculty mentor the majority of Lyon's student research groups.

The research groups led by Lyon faculty this summer included Dr. Pace in chemistry/forensics, Dr. Floyd Beckford in environmental science, Dr. Stuart Hutton in physics, and Dr. Mark Schram in aquatic biology. Two additional groups, Math and Physics/Engineering, were lead by area high school teachers.

The area high school teachers who worked with UBMS this summer are Ginny Starzy, who mentored a math research group on Pythagoras, and Alan Smith, who led the physics and engineering group. Ginny has worked with UBMS the past two summers and teaches eighth grade math at Southside. Alan teaches at Cedar Ridge and has worked with UBMS since 1997.

Dr. Bruce Johnston, Lyon's vice president for Student Affairs and dean of the students, said the college is proud to serve this region of the state with quality programs that help educate and inspire area youth in their desire to pursue post-secondary education.

“Kim Boehm and Elaine Severs have fashioned wonderful records of success in preparing high school students for the academic and co-curricular challenges found in college,” he said. “Lyon is delighted to have these two exceptional women directing our Upward Bound programs. They and their staffs provide diligence, tremendous interpersonal skills, genuine concern and the inspiration as role models of success.”

For more information on the Upward Bound Math-Science program at Lyon, contact Severs at (870) 793-1783, or by e-mail at: esevers@lyon.edu.

For more information on the APPLE Project, contact Boehm at: kboehm@lyon.edu, or at (870) 698-4263.
 

Dr. Roettger to speak at Newport church's 175th anniversary

Lyon College President Dr. Walter Roettger will serve as liturgist when Newport's First Presbyterian Church celebrates its 175th anniversary.

On Oct. 7, the church will open its doors to the public for worship services at 11 a.m., and afterward a reception at the church Fellowship Hall from 2-4 p.m.Appearing with Dr. Roettger will be Jimmy Bell, Lyon's pipe major and director of Scottish Heritage, members of the pipe band and representatives of the Synod of the Sun, the regional body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Synod of the Sun serves Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas and is comprised of eleven presbyteries with 900 congregations containing 200,000 Presbyterians.

The Rev. Dr. Bill Branch, general presbyter of the Presbytery of Arkansas, will also be on-hand. The Rev. Dr. Alan Ford, pastor of First Presbyterian Church and member of the Lyon College Board of Trustees, will lead the services. Ford has been the pastor of the Newport congregation since 1977. Born in England, he emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s and earned his Divinity degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1975. In 1999, he served as moderator of Arkansas Presbytery

For more information on the anniversary celebration, contact the church at (870) 523-3733, by e-mail at lrowley@suddenlink.net.

Lyon pipers show well at Capital and District Games in New York

A group of Lyon College pipers 'worked' it over Labor Day weekend in New York, and earned recognition against some of the best pipers in the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association.

At the Capital and District Games held in Altamont, N.Y., Pipe Major Jimmy Bell, Lyon's director of Scottish Heritage, placed first in the Open March/Strathspey/Reel contest. Kenton Adler finished fourth in the Amateur II Piobaireachd. Grade I piper Vincent Moore was fourth in the Amateur I March/Strathspey/Reel, and sixth in Amateur I Piobaireachd. Nancy Love competed in the Amateur IV events.

In addition to showing the Lyon tartan on the east coast, Bell met with several potential students to discuss the possibility of their attending Lyon College and playing with the pipe band. Employees Life Plus International visit Lyon on behalf of Eagle Mountain Magnet School

European employees of Life Plus 'pedal' their services on behalf of Eagle Mountain Magnet

Susan Parker, physical education and school health coordinator for the Batesville School District, said about 40 people from Switzerland, Spain, Germany, England and the Netherlands took part in Life Plus International's in-house competition to see which employees could create a service project for a community not located in their homeland.

“Last year, a group from Life Plus came and did several activities with us,” she said. “This year, they decided to buy us 25 bikes and assemble them with the students for our health and international studies program.”

Working with the Lyon College's International Students Association, Eagle Mountain students have opportunities to listen to and to talk with “real people” who have traveled to and lived in other countries.

One bike was preassembled to show what they look like when completed and the other 24 were divided up, with four groups each assembling six bikes. The European visitors led the groups and Eagle Mountain students assisted.

Jerry Wilson with Life Plus said the employees who participated in the bike assembly were individual sales distributors who achieved high enough sales levels to earn the right to come to Batesville for some specialized sales training.

Parker said she wants to invite the entire Lyon community to participate in another wellness program, the International Walk or Ride Your Bike to School Day on Wednesday, October 3.

“We would love for everyone at Lyon College to participate in this event with our magnet,” she said. “We will meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot at Eagle Mountain shopping center.”

Japan Lecture Series event to look at the 'Politics of Gender'

An expert in feminism in Japan will address the “Politics of Gender” as part of the 2007-08 Japan Lecture Series at Lyon College.

On Monday, Oct. 22, from 7 - 8:30 p.m., Dr. Linda White will present “The Politics of Gender in 21st Century Japan” in the Derby Lecture Hall at Lyon.

Dr. White teaches anthropology and gender studies at Middlebury College. Her research is on Japanese feminism and its global dimensions, and gender and death in the debate on organ transplants in Japan and in cross border transplants.

She is currently working on a manuscript on the transnational and local components of grassroots Japanese feminism. She is also making a documentary film that traces the life history of a ninety-year-old Tokyo woman. She received her M.A. in Asian Studies from Cornell University and her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

For more information, contact Mieko Peek, instructor of Japanese Language and Literature, at (870) 793-1790, or e-mail her at: mpeek@lyon.edu.

Nine runners with ties to Lyon compete in inaugural Sara Low Memorial 5K

A group of Lyon College faculty, staff, students and alumni hit the streets this past weekend to help fund a scholarship named after a Batesville native who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Nine runners with connections to Lyon College competed in the inaugural Sara Low Memorial 5K run through Batesville on Saturday, Sept. 8.

Sara Elisabeth Low was a flight attendant on American Airlines flight 11, the first plane to crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Sara grew up in Batesville and ran track. Her team won a state title in 1989. The new 2006 AAAA state champs from Batesville High wore a screen-printed logo of the “Sara Low Pin” on their uniforms.

Overall winner of the inaugural Sara Low Memorial 5K was Clan Weatherford of Mount Pleasant who finished with a time of 18 minutes and 56.4 seconds. Dr. David Wood, assistant professor of Spanish, was Lyon's fastest runner, finishing in 47th place overall and third in his age group of 40-44, with a time of 26 minutes and 21.9 seconds.

Lyon's other runners included Isabelle Racine-Tenace, adjunct instructor of French; Dr. Martha Beck, associate professor of psychology; Dr. Paul Bube, the W. Lewis McColgan Professor of Religion; students Kimi Brown and Adam Penman; Diane Ellis, director of counseling; Jennifer Pitts, administrative assistant to the Upward Bound Math-Science Center and the APPLE Project; and 1997 Lyon graduate Amanda Nikkel.

The Batesville High School Band provided entertainment, and cheerleaders were there to cheer the runners on to the finish. All proceeds go to the Sara Low Scholarship Fund. For more information on competing or helping to sponsor next year's event, contact Mindy Lacefield at (501) 831-1410, or Ken McSpadden at (870) 793-2464.

Virginia Wray to deliver lecture detailing pair of literary greats

 A Lyon College English professor well known for her expertise in the work of Flannery O’Connor by will give a lecture on Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. in Nucor Auditorium in honor of her receiving one of the College’s prestigious endowed professorships.

In April 2006, the Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Virginia Wray had been named the new W.C. Brown Jr. Professor of English. The Brown Professorship was established in 1980 by a gift from the late W. C. Brown of Hot Springs, a former trustee of the College and a member of the Class of 1915.

The focus of Dr. Wray’s scholarship is the life and work of the renowned writer Flannery O’Connor. The expertise she’s acquired has earned her a deep reservoir of respect among her colleagues and peers, but she said being honored by Lyon College in this way means more to her than all the praise she’s received from others.

"I’ve been working on O’Connor’s fiction for over 30 years now," she said at the time of her appointment. "In the process, I’ve gotten to know numerous other O’Connor scholars across the country and abroad. I cherish professional friendships with many of them and relish the respect and support they have given me over the years – and continue to give me – for my work. But as O’Connor would say, there’s nothing quite like ‘gettin reckernized at home!’ I’m honored by Lyon’s giving me the Brown professorship."

Wray’s lecture, "Flannery O'Connor and Lillian Smith: A Missed Opportunity?", has just been published in the new Flannery O’Connor Review. She hopes the lecture will engage Flannery O'Connor devotees as well as make some new O'Connor fans.

"She’s a great read who makes her readers laugh uncontrollably even as she leads them to deeper and often painful understandings of the world and of themselves," she said.

Wray’s "hidden agenda" is to introduce Lillian Smith to readers unfamiliar with her.

"Far too many people don't know her work and its formative effect on some of us baby boomers who came of age with the Civil Rights Movement," Wray said. "Every young woman -- especially in the South -- should still read ‘Killers of the Dream’."

Dr. Wray holds a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, an M.A. from Bryn Mawr College and a B.A. from Westhampton College, University of Richmond. She joined the Lyon faculty in 1986 and has served as associate dean of the faculty and as coordinator of Academic Support Services.

Harlequin Theatre to hold auditions for fall production

Harlequin Theatre will hold auditions for the fall production of The Water Children in Holloway Theatre Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. Scheduled callbacks will take place on Sept. 19. There are roles for four women and four men, and there are also several openings for technicians. The production is entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Rehearsal/production information is posted in the Green Room in Holloway Theatre. Scripts will be available in the Green Room beginning Sept. 4. They must be read in Holloway Theatre. All students of Lyon College are welcome to audition or participate as a technician.

For more information, contact Dr. Michael Counts, professor of theatre and director of the Harlequin Theatre, or Gary Harris, associate professor of theatre.

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra to host concert in October

On Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2:30 p.m., Brown Chapel will ring with the sounds of classical music performed by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor David Itkin will lead the orchestra in a program of classical music, including performances of works by Rossini, Sarasate and Schubert. The Batesville Symphony League, First Community Bank and Lyon College are sponsoring the event.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 seniors (55), and $5 for students. To purchase tickets, call Keith Melson at (870) 612-3400. Lyon students, faculty and staff admitted free with IDs.

Lyon College to host annual Service Day event

Last year, a record 413 members of the Lyon College community turned out to participate in the annual Service Day event, but with more students on-campus this year, that record could be broken.

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, Lyon College will release faculty, staff, students and administrators from their regular responsibilities to work with members of the local community in the college's annual Service Day. After a morning gathering in Brown Chapel at 8:30 a.m., members of the Lyon campus will travel to more than 40 sites in the community. Speaking at the President's Convocation last week, Dr. Joel Plaag, assistant professor of music, announced the date for this year's Service Day and urged even more people to join in.

“We do this every year as a way to give back to the community that gives so much to us,” he said.

This event involves most of the campus. Last year the students, faculty and staff who participated in service day contributed a combined total of more than 1,000 volunteer hours. Lyon has sponsored the event for several years as part of the college's mission to develop responsible citizens and leaders committed to continued personal growth and service. Since 1992, the Lyon campus has given more than 15,000 volunteer hours in Batesville and the surrounding area.

Plaag said many locations around Batesville receive the benefit of Service Day labor support for that day.

“That gives them either a break from those responsibilities, making their environment a little better, or helping to serve those in need in our community,” he said. “And the students get a sense of accomplishment, of having done something positive to benefit not only their school but the community. And we gain a better idea of what kinds of services and organizations are in Batesville.”

For more information on service day or to inquire about hosting a future Service Day worksite, call campus chaplain Rev. Nancy McSpadden at 698-4281.

Batesville Choral Society begins rehearsals

After an extended period of planning, the Batesville Choral Society began rehearsals at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 9 with a wide variety of singers from across North Central Arkansas. The choir will be performing Schubert's Mass in G and Randall Thompson's Alleluia on Sunday, November 11, in addition to assisting the Arkansas College Alumni Choir, led by Dorothy Landis Gray, during the weekend of October 20-21. Rehearsals are led by Dr. Joel Plaag and Ceil Smith at First Presbyterian Church from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Sunday nights. Any singer, regardless of experience, is welcome to attend.

For more information, come to the next rehearsal on Sunday, September 16 or contact Joel Plaag at 698-4259.

Sports

Women's Soccer

Cox, three-goal attack helps Pipers stop Delta State

Lyon College goal keeper Erica Cox posted a shutout and three other Pipers scored goals in a 3-0 win over NCAA Division II Delta State University at Huser Soccer Field.

Cox (2-1-0) and the Lyon defense played stellar as the freshman in goal saved six shots on goal en route to her first shutout of her Piper career.

Offensively, the Pipers had goals from Elaine McCaulley, Angelique Armenta and Marisa Browne. Lyon freshman Nicole Brinkman assisted on two goals.

Armenta's goal was her fourth of the season and the 13th of her career, placing her at No. 1 on the all-time list - just one goal ahead of current teammate Sarah Ruegger.

The Pipers move to 3-2-0 this season and play again on Sept. 11 at Harding University. Delta State falls to 1-4.

Men's Soccer

Heavy rains cancel Delta State game

Heavy rains and lightning brought an abrupt end to any thoughts of playing Saturday's match between the Lyon College Scots and the Delta State Statesmen.

The game was canceled before play got underway and the two sides are working to reschedule the match sometime later this season.

Check www.lyon.edu/sports for further scheduling updates concerning this match.

Volleyball

Williams Baptist edges Lyon in five-game match

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – The Lyon College Pipers suffered a third straight defeat Thursday, this one a 3-2 loss (30-21, 22-30, 32-34, 32-30 and 13-15) to the Williams Baptist Lady Eagles in a road nonconference match.

Lyon (3-2) got 20-plus kills from three different sources. Sophomore middle blocker Katie Beineke earned 23 kills, senior outside hitter Daria Paunovic earned 22 and 20 more came from sophomore Lauren Castleberry. All three numbers were season-highs for the Piper trio, but even the high kill quotient couldn't overcome a determined Williams Baptist (4-0) squad on its home floor.

Junior libero Ann Sullivan notched a season-high 42 digs for Lyon while setters Jessica Sylvester and Julie Arnold had 35 and 32 assists, respectively.

Lyon is in action again on Sept. 11 for its home opener against Harding University.

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