The Lyon College Alumni Awards Banquet was just one of the many events happening throughout the weekend of ScotsFest. The Lyon College Alumni Council selected and awarded eight individuals for outstanding recognition, service and dedication to their communities, fields, or careers.
Two Lyon graduates are selected annually for the Patterson Decade Awards. The candidates must be members of the 10-year reunion class and must have achieved a notable degree of success in their chosen field, career, or profession.
Norma Sanchez Moreno, ’12, and Andrew Tyler Hudgens, ’12, were this year’s recipients of the Patterson Decade Awards.
Moreno was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and college, and credits her mother, who immigrated to the United States when Moreno was an infant, with providing her the opportunities to reach her goals. She is currently the coordinator of Girls Got Goals in San Francisco, California, a soccer league for girls/non-binary/trans soccer players in elementary and middle school. She earned her Advanced National Coaching License and continues to provide free soccer camps, individual training, and support to her players, both present and past.
Licensed to practice law in Arkansas and Oklahoma, Hudgens has worked as an attorney at the Arkansas Department of Human Services since 2018, and he has been an acting member of the Safe Babies court leadership team since 2021 in addition to being a member of the Sebastian County Bar Association. Hudgens is currently president of the Rotary Club of Fort Smith, Faithful Navigator of Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Assembly 25, Worthy Advocate of Knights of Columbus Council 996, Vice President of the Slaytonville Cemetery Association, Senior Vice President of Scott-Sebastian VFW Auxiliary, Secretary of TKE - Xi Tau Alumni Association, past president of the Lyon College Alumni Association, and past trustee of the College.
The Decade of Service Award is presented annually to a Lyon graduate who is a member of the 10-year reunion class and has demonstrated outstanding service to the College.
This year’s recipient of the Decade of Service Award was Nancy Love, ’12.
Love graduated from Lyon with a double major in English and Psychology, with a minor in Scottish Arts, and was winner of the Lyon College Seibert Medal. Love is employed by White River Health System, Inc. as a mental health occupational therapist and mental health advocate. She provides inpatient, acute, and outpatient rehabilitation therapy, and is currently serving on a small team designing sensory experiences, a sensory room, garden, and curating new programming in The Stepping Stone adult psychiatric unit. Love is a longtime member of the Lyon College Pipe Band, and has served as the Chair for the Southwest Branch of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas) and, with the support of the branch officers, especially Kenton Adler, successfully organized the first online option for attendance, resulting in a record number of attendees.
The Honorary Alumnus/Alumna Award recognizes extraordinary service to Lyon College by an individual or individuals who did not graduate from the institution. Charles Robertson Barnett, Ira Nelson Barnett IV, and Sandra Slaughter Barnett were this year’s recipients of the award.
Charles Barnett is a Batesville native and a graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. He served in the United States Army, completing two tours in Vietnam, obtaining the rank of captain. Alongside his two brothers, he operated Barnett Brothers Department Store, serving as office manager, and retired after serving 26 years as Independence County Treasurer. Barnett is a longtime supporter and patron of the Arkansas Scottish Festival at Lyon, representing Clan Donnachaidh in his Robertson kilt, and has enjoyed supporting and attending Lyon athletic events.
Nelson Barnett, a Batesville native, graduated from Batesville Public Schools before moving on to Hendrix College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. He did graduate work at Southern Methodist University, and worked for Barnett Brothers, Inc., Gateway Technical College, the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Lyon College, and the White River Health System Foundation. He is a member of the Independence County Historical Society, and previously served as its president. He has always been active in church and civic work and is currently a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Batesville.
Sandra Slaughter Barnett, only daughter of James and Thelma Slaughter, is a native of Conway, Arkansas. She graduated from Conway High School, and four years later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and Philosophy at Hendrix College. Sandra’s love of the written word encouraged her to finish her master’s degree in English with emphasis in creative writing at the University of Memphis and to teach creative writing at Lyon College. She also taught for the Upward Bound and A.E.G.I.S. programs offered at Lyon in the summer for high school students. Her teaching was secondary to her real job, however, which was managing the Lyon Bookstore. She loved working at Lyon, as evidenced by the fact that her job initially was to be for one year, but it lasted for 20! She has enjoyed public readings in Batesville and elsewhere, but her happiest literary moment was the publication of her novel, Dead in the Shadow of a Doubt.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award is given annually to an alumnus or alumna of Lyon College, who graduated at least fifteen years ago, has actively supported the College since that time, is distinguished in his or her field or career, and has received some previous recognition from contemporaries.
Mitchell Galiyas, ’72, was the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Mitch Galiyas graduated from West Mifflin South High School, PA, in 1968, and graduated from Lyon College, then Arkansas College, in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in History, and a minor in Social Studies. After obtaining Pennsylvania teaching certification, he was employed by the Montour School District for 38 years, from 1975-1995, as a teacher and coach, also serving head football coaching stints at Quigley and Carlynton. In 1996 he was named Coordinator of Athletics for Montour School District. Mitch was also a multi-year Section 1 Coach of the Year in boys’ volleyball and in 1987 he coached Montour’s Boys Volleyball Team to their first WPIAL Championship. Montour won five WPIAL Championships during his tenure as the longest full time athletic director in the history of the school district. He served as treasurer and president of the Midwestern Athletic Conference, and he was awarded the 20 Year Distinguished Service Award from both the Western PA Interscholastic Athletic League and the PA Interscholastic Athletic Association. In 2010, Mitch was voted into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Hall of Fame in the Contributors Division.
The Lifetime of Service Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exemplary, continuing service and volunteerism, not only to this college but also to society. Those who receive this award improve the world in which we live by giving tirelessly and selflessly, and we are grateful for their efforts.
Becky DeLoach, ‘70, graduated from Lyon College, then Arkansas College, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She earned a Master of Science in Personnel Services and Guidance from the University of Memphis and enjoyed a successful career in management, education and training with FedEx of Memphis. A champion and advocate for Lyon College, DeLoach served as Alumni Council president from 1990-1991, a member of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees Budget Committee from 1990-1992, and a guest speaker for recruiting activities for the College in the Memphis area. She currently serves on the Presbytery of the Mid-South’s Administrative Board as budget and finance chair and previously chaired the Presbytery’s Commission on Ministry. She serves as a trustee for Presbytery of the Mid-south properties and as ruling elder, formation committee chair and 25-year choir member at Balmoral Presbyterian Church.
Full album of the evening can be view here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lyoncollegescots/albums/72177720302982256