Why Your Gift Matters

Charles and Anne Allen - Endowment

For Charles F. and V. Anne Allen, the importance of an endowed scholarship cannot be overstated. Each has a terminal degree in Education Leadership, and they believe in the power of education and how transformative it can be in the lives of students and learners. The pair were awarded the Friends of Education award in 2007 at the Lyon College Founders’ Day Convocation.

The Allens chose to endow the Charles F. and V. Anne Allen Endowed Scholarship for students in education pursuing careers in the teaching profession. “Anne and I want to assist and enable students to graduate, those students for whom the financial burdens of pursuing a college degree are especially challenging,” said Charles during his remarks at the 2023 Hall of Opportunity ribbon cutting. He added that they “want to enable those dedicated scholars to serve Lyon College and the Education profession, which urgently need their dedication and commitment, into Perpetuity!”

The Allens encourage students/recipients to graduate and use their energies and talents to serve Lyon College, our state of Arkansas and the field of education. “We want to inspire and model for everyone the constant and never-ending philanthropy. We, at Lyon College, are incredibly grateful to both Charles and Anne for their unwavering support and forward-thinking benevolence.

Jaylin Sprout - Young Alumni Donor

Jaylin Sprout knows the incredible impact that Lyon College can have on its students. After all, she was one herself, just 5 years ago. Sprout graduated from Lyon College in 2019 with a degree in Political Science. She then pursued a masters in public service from the Clinton School of Public Service. Now, she is serving in a community development role at Winrock International. Jaylin attributes part of this success to the environment she found herself in when she first set foot on campus in 2014. Jaylin prides herself on being a recurring monthly donor. She says that she “had a feeling that even if [she] didn’t have a lot to give, [she] had the opportunity to be a part of the change.”

Jaylin now encourages other young alumni to do the same. She understands that no matter the amount, every gift matters. We applaud Jaylin Sprout on her willingness to give back to her alma mater as a young alumna, and we are grateful for her continuous support of programs like campus ministry and the political science program.

Jennifer Daniels - First Generation Support

A first generation student is definedas a student whose parents did not complete a 4-year degree. These students face a certain set of challenges that they must overcome when they make the decision to obtain higher education. Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of Student Empowerment at Lyon College, Dr. Jennifer Daniels understands this well. Dr. Daniels was a first generation student herself at the College of Charleston. Now, she is passionate about bringing recognition to these students and offering them a support system. Part of this support system is recognizing faculty and staff who were also first generation students. Daniels provides them with pins they wear on their regalia for ceremonies. “It’s different if you are a first generation student, but that’s okay,” she said, “there are people here that understand (those challenging circumstances).”

She added that the pins help build community and a sense of belonging, because they bring visibility to other people who have “been there before.” Lyon College’s student body is 22% first generation students, with every one of those students receiving institutional aid. Dr. Daniels graciously supports our Annual Scholarship Fund with a deduction from each of her paychecks. We salute her efforts to create community and support for first generation students and appreciate her willingness to give to Lyon College.

Noah Keller - 1872 Society

The impact that scholarships have on the students at Lyon College is paramount. Dr. Noah Keller, Class of 1997, believes this wholeheartedly. Dr. Keller has an impressive and extensive academic history. After attending Lyon College, he went on to attend medical school at Texas Tech. Then, completed a general surgery residency at UAMS in Little Rock. Later, he pursued a laparoscopic surgery fellowship at the Carolinas Medical Center and did a two-year pediatric surgery fellowship at Arkansas Children's Hospital.

Dr. Keller is now a practicing pediatric surgeon at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville, California. He attended Lyon College on both athletic and academic scholarships and said, “I don't believe I would be where I am today without Lyon.” He added that the foundation that Lyon College set for him helped create a pathway that “encouraged and pushed me in a direction that I wouldn’t have considered otherwise.” This is why he is passionate about giving back. He believes these scholarships can be life-changing for students and hopes to create opportunities for others, like other donors had created for him while a Lyon student. We thank Dr. Keller for his contributions to the Annual Scholarship Fund and applaud his professional success.