Lyon Welcomes Record Number of International Students

August 17th is a day that North Wacker natives eagerly anticipate.  The familiar sight of U-Hual vans and blue lanyards leave no room for doubt that another academic year is beginning at Lyon College.  But concealed amongst the melody or perhaps cacophony of Lyon’s two and a half thousand students moving back into their residence halls are almost two hundred nervous but excited women from all over the world.

Lyon Assistant Director of Inclusion and Intercultural Education Martha Dagenhart (86’) spoke briefly to “In the Lyon’s Den” and was excited to announce that the 2015 Lyon College class will include 65 students from around the world, a record for the College. “We are proud that Lyon now hosts almost two hundred students representing almost 36 countries”, Dagenhart said.

Senior Doria McCoy is glad to see more diversity on campus.

“I think it’s great to see more international students here at Lyon,” McCoy said. “With the internet making the world smaller, it is fun getting to know people from other cultures. I hope to see more students coming here in the future.”

Students and staff from the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Education are hosting a kick off event this upcoming Friday evening from 9-11pm on the Pride Center terrace. Come by for some snacks and crafts from around the globe, meet the OIIE staff, and make new friends from around the world.

Photo courtesy of http://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-hello-speech-bubble-word-cloud-on-chalkboard-in-many-different-languages-223617775.jpg

Life After Lyon

What Are You Doing Here?

Yes you. What are you doing here? Sure, I know you are sitting there in the hallway of your Women in Science and Engineering living learning community waiting to meet up with your classmates to work on a group project, but why are you here at Lyon? Why did you choose to come to Lyon instead of backpacking Europe,  joining the circus, or getting a job at Olive Garden for the sole purpose of consuming free breadsticks?

A job. 

You came to Lyon for many reasons, but I'd venture to say that landing a rewarding and satisfying career is among the top reasons you chose to attend. Education typically equates to job satisfaction, and for many- Lyon is just the beginning. "Collectively, women's college attendees are the most likely of all groups to plan to earn a Ph.D. at 27.3%" (Sax, Lozano, & Vandenboom, 2014).  We hear you! Academics are a main focus of the Division of Student Life, and we are proud to promote a culture where academics come first. (insert info about type of SA governance that has education as key focus). Not only do we promote an air of excellence on campus, but we strive to maintain a rigorous reputation beyond our campus walls. 78.4% of women's college attendees noted the importance of a college having a very good academic reputation as among the top five factors in selecting their higher education institution (Sax, Lozano, & Vandenboom, 2014).

Says who?

What is this study we keep referencing? Thanks for asking. This citation credits one of the most comprehensive study of students in higher education settings. Initiated by the Women's College Coalition, this gem analyzes 40 years of responses from 262,772 female students at 49 women's colleges, and over 4.4 million women at nearly 1,000 coeducational colleges between 1966 and 2011. Holy data. Check the final report out at THIS link.

Center for Vocational Development to the Rescue!

Has all of this job search talk made you nervous? Not to fear- Lyon's Center for Vocational Development is here. Conveniently located in the centrally located Pride Center, the CVD is a one stop shop for all of your internship and job research/interview prep/transition needs. Sign up for an appointment today to:

• Explore internship options
• Take a career placement assessment
• Explore on campus job options
• Perfect your resume
• Brush up on interview skills 
• Graduate and professional school application assistance
• Network with current professionals

Go get those post-baccalaureate degrees, Lyonesses!

Sax, L. J., Lozano, J. B., & Vandenboom, C. Q.  (2014). Who attends a women’s college? The Women's College Coalition. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA

Photo retrieved from https://www.trainingjournal.com/sites/www.trainingjournal.com/files/styles/original_-_local_copy/entityshare/4847%3Fitok%3DGdM6snGa

Laverne Cox Raves about Lyon Campus Trans Policies

A partnership between Student Activities and Engagement, and Inclusion and Intercultural Education hosted Laverne Cox on campus last Thursday evening. The Orange is the New Black celeb and trans rights activist was initially set to speak in a smaller campus space, but ultimately shared her message to a full house in the newly opened Anthony Arena. Students, faculty, and staff came out to hear her share memories and stories about the struggles of growing up in a body that didn't reflect who she felt she was. Cox nearly brought the arena to tears as she recounted instances of violence and hatred directed at her and her friends as they experimented with clothing and makeup in search of finding themselves. Her no-nonsense demeanor and tenacity in advocating for a better and more understanding future for transgender people inspired all in attendance.

Ms. Cox switched the direction of her talk midway through, and transitioned into a glowing review of Lyon's policies and actions to support transgender students. Though many women's colleges choose to deny services and admissions to trans students, Lyon finds it is integral to our mission to provide support. Here is a direct quote from our mission statement:

"Lyon embraces its responsibility to address issues of gender in 

all of their complexity and urgency"

The College of Student life has collectively taken on the opportunity to provide unwavering and comprehensive support of students in any stage of the transgender experience. Check out the list below for just a few of the ways we support our these students.

• Strategic staff hiring process that includes questions regarding candidates' experiences supporting transgender students
• All Residential Involvement staff partake in continuous education and training in order to best support trans students as they grow and develop in their place of residence
• Inclusive language used on all applications and documentations across campus
• Hormone replacement capabilities on site at the Wellness and Education Center 
• Counselors available who specialize in transgender students theory and support
• Frequent campus education campaigns to educate Lyon on trans issues 
• Transgender specific support communities, both residential and non 

Don't identify as transgender? As Lavern Cox pointed out- this topic is still relevant to you! We strive to create an atmosphere of support and and understanding regarding each individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, ability, hometown, hair color, height: you name it, we support it. However we can't do that on our own! Join us in deliberately and intentionally creating a welcoming environment for all here at Lyon.

Photo courtesey of http://imgick.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width620/img/grandrapidspress/photo/2014/03/14516808-mmmain.jpg

November 2015 opening of Anthony arena to be a 'moment of pride' for Lyon College

On Friday, November 6th, a charged-up, standing-room-only crowd of 7,800 blue-and-silver-clad fans are expected to be on hand when the ball is tipped for a women's basketball game pitting Lyon College against Barnard.


That contest will mark the inaugural game for Lyon College’s new $81.6 million on-campus arena — something that campus officials see as a historic and transformational moment for the school and the Lyon College athletic program.


In the past, Lyon College has held a partnership with Northwestern University as a part of the Lyon-Northwestern consortium, established after the creation of Title IX. The partnership was approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in order to expand and extend the athletic opportunities available to the women of each institution. Through this arrangement, Lyon College is the only women's college offering Division I athletics.

The funding of the new arena was made possible by past ticket sales, merchandise revenue, and alumni donations and endowments. The alumni of Lyon College wished to contribute to the already growing recreational sports department by also adding a practice facility, set to be built by the fall of 2016. The mission of Lyon College has always been centered around promoting and preserving women's rights. Therefore, the new arena will bear the namesake of integral women's rights activist, Susan B. Anthony.

“It will be a real moment of pride for the institution,’’ said Olivia Pope, Lyon College's athletic director. “It will be a real chance to engage our passionate students, our alumni and our donors in a facility we can be really proud of.’’

The undefeated Lady Lyons will begin their season on Friday night in pursuit of another conference championship.

Photo courtesy of http://thedailyaudible.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Monmouth-University-Basketball-Arena1.jpg

Finding Your Home in Learning Communities

Welcome Lyonnesses Class of 2020!

As you get ready to start your life here at Lyon College, you may be wondering what exactly are these Learning Communities you have been hearing all about? Why are you required to be involved?

Well let us fill you in on one of Lyon's greatest pride and joys...

Learning Communities are you home away from home, your opportunity to make a difference, and your chance to learn in a way that is unique to our college. Starting on Sunday, the first day of summer orientation, you will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with the women in each of the 40 different LCs. Each LC has a different focus area and new ones are being created each year.

Some examples of LC focus areas are:
Women for Change
College Democrats
Critical Race Theorists
Catholic Campus Ministries
The PRIDE - LGBTQ+ and Allies
Healthy Soul, Healthy Body
Gaming as Learning
Nature and Sustainability
And so many more...

Don't worry about feeling like you are tying yourself down to a single one! If you decide after the end of your first year, you want to learn about something new you are more than welcome to change for your second year. We want you to have the opportunity to learn and grow as much as you can!

Come with an open mind, any questions, and excitement as you begin your journey here at Lyon!

This Week in the Lyon's Den

True Blue: The History Behind our Royal Hue

Ever wondered why we don royal blue here at Lyon? Our founding mothers drew their inspiration for our school color from the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention. Several Lyonesses played an active role in advocating for women's right to vote, and had a large presence at the convention. These student activists could be identified by their royal blue attire, representing how royal they believed the cause of women's suffrage. These trailblazing women created one of Lyon's first student orgs focused on advancing women's equality, and networked with peer institutions through their membership in the National College Equal Suffrage League (NCESL). Research shows that being involved in the campus community increases student success, and Lyon's have been involved and succeeding from the very beginning (Astin, 1985)! These women continued to wear royal blue to help spread awareness on their cause, eventually becoming associated with the institution as a whole. Think about the pivotal nineteenth amendment and how important women's suffrage was to our community next time you throw on that royal blue!

Check out next week's post to learn the history of royal blue's school 

color counterpart: sterling silver!

Photo courtesy of http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=37212281