Lyon College offers ROTC program in partnership with ASU

EducationNews BriefsNortheast Arkansas

by George Jared ([email protected]) September 3, 2019 3:33 pm 672 views 

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has approved Lyon College’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program and Military Science and Leadership concentration, according to the school. Provost Dr. Melissa Taverner said Lyon is pleased with the response from current and prospective students about the availability of the ROTC program on campus.

“We currently have a total of 10 students enrolled in Military Science and Leadership courses taught at Lyon by the Army cadre instructors,” she said. “The ROTC staff members are a regular presence on campus, answering questions that many of our current students have and discussing their course enrollment and scholarship options.”

Lyon College and Arkansas State University signed a memorandum of agreement February 13, 2019, declaring Lyon an affiliate unit of the Arkansas State University ROTC program (ASU ROTC).

As part of the memorandum of agreement, ASU ROTC supports Lyon’s program by providing Cadre support, meaning ROTC instructors from ASU’s program will travel to Lyon to train and instruct students. Courses will be once a week lasting about 50 minutes. ASU ROTC will also provide uniforms, equipment, and textbooks to students at no charge.

Lyon will support the program by providing classroom space, access to materials needed for instruction, access to physical fitness facilities and equipment in case of inclement weather, the use of the college campus for training, and establishment of ROTC courses with Lyon’s Registrar.

Students may decide if they want to contract with the U.S. Army as soon as they start the program. In order to contract, students must undergo extensive counseling provided by the ROTC Cadre, to determine if committing to service is the right decision.

“The ROTC program will continue to expand our students’ opportunities to develop their leadership potential,” Taverner said. “Those skills will be invaluable both on campus as they pursue their degrees and in the real world after they graduate from Lyon.”