Loyola Alumna Lori Lyons '87 Selected as Inaugural John Biguenet Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

The English Department honored alumna Lori Lyons '87 with the inaugural John Biguenet Distinguished Alumni Award in April at its annual awards ceremony on Loyola's campus. The award recognizes a Loyola English graduate who, through their professional accomplishments, has distinguished themself and the department. Named after a Loyola English alumnus, beloved professor, and former department chair, this award honors alumni who have applied their Loyola English education to make significant contributions to their chosen field, creative endeavor, and/or their local community. 

Lori Lyons graduated in 1986 with a degree in English. Before she even graduated, she began her career at the Times-Picayune, where she spent 26 years, most of them as a sportswriter in the River Parishes area. She covered generations of student athletes, many who went on to become NFL players. She is a member of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and served as its president from 2012-2014 (only the second woman to serve as president). She is still a member of the LSWA Hall of Fame Selection Committee. She also spent 30 years as a member of the Sugar Bowl Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Committee. She served five years as a member of the St. Charles Parish Library Board and is a member of the Norco Christmas Parade organizing committee. She was recently elected to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the LSWA and will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches next July.

Lori currently teaches journalism and writing at Riverside Academy, where she started a school news website, the Rebel Express. She continues to write for the local newspaper on occasion and has a "mom blog" (thelyonsdin.com) that has received more than 600,000 views. She self-published a book, "Adopting in America: The Diary of a Mom-in-Waiting" and has plans to write two more books: one about caring for elderly parents and another about living in a blended family.