Ken Lyons receives 1996
Distinguished Alum Award
With his associate's degree in photography in hand, Kenneth
David Lyons '85, a native of Norfolk, headed for a successful career
as photojournalist with the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia.
During his 11-year tenure with the paper, he has covered numerous
events from local community news to international stories. Assign
ments have taken him from the back roads of area towns and
communities to Cuba to cover the plight of Haitian refugees fleeing
their homeland.
Lyons' photography honors include many “first place” and “best of
show” awards. His accolades include tributes for such varied photo
topics as an Army paratrooper landing, a political campaign, crewmen
aboard the USS America performing morning e.xercises. student singers
rehearsing in a restroom before a graduation ceremony, melons, a woman
and her elderly mother and a young teen gunned down during a robbery.
During 1995, he was named Virginia News Photographer of the Year
by the Virginia News Photographer’s Association. Lyons' honors also
include awards from the National Press Photographer's Association.
Virginia News Photographer's Association and the Virginia Press
Association. He has been named Daily Press Photographer of the Year
three times and was recently elected the 1996 president of the Virginia
News Photographer’s Association.
Without question, his achievements and recognition in the field of
photojournalism represent the highest standards of professionalism.
Lyons resides in Newport News. Virginia with his wife Cathy Shelton
Lyons, a native of Newport News, and daughter Hannah Paige Lyons,
age 2.
President Stan
Lott (right)
presented Ken
Lyons ‘85 with
the Chowan
College Alumni
Association's
Distinguished
Alumni Award
during the
homecoming
alumni and
friends luncheon.
1996 Community Service Award presented to Jean Sharp
The Chowan College Alumni Association
recently named Jean Simpson Sharp, of
Ahoskie. as the recipient of the second annual
Chowan College Community Service Award.
The award was presented during the homecom
ing alumni and friends luncheon.
Honorees of the Community Service Award
“must e.xemplify- the higliest ideals of
volimteerism. community concern and benevo
lent interest in the world around them” accord
ing to Charlie Aycock, director of alumni
affairs. “The award is reserved for those who
have truly made a difference in the local
community and whose selfless service to meet
community needs is generally recognized and
applauded by their associates, fiiends and
general public.”
Sharp has served the Ahoskie community in
a multitude of capacities for more than 45
years. Elaine Myers, member and past presi
dent of the Chowan College board of trustees,
noted that Sharp’s participation in Day for
Chowan “became a very exciting thing for her"
and added that “Jean has helped make Hertford
County the best it can be.”
A devoted member of the Democratic Party,
Sharp has both encouraged citizens to become
involved in politics and assisted with several
campaigns. Her late husband. Hunter Sharp,
served as a Hertford County Commissioner
A 1966 charter member of the Ahoskie
Gallery Theatre. Sharp participated on the
board for many years, including two terms as
president, and devoted her talents to numer
ous stage appearances and choruses. Lottie
Lassiter, former executive director of the
theater, calls Sharp both dedicated and loyal.
“We couldn’t have done it (brought cultural
arts to the area) without her. She inaugurated
the Jean S. Sharp Endowment Fund and was
instrumental in promoting the talents of young
people.”
Elizabeth Craft, secretary- of the Ahoskie
United Methodist Church, fondly refers to
Sharp as, “a ver>' special person who would
do anything for anybody” Sharp has served
her church in the choir, as a devoted member
of the United Methodist Women, as a current
circle leader and past president and as organ
ist. Craft recalls how Sharp organized the
“Lunch Bunch” circle during the noon hour
for working women and notes that. “When she
sees something that needs to be done, she
does it.”
A selfless volunteer. Sharp has served on
the board of governors for Elizabethan Gardens
for 16 years, having served 1 term as secretary
and 2 terms as vice chair. Marie Odem, who
serves with Sharp, calls her “a gardener at
heart, who has shared her wealth of gardening
knowledge with the head gardener” Accord
ing to Odem, Sharp has made many contribu
tions in terms of plants and is best known for
the development of a “bog” garden.
Sharp currently serves as the 1st vice
president of the Ahoskie Garden Club. She
has also performed as president, special events
chair and as a member of numerous commit
tees.
A current board member of both the
Cypress Glen Methodist Retirement Home of
Greenville and Hope Plantation of Windsor, she
has also co-chaired the Hertford County
Committee for the North Carolina Museum of
History Associates for many years, is the
current vice president and past president of the
Ahoskie Women’s Club and a member of the
Daughters of the American Revolution. Sharp
is also an ardent supporter of Ridgecroft High
School and a member of the Murfreesboro
Historical Association.
“When she sees
something that
needs to be done,
she does it ”
Jean Simpson Sharp received congratulations from President Stan Lott (left)
and Alumni Association President Gary Williams ‘65 for her dedication to
community service.
National exhibition announces awards
The division of visual art presented On & Of Paper, a national juried e.xhibition
held November 15 through December 6, 1996. Works in Green Hall included two
dimensional works on and of paper including: drawings, computer prints, photogra
phy, painting and original prints.
Entrants competed for $1500 in cash awards with the overall winner receiving a
one-person show.
Chowan’s own “artist in residence,” Fan Warren, Oakland, CA, won $500 for
“best of show” with her Seasoned Cargo mixed media entry and judges awarded
the first place prize of $250 to Joseph Ostraff. Provo, UT, for Recovery of the Black
Madonna in mixed media.
Grace Leach. Suffolk, VA, took second place and $150 for “Leaf Series VI,” a
photo-collage and Dyan McClimon-Miller. Boston, MA, received $100 for third place
with WatersEdge, a mixed media entry.
Fine Arts Foundation purchase awards went to Babara Harding Sadt, Edenton,
NC, for her pen and ink entry titled. The Pines, and Grace Leach. Suffolk, VA, for her
Leaf Series VI photo-collage.
Artists Gary Jenkins and Tom Xenakis juried the exhibition. A Professor of Art/
Printmaking at Norfolk State University, Jenkins has works in major collections
worldwide. Xenakis, a Fulbright Scholar and internationally known painter and
iconographer, who recently exhibited his own work at Green Hall, has pieces in
museums and major collections.
CHOWAN TODAY, December 1996 — Page 7