Lyon College students, faculty, and staff earned top honors at the 2025 ARKAST Podcast Awards, taking home multiple awards during the second annual celebration held in November. The event, hosted by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative, recognized excellence in podcasting across 31 categories, highlighting creativity, storytelling, and technical production from creators across Arkansas and neighboring states.
Among the standout winners was “Psych’d,” hosted by students Hannah Young and Cari Meeks, which captured awards for Best Education Podcast and Best Female-Hosted Podcast. Young said the experience has been both professionally and personally rewarding, while Meeks noted the recognition reinforces their mission to break stigmas surrounding mental health and make a positive community impact.
Assistant Professor Pat Lynch also earned recognition, with “As The World Turns and Burns” winning in the Politics category and “Career Pathways” receiving the Male-Hosted Podcast award. Lynch said the honors reflect the dedication and creativity of those involved in the projects.
Additional awards went to KILT Studios at Lyon College, represented by student Jayson Nichols, for Podcast Production, and Cheyanne Anderson for Podcast Producer. Dana Bennett’s book review podcast won in the Arts category.
ARKAST organizer Ti King praised the talent on display, calling the awards a testament to the growing strength of podcast storytelling in the region. All winners received official ARKAST Podcast Award statuettes, and planning is already underway for the 2026 ARKAST Podcast Festival.
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