George Ella Hoskins Lyon, 1971
Lexington, Kentucky

A Centre education puts a great premium on words – understanding their nuances, using them to communicate ideas and emotions effectively.  These lessons found a receptive student in George Ella Hoskins Lyon, Class of 1971.

George Ella came to Centre from Harlan, Kentucky, and soon became a campus leader.  She was editor of Vantage Point, the College’s literary magazine, a writer for the Cento, and a member of Centre Players.  George Ella also received many honors while here, including being named to Phi Beta Kappa, Chain Club, Ye Rounde Table, Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, and winning several music and English prizes.

After graduating from Centre, George Ella received an M.A. from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. from Indiana University.
Her interest in writing began early in George Ella’s life.  She says that she was born “to a family strong in stories.  My parents and older brother read to me, and early on I developed a liking for poems and songs.  When I finally learned to write – it took till second grade! – I began to work on poems.  I’ve been working on them ever since.”

George Ella has had hundreds of poems published, and several books and plays.  Recently she has become best known for her works for children, including the picture books Father Time and the Day Boxes, A Regular Rolling Noah, A B Cedar, Together, Come a Tide, Basket, Cecil’s Story, and The Outside Inn.  Her first novel for children, Borrowed Children, recently received the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers.

George Ella continues to write for adults.  Recent works include Mountain, a poetry chapbook, Choices:  Stories for Adult New Readers, and Don’t You Remember.  Choices was selected for the University Press of Kentucky’s New Books for New Readers series.

Writing and publishing have not been enough for George Ella.  She also strives to bring literature to the public.  In addition to her work with adult literacy, she has taught at Centre and the University of Kentucky.  She regularly gives lectures and readings, and is one of the Kentucky Humanities Council’s featured speakers.