Lyon College and OneHealth Education Group LLC of Little Rock on Tuesday announced the end of their partnership, which was formed in 2022 to support the launch of Lyon College’s Institute of Health Sciences.
OneHealth had planned to purchase the Heifer International campus in downtown Little Rock for Lyon College’s veterinary and dental schools, but the deal fell through in November. Heifer said a purchase agreement to sell the campus to OneHealth expired after the buyer “informed us that they would be unable to complete the purchase within the timeline agreed upon.”
In a news release, Lyon College President Melissa Taverner thanked OneHealth for the guidance and support it provided. The release said the private liberal arts college in Batesville is “well-positioned” to advance its plan to establish veterinary and dental schools.
“The accreditation process has continued to progress as expected,” the release said. “With the leadership established for both professional schools, Lyon College is ready to advance to the final stages.”
The collapse of the Heifer deal likely delayed the projected 2025 opening of the Institute of Health Sciences. No new site has been announced.
The college said in April that there were “ongoing talks” in Little Rock and that Cabot had reached out about a possible location. Cabot Animal Support Services already has an agreement with Lyon College to provide veterinary students with learning opportunities in animal care and health management.
When asked Tuesday about the college’s next steps, a spokesperson for the college told Arkansas Business, “Everything is going very well. We’ll keep you posted on our continued progress.”
OneHealth CEO Merritt Dake said in a statement that the organization remains focused on “providing exceptional education and preparing students for successful careers.”
“Little Rock and the entire state of Arkansas will significantly benefit from these veterinary and dental schools,” he said. “I look forward to watching the progress from Lyon College’s team.”
Lyon College’s veterinary school is one of two in development. Arkansas State University’s veterinary school is on track to open in fall 2026.
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