LOU REED - REED TO BE HONOURED AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Veteran rocker LOU REED will be honoured by Syracuse University when he receives the George Arents Pioneer Medal for Excellence in the Arts next month (APR07). The singer - real name LEWIS ALLAN REED - attended the academic institute in the 1960s where he studied for a degree in English. The WALK ON THE WILD SIDE star, 65, will be presented with the award on 26 April (07), when the University will announce an $8,000 (GBP4,100)-a-year scholarship programme for English majors interested in creative writing. One student will be chosen as its Lou Reed/DELMORE SCHWARTZ Scholar, named after the rocker and his late mentor - whom Reed refers to on his song MY HOUSE. A new student will be named for the scholarship every four years, reports the New York Daily News.