Bailey Hutcheson, a graduate of Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH), will be named the 2026 Distinguished Alumna by the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF). The honor will be presented during the fund’s annual A Day of Hope luncheon on Friday, Sept. 18, in Little Rock.
Hutcheson attended ASUMH as a single parent on an ASPSF scholarship, graduating in 2023. She now serves as the director of Career Pathways at ASUMH, where she assists students on journeys similar to her own. The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund credits her with excelling in her education, building a career in higher education, and continuing to contribute to the organization. Hutcheson volunteers regularly, helping with scholarship applications, interviews, and award ceremonies. She also raised money through a personal fundraising page during this year’s ASPSF Day of Giving.
The luncheon will also recognize other contributors to single parents’ educational opportunities. North Arkansas College in Harrison has been named Outstanding Education Partner for its support of single parents pursuing degrees. Statewide, Bank OZK will receive the Outstanding Community Partner award for providing grants, laptops, and professional development workshops to scholarship recipients.
The event will take place at Next Level Events, located at 1400 W. Markham St. in Little Rock, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $75 until Sept. 10 and $100 starting Sept. 11, available at ASPSF.org/Hope. Author Cara Brookins, an alumna of the program, will serve as the keynote speaker. Brookins received an ASPSF scholarship for the 1995-96 school year while working toward an associate degree at ASU-Beebe. She later gained international recognition for building a two-story home with her four children using skills learned through online tutorials. Brookins eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in technical writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2017 after taking classes part-time for years.
“I could not have attended college without the financial help,” Brookins said. “And from an emotional perspective, feeling seen, valued, and supported as a single mom made me believe a degree was possible.”
Another featured speaker is CJ Summerville, a Conway School District math teacher with a master’s degree in education. Summerville worked toward his education while raising two sons, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2018.
Since its founding in 1990, the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $50 million to single parents pursuing higher education across the state. The program continues to make an impact in Baxter County, where ASUMH student Zachary Brown was named Student of the Month in July. Brown is studying special education, working at Goodyear, and raising his 9-year-old son.