The Francis S. Hutchins/Robinson Mountain Fund Award, established in 1989, is given annually to a rising junior or senior from the eastern Kentucky counties served by the E.O. Robinson Mountain Fund. The award is given to the student submitting the best work of research, art, or literature on an Appalachian topic. To be eligible, the student must have a superior academic and labor record and demonstrate a commitment to the eastern Kentucky region. The scholarship is given to honor the work of the late President Emeritus, Francis S. Hutchins, who served on the E.O. Robinson Mountain Fund Board.

Total: $500

– Past Winners –

2021: Emily Noe for “Queer Creek”

2016: Robert Renner for “Maintaining Appalachian Pride Against the Odds”

2015: OH Jackson Napier for “Still Life with Family Portrait”

2014: Patricia “Patty” Watson for “Saving a Life” (PDF) and “Awakenings of An Appalachian Appreciation” (PDF)

2013: Megan Jones for “You Must Be Born Again: The Positive Influence of Appalachian Theatre on Her People”