Fred ‘86 and Dana (Galyen) ‘85 Sutton of Hindsville, Ark., will receive the University of the Ozarks’ 2026 Alumni Legacy Award during the Alumni Awards Dinner on Friday, Oct. 16.
Established in 2002, the Alumni Legacy Award is given to alumni who have given “unselfishly of their resources to support Ozarks and its mission during their lifetime.”
The Suttons have supported Ozarks for nearly 30 years—dating back to 1989, with 22 years of consecutive giving.
They have given to numerous causes, including the Ozarks Annual Fund and the baseball program. In 1993, they established the Sutton Memorial Fund for student scholarships.
Though they attended different high schools, the Suttons began dating in 1979 and were married in 1981, when they were both still in high school.
Their daughter, Cole, was born in 1982, just six weeks before they began classes at Ozarks. Fred played baseball under Coach Lonnie Qualls, and Dana was active in Phi Beta Lambda. Dana completed her bachelor’s degree in 3 years, graduating summa cum laude in May 1985, before welcoming their second daughter, Katie, in June 1985.
“Scholarships were important in helping us attain college degrees from a financial perspective,” Dana said. “The Ozarks community helped us thrive as students as well as a family. We have worked to help other students through financial contributions. We also strive to set an example that you can go to school, work, and have a family.”
After graduating from Ozarks, Dana went on to earn an MBA and is a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner. Fred has worked for the Arkansas State Parks as a ranger and law enforcement officer for 20 years. Along with their two children, they have six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Topics: Alumni