Walton College's Bon Appetit to Fund Merit-Based Scholarship

Gold fork winners Wes Kemp and Caroline Kemp with Dean Eli Jones.

The Très Amigos team

Bronze fork winners Weston Lewey and Cathy Reid with Dean Eli Jones.

Dean’s Choice Award winner Rashad Delph.

Eli and Fern Jones with event hosts David and Mary Beth Matthews.

Photo Submitted

Gold Fork winners Wes Kemp and Caroline Kemp with Dean Eli Jones.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In its fourth year, the Walton College Bon Appétit: Come Eat, Greet and Compete alumni event raised over $2,700 toward the Molly Rapert Walton College Alumni Society Scholarship.

The event featured six “celebrity caterer” teams vying for gold, silver and bronze Fork Awards, as well as the Dean’s Choice plaque.

After votes were tallied, the Gold Fork went to Wes Kemp and Caroline Kemp from Team Sooie Sweets with their Rave Review Coconut Cake. Silver went to Karen Boston, Gary Ferrier and Molly Rapert from Team Très Amigos with their Mexican Sausage and Corn Dip, and bronze went to Cathy Reid and Weston Lewey with their dip, Captain Rodney’s Boucan Bake. The Dean’s Choice award was presented to Rashad Delph for his German Chocolate Cake with Coconut and Pecan Frosting.

Bon Appétit was created as a fundraiser for the Walton College Alumni Society Access Arkansas scholarship in 2009. When that scholarship became fully funded in 2011, the focus of the event moved to the new Molly Rapert Walton College Alumni Society Scholarship. Both scholarships were created by the Walton College Alumni Society board of directors.

The Molly Rapert Walton College Alumni Society Scholarship is a merit-based fund that will be awarded to a business student with sophomore standing or higher. It is named after Molly Rapert, associate professor of marketing and interim director of the honors program, in honor of her teaching at the Walton College and the number of students she has influenced and mentored.

As in years past, this year’s event featured alumni who teamed up to provide a dip, hors d’oeuvre, dessert or beverage for the competition. Votes were sold for $1 each and were tax-deductible contributions to the scholarship. Teams were encouraged to rally friends and family members for votes prior to the event and then lobby to win votes at the event itself.

Additional alumni participants included Brad Audrain and Stuart Baber of Team Green Cab; Kenneth and Stephanie Biesterveld, Cory Fox and Jamie Cooper of Team Hog-A-Licious; and hosts David and Mary Beth Matthews.

“Bon Appétit is a great event that embraces the motto of the Walton College Alumni Society: Connecting and serving the Walton College family,” said Tim Higginbotham, president of the Walton College Alumni Society board of directors. “Students receiving scholarships on behalf of the Walton College Alumni Society stated that the funding assistance has allowed them to reduce their hours at part-time jobs and focus on their studies.”

The event, managed by the office of external relations in the Walton College, won a CASE District III Award of Excellence in 2012.

Alumni volunteers for celebrity caterers are already being accepted for the 2013 event. Interested parties can email alumni@walton.uark.edu for additional information.