The Galveston College Foundation Board of Directors has announced the creation of the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts endowment at Galveston College.

The new scholarship will foster the development of aspiring culinary arts professionals enrolled at Galveston College. The first recipients of the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts will be announced in spring 2021.

“The Vandy I knew loved good food. You could frequently find him along with his food enthusiast friends enjoying the culinary achievements of all his favorite restaurants. This scholarship honors Vandy’s love for Galveston’s culinary gastronomic community and those that chose to take up that life’s work. The Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy scholarship means that students will be able to pursue their dreams and our local hospitality industry will have a skilled workforce,” said Jeri Kinnear, chair of the Galveston College Foundation.

Ann Anderson, Vandy Anderson’s sister, said she is thrilled and grateful to everyone in the community who supported the family in establishing the endowed scholarship.
“We are so honored by the establishment of this scholarship that lovingly will be named after Vandy, to whom education, history and the island were so very important,” Anderson said. “By supporting culinary student talent, this scholarship will celebrate our Vandy’s passion for life, support for education, and love of family and community – not to mention a fine meal!”

Vandy Anderson passed away on April 16, 2016. He was 73. He started his radio career at KILE radio and would become the owner/manager of KGBC for more than 30 years. Broadcasters inducted him into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Vandy served his community in numerous ways as a broadcaster, trustee, chair or adviser for organizations across Galveston until his passing,” said Paulie Gaido, retired Galveston restaurateur. “The scholarship honors his legacy in the Galveston community and his love for the people of the island.”

Gaido’s book, “Entertaining at Home with Fresh American Seafood and Exceptional American Wine,” which he wrote with his wife Mary Kay, helped raise funds locally to honor the much-beloved man known as the “Voice of Galveston” during his long tenure at KGBC.

“On behalf of our culinary arts program and our culinary students, I want to thank all of those who made this endowment possible for their generous and thoughtful gifts,” said Dr. Myles Shelton, president of Galveston College. “This scholarship will honor Vandy’s memory and celebrate his passion for life, the joy of cooking and the importance of the culinary arts. We are grateful for and humbled by the Anderson family’s decision to honor Vandy in this way.”

Currently, there are several scholarships available for those interested in the Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy. Application information is available on the college website at https://gc.edu/financial-aid/available-aid/scholarships/ and from the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

To make a gift to the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts or for more information about the Galveston College Foundation, please contact Dr. Van Patterson at (409) 944-1205 or [email protected].