Vandy Anderson, beloved donor to Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy
Photo courtesy Galveston County Daily News

Earlier this spring, the Del Papa family and Del Papa Distributing made a contribution of $5,000 to the Vandy Anderson Culinary Arts Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund supports students attending the Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy. Del Papa Distributing and the Del Papa family are stalwart supporters of Galveston College and determined to help students in the hospitality and culinary professions.

“Vandy Anderson served his community in numerous ways as a broadcaster, trustee, chair or adviser for organizations across Galveston until his passing in 2016,” said Paulie Gaido, a Galveston College Foundation director, restaurateur and author of “Entertaining at Home with Fresh American Seafood and Exceptional American Wine.” “He was a lover of local seafood made by local chefs; he is as synonymous with Galveston Island as oleanders, boat shoes and the first crisp chill that heralds the season’s oysters.”

The scholarship honors Anderson’s love of the Galveston gastronomic community. Gaido’s book helped raise $75,000 locally to honor the much-beloved man known as the “Voice of Galveston” during his long tenure at KGBC radio.

“The Del Papa donation is wonderful,” said the program director, Chef Paul Mendoza. “The Vandy Anderson Culinary Arts Scholarship has taken off in the last couple of years thanks to the good works of people like Del Papa and Mr. Paulie Gaido.”

“Scholarships give people a chance who may not otherwise be able to afford culinary school,” said Mendoza. “I always encourage my new and returning students to apply. Scholarships pay for attendance costs when other sources of financial aid are not enough or unavailable. ”

Currently, the culinary program has four or more different scholarships available. 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].


Former Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy students (left to right) Ebony Smith, Justin Cahill, Wayman Crawford, Stephanie Bass, Pauline Browning, Francesca Romero, Angelica Ellsworth, Julie Ellis, Carltel Williams, Cheryl Washington, Whitney Ermis, Jennifer Lopez, Angela Lopez and Allyson Johnson