University of Arkansas and NWACC Receive Collaborative Scholarship Support

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Murphy family, on behalf of the Murphy Foundation of El Dorado, Ark., held an unveiling of the new Presqu’ile wine brand Wednesday, March 30, to celebrate the brand launch in Northwest Arkansas. As part of this new family venture, Presqu’ile is supporting students in the University of Arkansas and NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s hospitality, restaurant management, food science and culinary programs, including a $25,000 endowed scholarship from the Murphy Foundation to the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

The funds will support students transferring from NWACC to complete a four-year degree program at the university, as well as students who may be taking classes on both campuses.

The brand launch and the scholarship support were announced during a luncheon at Ella’s Restaurant at the Inn at Carnall Hall on the University of Arkansas campus. In addition to the Murphy Foundation donation, Presqu’ile has committed to students in NWACC’s culinary program $250 in the name of each educational and trade organization attending the luncheon.

“We are proud to bring our wines to the discerning palates of the Northwest Arkansas marketplace and support the University of Arkansas and NWACC,” said Matt Murphy, president of Presqu’ile Winery. “Through our trade event, as well as with the donation from the Murphy Foundation, we will provide significant support to these food and culinary sciences programs. What they are doing fits our mission of supporting education and the hospitality trade.”

The Bumpers College and NWACC are in the final stages of developing a collaborative degree plan for students who want to gain food science knowledge in addition to the technical skills of food preparation. This plan will include math and science courses plus the general education requirements coupled with specific culinary courses offered at NWACC. Before this degree plan was conceptualized, NWACC culinary students were not able to seamlessly transfer into the Bumpers College programs without taking many additional courses. This degree plan provides students with the opportunity to gain a University of Arkansas four-year degree in hospitality and restaurant management or food science, and allows the students to continue educational pursuits.     

“Streamlining transitions from the community college setting to a four-year degree program is essential to student success,” said University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “The Murphy family’s generous gifts to both institutions will help students reach their goals while alleviating some of the financial challenges students face. I look forward to continued collaboration with NorthWest Arkansas Community College to make our offerings and programs as efficient and productive as possible for our very deserving students. Furthermore, I appreciate the Murphy family’s commitment to support our collective mission of providing excellent educational opportunities in Arkansas.”

“Madison Murphy and his family are champions for education in all corners of Arkansas, and their generosity is providing enormous opportunities for the students of our region,” said NWACC President Becky Paneitz. “The University of Arkansas has always been — and always will be — an important partner in NWACC’s mission to provide quality opportunities and education for our students. This collaborative degree plan is one of many excellent examples of successful partnerships that exist between our two institutions. Together, along with the Murphy Foundation, we will ensure that our students receive the skills they need to succeed in the hospitality and food science professions.”