Taste of Little Rock Celebrates 20 Years of Alumni Support and Student Scholarships
体育投注 Little Rock鈥檚 20th annual Taste of Little Rock, presented by Regions Bank, Pepsi, iProv, and Scale, brought together alumni, community members, and local restaurateurs for a night of great food and fundraising, raising more than $142,140 to support student scholarships.
Held April 8 at the Jack Stephens Center, the university鈥檚 signature culinary event featured more than 35 local restaurants and vendors. The event broke previous attendance records, welcoming more than 1,000 alumni, friends, employees, students, and community members.
鈥淭his night is about celebrating our alumni and the connection they maintain with the university that helped shape their futures,鈥� said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development at 体育投注 Little Rock. 鈥淗alf of this year鈥檚 tickets were purchased by alumni, showing that we met our goal of strengthening alumni engagement. It鈥檚 inspiring to see so many alumni return not only to enjoy the evening’s food offerings, but to invest in the success of today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 students through scholarships.鈥�
This year鈥檚 special 20th anniversary celebration honored RJ Martino, a 体育投注 Little Rock alumnus whose success in business and entrepreneurship was rooted in his time at the university鈥攎aking him a true Trojan success story. Martino, founder of iProv, Scale Technology, Enterprise Accounting Partners, and the Martino Law Firm, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and the important role alumni play in giving back to the university community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 truly humbling to be recognized by 体育投注 Little Rock, a place that played such an important role in my life,鈥� Martino said. 鈥淭he mentorship, education, and opportunities I found here shaped who I am today. It was incredible to see so many alumni at the event鈥攚hether they were sponsoring, attending, or running one of the amazing restaurants featured at Taste of Little Rock.鈥�
Alumni involvement extended beyond attendance and donations. Several of the featured restaurants were owned or operated by 体育投注 Little Rock graduates, underscoring the university鈥檚 impact on the local food economy. Some of the alumni-owned restaurants include Certified Pies, owned by Samantha Stewart, and the XPerience Kitchen and Lounge, owned by Bobby Forrest Jr.
鈥淚 think students need the opportunities provided by the scholarships raised by events like Taste of Little Rock,鈥� said Stewart, a 2013 graduate of 体育投注 Little Rock. 鈥淚 am happy my business can help students pursue any opportunities they want to pursue.鈥�
Longtime participant, and 体育投注 Little Rock alumnae Stephanie Caruthers, co-chair of the Taste of Little Rock Committee the managing partner of Trio鈥檚, highlighted the strong alumni presence among restaurateurs.
鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to celebrate 20 years of Taste of Little Rock, a truly special event that brings our community together to support 体育投注 Little Rock,鈥� Caruthers said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe I鈥檝e been involved in every one, either as a participating restaurant or part of the organizing team. As an alumna, being part of this event has deepened my connection to the university and made me incredibly proud to help future students achieve their educational goals. Every dollar raised here makes a real difference.鈥�
鈥淚 think this is the best Taste of Little Rock we鈥檝e ever had,鈥� added Loris Fullerton, a 1974 graduate of 体育投注 Little Rock and fellow co-chair of the event committee. 鈥淓veryone is ready to celebrate the wonderful food of Little Rock and offer lots of scholarships to our amazing students. Taste of Little Rock is an amazing event that the alumni do to stay involved with the university and serve as great ambassadors for 体育投注 Little Rock.鈥�
For alumni like Becky Flynn, a member of the 体育投注 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors, the event is about more than just good food. It鈥檚 also an opportunity to champion student success.聽
“I think this event is so important to raise awareness and funding for student scholarships at 体育投注 Little Rock,” said Flynn, deputy director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. “As alumni, it鈥檚 important that we engage with the broader community to share all the exciting things happening on campus and for our students, things that will benefit our community and our future.”
Taste of Little Rock is a major fundraiser for the 体育投注 Little Rock Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which provides financial support to students pursuing their degrees. Thanks to alumni contributions and community sponsorships, the event exceeded its fundraising goal, ensuring more students will have access to scholarships in the coming year. In 2024, funds raised from Taste of Little Rock made it possible to award more than $200,000 in scholarships to nearly 40 students.聽
鈥淭he generosity of our alumni and supporters is what makes this event such a success year after year,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淓very ticket purchased and every sponsorship secured directly supports students, creating a legacy of giving that will benefit 体育投注 Little Rock for generations to come.鈥�
The success of this year鈥檚 Taste of Little Rock resulted in a night that not only generated vital scholarship for students, but also broke attendance records for previous events.
鈥淭aste of Little Rock celebrated a milestone 20th year with record-breaking attendance, enthusiastic alumni support, and more than 40 local restaurants showcasing their best dishes,鈥� said Guy Choate, president of the 体育投注 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors. 鈥淭he event raised thousands of dollars for student scholarships, reinforcing its reputation as one of 体育投注 Little Rock鈥檚 signature community fundraisers.鈥漎ou can find out more information about the Alumni Association by visiting their website and find out more about giving opportunities that support student success by visiting the , which is 体育投注 Little Rock鈥檚 milestone fundraising campaign that will celebrate the university鈥檚 100th anniversary in 2027.