Stewart winnings destined for COA

I’ll take Martha the Munificent for $15,000, Alex.

The chairman and CEO of Martha Stewart Omnimedia showed she knows more than how to fold hospital corners and torch cr?me brulee on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” Tuesday night. Stewart beat out “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and former NBA star Charles Barkley for the $15,000 prize, which she will donate to College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. Samantha Schabel, a spokeswoman for Stewart, said the money is intended for scholarships.

COA president Steven Katona hasn’t spoken with Stewart about her plans for the money, but he’s thrilled with both the donation and the exposure.

“She’s been a really good friend to the college and I couldn’t be more pleased,” Katona said. “Here and in the entire United States, people really watch Martha and they really pay attention to what she says and the things that she’s doing. In this case, she’s not only helping the college monetarily, but she’s also giving us some publicity.”

Stewart owns a home in Seal Harbor, a village in the town of Mount Desert, and has featured nearby COA on two segments of Martha Stewart Living Television.

During a recent interview with the Bangor Daily News, Stewart mentioned the college and its ecological focus.

“COA is amazing,” she said. “I love seeing groups [of COA students] doing their studies out on the rocks.”

Despite Stewart’s affinity for COA, the donation came as “absolutely a complete surprise,” Katona said.

“It could be for scholarships for Maine students,” Katona said, though he was reluctant to speculate about Stewart’s plans for the money. “We always pay attention to what the wishes of the donor are.

“She’s been a really good friend to quite a number of people and places in Maine,” Katona said. “She loves Maine.”