Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC Foundation takes its annual gala online to support student scholarships

Story by Elia Unverzagt.

The Portland Community College Foundation has announced that its annual fundraiser, the “Tomorrow Together” Gala presented by Comcast, will be held virtually for the first time ever.

On Saturday, April 10, the community is invited to tune in via KOIN, Portland’s CW or through the Foundation’s webpage, at 7 p.m. for the hour-long event. The fundraiser will feature guest appearances from luminaries such as The Honorable Margaret Carter, philanthropist Anne Naito-Campbell, musician Thomas Lauderdale, author Mitchell S. Jackson and many more.

For nearly a decade, the community has come together to raise critical resources for PCC students during the annual gala. Over the past year, student need has grown more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other related public health crises. While the future remains uncertain, the PCC Foundation is committed to building pathways to opportunity for those who need it most by raising $300,000 during the gala to provide scholarships for students.

Adi Velazquez Espinosa applied to the Foundation’s emergency grant program when she lost both of her jobs at the start of the pandemic. When she found out she received the grant, it encouraged her to keep going. “The support from PCC was a light, when everything was feeling so dark. It allowed me to stay in school and covered the cost of tuition,” she said. “It gave me hope again and a fighting chance to finish my education.”

While the future remains uncertain, the PCC Foundation is committed to building pathways to opportunity for those who need it most by raising $300,000 during the gala to provide scholarships for students. In 2020, the PCC Foundation granted $2.1 million in scholarships to more than 1,500 students. 

For the second year in a row, Comcast has stepped up as presenting sponsor of the event. Marion Haynes, Comcast’s Vice President of External Affairs and Foundation Board Member said, “Comcast is an enthusiastic supporter. PCC is an integral part of the fabric of our community, giving people from all walks of life a path to successful futures. We are proud to partner with PCC in its efforts to expand economic opportunities for its students.”

“Comcast’s gift to support PCC students is transformational,” said Christina Kline, interim executive director of the Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful for their investment and their commitment to equitable student success.” 

Through the gala, the Foundation hopes to award even more student scholarships next year, as well as award a Comcast scholarship for the 2021-22 academic year through the $50,000 sponsorship.

The PCC Foundation is hopeful that the additional support can empower more students like Ebony Frison to continue their education at PCC.

“I feel like I’m getting the support I need and learning more here than I have before,” Frison said. “It feels like home.”