The Highline College Foundation’s Virtual Spring Gala raised more than $100,000 for student support.

The virtual event replaced the Foundation’s annual in-person fundraising gala in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 was the first year the gala was held virtually. 

A student volunteer helps prepare gift boxes to be distributed to Gala attendees.
April White/THUNDERWORD

As part of its fundraising efforts, the Foundation held both live and silent auction events leading up to and during the gala. It also hosted speaker presentations, a VIP cocktail-making pre-party, and various other festivities. 

More than 200 community members showed up virtually in attendance, surpassing the Foundation’s expectations, said its executive director, Josh Gerstman. 

“We exceeded our goals for the number of people who participated and the overall dollars we hoped to raise,” Gerstman said. 

In total, the gala garnered $105,000 from donations, private sponsors, and auction purchases. Gerstman said that money will go directly to helping Highline students. 

“Our main fundraising focus was for our Student Fund to support funding for enrollment and emergency expenses,” he said. “This is the fund we started last year through the COVID-19 Student Support Campaign.” 

That campaign took place shortly after the pandemic began in an effort to help struggling students pay for food, books, and other personal and college expenses. By the end of June 2020, it had raised over $150,000. 

Highline Foundation board member Kevin Morin gives a Gala participant a box of goodies before the event.
April White/THUNDERWORD

The funds raised through the virtual gala will go toward replenishing this fund so that it can continue to help students, Gerstman said. 

“We’ve spent most of the funds we raised last year so this is our effort to continue to build sustainable funding that the Foundation uses when students request emergency support for tuition, college-based expenses and personal expenses that make it difficult to stay enrolled,” he said. 

Through that initiative, Gerstman said the Foundation will be offering financial aid to students who are struggling to pay tuition for their first or last five credits. It will also continue to work with Highline’s Student Support Center to fund student-aid events and programs, he said. 

Donations for the COVID-19 Student Support Fund can still be made through the Foundation’s website.

Despite the limitations presented by the pandemic and virtual format, Gertsman said the Spring Gala was an overall success for Highline and the Foundation. 

“We had an amazing planning committee made up of Foundation board members, college staff, and faculty who created a unique and dynamic event,” he said. “We appreciate the more than 210 people who joined in support of Highline students.”