Chron TV Host Adriah Hedrick and Executive Producer Ali Brenneman asked scholarship recipients how they felt about Columbia’s annual fundraising gala. 

This year’s gala theme is The Power of Persistence aims to show potential donors Columbia’s best in the school’s biggest effort to raise funds for scholarships. This year’s gala focuses specifically on persistence scholarships, which help students at risk of dropping out for financial reasons. 

TRANSCRIPT

0:05

Over the last two years, Colombia’s Winter Galas have raised over a million dollars for their scholarships, particularly for their continuing students.

0:13

Tonight, the 2024 gala was held titled The Power of Persistence, focusing on the persistent scholarships for any students who need them.

0:22

It’s kind of surreal because last year I knew about it.

0:24

It was my first time hearing about it.

0:26

But just having a gala to help raise scholarship money for other students, especially being someone who receives a scholarship is really cool because it lets me know that Columbia does care about their students, being able to afford to come here.

0:39

Yeah, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity.

0:41

I was actually involved with the Gala last year as well.

0:44

So it’s kind of a full circle moment to be involved again.

0:47

But this time, you know, directly receiving the persistence scholarship, I feel like, wow, you know, this is really something that impacts people on a very real level.

0:58

It’s really nice.

0:59

I’m a part of the Gala, so I’m in the events management practicum.

1:02

So like getting the opportunity to raise scholarships for other people because I’m only able to attend Columbia because I got a full ride through scholarships.

1:09

So it’s really nice.

1:11

I can like, kind of give back and help others who kind of need that help as well.

1:14

To be completely honest, I, at the beginning didn’t know that the scholarships were by people.

1:18

I didn’t get to see who it was from.

1:19

I didn’t know who was giving the money to support us students.

1:23

And honestly, it’s really nice seeing everybody who has come out here today for this event and seeing like, oh these people are supporting us creatives and like giving us a chance to actually come here.

1:33

And yeah, has been so nice because I’m paying for my own college.

1:37

So it’s a big help and a big relief to have people who are willing to donate their money to kind of help us follow our dreams and be able to kind of work to do the art at the same time as being able to work and not have to struggle as well as paying tuition.

1:51

I am meeting a lot of our investor.

1:54

So I’m trying to get connections, networking.

1:57

And since I’m on elevator duty, I get like the first-hand experience, I get to talk to them.

2:01

I talked to a couple of them and yeah, I am getting a lot of opportunities.

2:05

They were asking what I’m going to do after I graduate.

2:08

So it seems like some were interested in how their students are doing as well, so this benefits me but also the investor know where their money is going.

2:16

So, yeah, this is such a great opportunity for everyone.

2:18

It’s exciting to see that we’re getting more money for students who want to go here.

2:23

And I think the arts are a really big thing and you don’t see this happening for many art schools while some Columbia students can call themselves lucky enough to have scholarships backing them.

2:34

They also wonder what it would have meant if they didn’t have these scholarships at all.

2:39

Well, a lot of my, my tuition is covered by scholarships a lot of like my living as well.

2:44

So I do have some loans but it would look as it would be a lot more for us to like pay back. 

2:49

So I wouldn’t be able to attend Columbia.

2:51

I’d have to probably be back home in the middle of nowhere of Ohio.

2:54

I have a single there so she has her own financials to worry about.

2:58

And so just like having to pay scholar, like, like college on my own would be a really financial burden for me and I wouldn’t be able to attend here and get the opportunities I have.

3:08

While we don’t know the exact amount of money that was raised this evening with all the people that were here inside of the building, it’s sure to make a positive impact on the continuing students.

3:15

Here at Columbia Adriah Hedrick Chronicle TV.

Copy edited by Vanessa Orozco