Presented by HEB, every dollar raised directly supports student scholarships

Austin Community College (ACC) hosts the second annual Boots & Bats Gala Saturday, November 2, to support student scholarships. 

Date: Saturday, November 2

Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: ACC Highland Campus, Building 4000 (6101 Highland Campus Dr.)

Presented by HEB and hosted in partnership with ACC partners with renowned Southwest artist Amado Peña and his Art Has Heart Foundation (AHH), the gala features a live and silent auction with hundreds of works from Austin artists, including ACC students and faculty, and artists nationwide, live music, and a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres designed and prepared by ACC Culinary Arts students.

“It’s amazing when you talk to students you find out that it’s the little things, small roadblocks, that really get in the way,” says Dr. Richard Rhodes, ACC president/CEO. “Scholarships show students that somebody is invested in them personally, and they take it personally. This gala is one way we can work with our community to transform lives through education."

The inaugural gala raised more than $160,000 for student scholarships. At ACC, it funded

• 31-$2,500 Boots & Bats scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year

• Helped fund the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber endowment

“My scholarship gave me peace of mind. I’m going to graduate with absolutely no debt,” says Sophia Monetti, ACC Boots & Bats scholarship recipient. “I was so surprised when I found out that I was selected. I’m the oldest of five kids, so I am responsible for paying for my own college. Not having that extra financial worry is incredible.” 

“When I received my first scholarship it made a big difference. It made me believe that I could be successful and that people believed in what I was doing,” says Amado Peña, AHH co-founder. “It was one of those things that just stayed with me. I told myself if I ever had the opportunity to give that back, this was one way of doing it.”

Texas Senator Kirk Watson and Dr. Aileen Bumphus, assistant vice president of the Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence at UT-Austin, will serve as co-chairs for the 2019 gala.  

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit austincc.edu/bootsandbats.