Articles
HCC Foundation celebrates a successful 2025 Gala honoring Rep. Christina Morales
May 22, 2025
The Houston Community College Foundation’s (HCCF) 2025 gala, held recently at the Hilton Americas Hotel, raised more than $700,000 to support student success and scholarships, according to HCCF President Karen L. Schmidt.
The event honored Texas State Rep. Christina Morales with the foundation’s Crystal Eagle Award for her civic and community leadership and her family’s legacy of support for educational access in the Houston community and at Houston Community College (HCC).
The gala, with the theme “Where Dreams Take Flight,” brought together more than 600 community leaders, philanthropists, educators, and distinguished guests and served as a platform to raise funds that will support scholarships, academic programs and innovation at HCC.
Rep. Morales, who serves the Texas House District 145, was recognized as a champion of public education, ethnic studies, consumer protection, and voting rights. Beyond her work in the Legislature, she organizes food drives, school supply distributions, college readiness fairs, and other events that serve her community and district. A mother and grandmother, she serves as president, CEO and funeral director of the Morales Funeral Home and president of the Morales Memorial Foundation. She is an HCCF ambassador and served on the foundation’s board of directors from 2015-2021, including time as secretary from 2018-2020.
Another highlight of the gala was a $20,000 Challenge Match by HCC Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., to support the college’s new baccalaureate programs in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and Healthcare Management. The challenge raised $40,000 for the new scholarship fund.
Other highlights included an announcement of the David & Jean Wiley Foundation’s $2 million in lifetime giving to the HCC Foundation. The David & Jean Wiley Scholarship is one of the single largest scholarships awarded by the HCC Foundation.
HCC alumna and HCCF scholarship recipient Sohee Park shared her moving testimony on video: “Thank you for your willing heart to help students like me. The support of this scholarship was more than simply alleviating the financial burden. This scholarship reminded me who I am. I am not ashamed to ask for help; I am ashamed to give up. Thank you for your willing heart to help those who desire to succeed.” Park, who crossed the stage this spring to receive her Master of Arts in Cinematic Arts from Houston Christian University, is helping to “pay it forward” by establishing a scholarship to help future generations of community college students get their start.
"We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this remarkable event, including our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees," Schmidt said. "The funds raised will have a transformative impact on the lives of our students, allowing them to pursue higher education and achieve their goals."
For more information about the Houston Community College Foundation or to give to student success, visit www.hccsfoundation.org.