“Thank you for listening to my story and giving me and other students the opportunity of a lifetime: To be able to graduate from college and make our mark on the world.”
– Marissa Peña, Breakthrough College Student, St. Edward’s University
Last night, more than 2,000 Austinites came out in support of Breakthrough for an incredible evening of music under the stars with Jackie Venson and American indie rock band TV On The Radio.
Together, we raised nearly $450,000 in sponsorships, ticket sales and donations – to support Breakthrough’s mission of creating first-generation college graduates Proceeds from the 2018 Beat the Odds Benefit Concert will help Central Texas children achieve their dreams of a college degree.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for everyone who took part in this special night!
Thank you to our sponsors, especially AMD and Bank of America/U.S. Trust; event chairs, Amber Carden, Mary Garwood Yancy and Howard Yancy; the host committee; and our inspiring speakers.
A special thanks to Breakthrough college student, Marissa, and Breakthrough advocate and volunteer Jesus Rendon who each shared their journey to becoming first-generation college graduates.
We are so grateful to all of our students and families who attended the event and shared about their Breakthrough experience. In case you missed it, you can view a video of our students and community members sharing what Breakthrough means to them here.
If you were unable to join us, were inspired by last night’s program to make an additional gift, or would like to make your pledge payment online, you can do so below. Proceeds from the 2018 Beat the Odds Benefit Concert will help Central Texas children achieve their dreams of a college degree.
We invite you to attend our upcoming Behind the Scenes Tour on Friday, December 7 from 9:30-10:30 AM at our East Austin headquarters. This intimate event is a wonderful opportunity to meet Breakthrough alumni and program leadership and see what makes this program work.
Thank you for helping college dreams come true!