The “Atlanta Salutes Georgia’s Peach in the Roses” presidential gala at the downtown Hyatt Regency, scheduled for Oct. 23., has been rescheduled for spring 2016, according to ASU university officials.
 
As the Albany State University Marching Band nears participation in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, Calif., and reaching more than half of the money needed to travel there, the university will host the gala at a later date to help raise funds for student scholarships.
 
“We are shifting our focus to scholarships because many students are leaving or are at risk of interrupting their education due to the dire need for financial assistance,” said Chanta Haywood, vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the ASU Foundation. “Many times, what they owe can range only from $500 to $1,000. If we can help our students with need-based scholarships – since our fundraising efforts are going well to get our band to California --- assisting the students is our focus at this time.”
 
In September, the ASU Foundation provided $37,000 in scholarships to hundreds of university students who found themselves with unmet needs that would have caused them to be purged from the university rolls. For this academic year, the Foundation has been able to provide $87,000 in assistance to students in need.