2023 Welty Gala

About The Gala

On Friday, October 25, at 7:00 p.m., students from the Ina E. Gordy Honors College, alumni and community members are invited to join us for an elegant evening in downtown Columbus. The Welty Gala begins with a Friends reception with this year’s Welty Symposium authors followed by dinner and presentation by New York Times bestselling author Jeannette Walls.

The Welty Gala is our annual fundraiser for the MUW Scholarship Fund. To ensure the success of this event, MUW is seeking supporters who will participate as Benefactors, Patrons, and Friends. We are especially grateful for your support of this event and the opportunity it provides to the community and our Ina E. Gordy Honors College students to further their academic experience beyond the classroom.

About The Speaker

From the pages of her New York Times bestselling book and the critically-acclaimed film, Jeannette Walls moves you to realize the power of the human spirit as she inspires courage in the face of new and longstanding fears and reveals how our weaknesses can be our greatest strengths.

A celebrated author, Jeannette is best known for her bestselling memoir, “The Glass Castle,” which details her life growing up in extreme poverty and the tale of her emergence from it. Named by Amazon as one of the top 10 books of the decade, her inspiring story was brought to the big screen in one of the most highly-anticipated major motion pictures of 2017 starring Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, and Brie Larson as Jeannette. Her book, “Hang the Moon,” was published in 2023.

Jeannette takes audiences inside her resilient journey in pursuit of authenticity, revealing the power of courage and determination in overcoming unimaginable obstacles. She reveals bittersweet anecdotes from her past that often exemplify grander truths about courage and the positive rewards that come from confronting challenges. With an unforgettable story of triumph over unrelenting adversity, Jeannette inspires the realization that we are all stronger than we think.

The W Scholarship Fund

Scholarship funds help The W strengthen our dynamic learning environment to benefit our entire student body. Scholarship support does so much more than provide tuition assistance; it recognizes and rewards hard work and dedication giving students opportunities to hone career choice and pursue their dreams. Scholarship funds make the difference in whether or not many deserving students are able to attend
The W.

When

October 25, 2024
7:00 p.m.
Trotter Convention Center
402 2nd Avenue North
Columbus, MS 39701

Black Tie Optional

Schedule

5:30 p.m. Private reception with Jeannette Walls for Benefactors and Patrons
6:00 p.m. Friends reception with Welty Symposium authors in the Trotter Main Lobby
7:00 p.m. Dinner in the Trotter Ballroom
8:30 p.m. Jeannette Walls presentation
9:15 p.m. Book Signing

Donor Levels

Benefactor

$5000 ($3,800 tax deductible)
Eight seats at a named table including preferred dinner service
Eight invitations to a private reception with Jeannette Walls
Four autographed copies of a bestselling book by Jeannette Walls
Prominent program recognition
One quarter-page advertisement in the Spring 2025 issue of our alumni magazine, Visions
A 20-meal ticket to the MUW Hogarth Dining Center or
A 20-session pass to the MUW Stark Recreation Center

Patron

$500 ($400 tax deductible)
Dinner seating for one
Invitation to a private reception with Jeannette Walls
An autographed copy of a bestselling book by Jeannette Walls
Program recognition

Friend

$100 ($40 tax deductible)
Dinner seating for one
Invitation to Friends reception with Welty Symposium authors in the Trotter Main Lobby
Program recognition