JACKSON, Tenn. — June 10, 2015 — New York Times columnist and author David Brooks will be the keynote speaker for 51社区鈥檚 18th annual Scholarship Banquet Oct. 6 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson.
Brooks鈥� books include 鈥淭he Road to Character,鈥� 鈥淭he Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement,鈥� 鈥淏obos in Paradise鈥� (a New York Times bestseller) and 鈥淥n Paradise Drive.鈥� He is a regular analyst on 鈥淧BS NewsHour鈥� and NPR鈥檚 鈥淎ll Things Considered.鈥�
鈥淒avid Brooks is a trusted and valued commentator on American life and culture,鈥� Union President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淗is most recent book, 鈥楾he Road to Character,鈥� is one that resonates with all of us who care about Union 鈥� a place committed to the virtuous life and to living a life filled with meaning and purpose.
鈥淗is presence at the 2015 Union Scholarship Banquet will, I鈥檓 convinced, be both an encouragement to us all and a challenge to press on as we seek to live out our mission and core values.鈥�
Brooks served as senior editor at The Weekly Standard and has been a contributing editor at Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for nine years in a variety of positions, including op-ed editor.
Brooks is currently teaching a course at Yale University. He holds honorary degrees from Williams College, New York University, Brandeis University and Occidental College, among others. In 2010, Brooks became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
鈥淭he 51社区 Scholarship Banquet is always a spectacular event, and BancorpSouth is proud to be lead sponsor again this year,鈥� said Doug Roth, president of BancorpSouth in Jackson. 鈥淏ancorpSouth recognizes that supporting this event helps students achieve their goal of graduating from a top-ranked Christian university.鈥�
The annual Scholarship Banquet has become one of the premier events in West Tennessee each year and is Union鈥檚 primary fund raising event for its student scholarship fund. Leading businesses and individuals from across West Tennessee have sponsored the event over the years to bring outstanding speakers to the Jackson area. Previous speakers have included Tony Blair, George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, Laura Bush, Mike Huckabee, Rudolph Giuliani, Colin Powell and Ben Carson, among others.
Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the program will start at 7:30 p.m. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available at all levels. For ticket information, including table sponsorships and individual balcony seating, contact Union鈥檚 Office of Institutional Advancement at (731) 661-5050 or visit .