George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States and founder of the George W. Bush Foundation, will be the keynote speaker Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. for Faulkner University’s 2011 Benefit Dinner at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center.
Bush was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2001, as president and commander in chief. He served two consecutive terms. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which killed 3,000 people on American soil, defined his presidency and changed history. President Bush sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq to defang terrorist organizations and established the Department of Homeland Security. On the home front, President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to strengthen a faith-based institution’s ability to provide services to local areas of need.
Since that time Faulkner, a Christian university, has implemented its own service initiative in the spirit of President Bush’s domestic policy. In fall of 2009, Faulkner launched the STARS program – Serving Together and Reaping Success – as required coursework and fieldwork for degree completion. All Faulkner students are required to perform 160 hours of service-learning in the form of mentoring or volunteer work before graduation. Since its inception, Faulkner students, faculty and staff have logged in thousands of hours of volunteer hours to local charities and non-profit organizations.
Proceeds from Faulkner’s Benefit Dinner featuring President Bush will go towards student scholarship. For sponsorship ticket information, call the Office of University Advancement at 334-386-7257 or visit faulkner.edu.
