Hollywood Actor and Inspirational Speaker Glenn Morshower Highlights Annual WVSU Black and Gold Gala April 5

INSTITUTE, W.Va., March 17 -- West Virginia State University issued the following news release:

Inspirational speaker and leading Hollywood character actor Glenn Morshower will be the keynote speaker for the annual West Virginia State University (WVSU) Black and Gold Gala, Saturday, April 5, at the Charleston Marriott Town Center.

Sponsored by WVSU and the WVSU Foundation, the black tie event recognizes the generosity of donors and community leaders while raising funds to further support student scholarships and educational programs at the University.

"This truly is an evening to celebrate and showcase West Virginia State University," said President Brian O. Hemphill. "The generous donors who have invested in our University have allowed us to enhance the campus learning environment and expand our scholarships making it possible for students to earn a quality education and find their passion at State."

The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a social hour featuring performances by WVSU alum Bob Thompson and the WVSU Jazz Quintet. Dinner will follow at 7 p.m. and feature comments from Morshower as well as student entertainment and video presentations highlighting major university donors and the WVSU students who have benefitted from those financial gifts.

Morshower is most widely known as playing the character Aaron Pierce on the TV show "24." He has also been seen in the first three Transformer movies, "Moneyball," "X-Men First Class," "Parkland," "Black Hawk Down" and "Star Trek: Generations." He has also been a guest or recurring guest on TV shows such as the "West Wing," "Dallas," "Castle," "Army Wives," "Friday Night Lights" and "Hawaii Five-O." He has appeared in nearly 200 different TV shows and movies over the past 30 years, along with voicing several popular video games and animated series.

Dancing will follow the dinner program at approximately 9 p.m. and feature music by The Esquires.

Individual tickets for the 2014 WVSU Black and Gold Gala are on sale now at a cost of $150.

Sponsors for the evening include A & F Financial, Advanced Technical Solutions LLC, Ambling Development Group LLC, Arnett Foster Toothman, Bailey, Wyant & Slotnick PLLC, Bayer Cropscience, BB&T--Carson Insurance Services, BrickStreet, Cecil I. Walker Charitable Trust, Ghareeb Dental Group, Hilliard Lyons, Infinit Technology Solutions, Loved Ones In Home Care, Men's Wearhouse, Morgantown Printing and Binding, Ray, Winton & Kelley, Silling Associates, Steptoe & Johnson and ZMM.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the WVSU Foundation at (304) 766-3130, or visit https://connect.wvstateu.edu/gala.

The WVSU Foundation Inc. is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization and gifts are deductible to the extent provided by federal and state law.

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