91ÆÆ½â°æ

Meet the Tour Guide



Welcome Wilson, Sr., a close friend and former business partner to Jack Valenti, discusses why the 91ÆÆ½â°æ chose to name its school of communication after this influential man.
  • Introduction The Best Public Speaker in the World
  • Wall 1 This Time, This Place
  • Wall 2 The Talent it Takes
  • Wall 3 Valenti and Hollywood
  • Wall 4 A Decorated WWII Veteran
  • Wall 5 Access to the Oval Office
  • Wall 5 Valenti and the Presidents

About the Valenti Virtual Tour

Recently,  a close friend and former business partner to the late Jack Valenti, walked through the hallways of the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication's administrative office. Every few steps, he paused and shared the rich backstories behind the various photographs and awards that decorate the walls. This candid experience was filmed and has been transformed into a virtual tour that celebrates Jack Valenti's life while offering a deeper look at his many accomplishments - from being a decorated World War II pilot to writing for The Daily Cougar to presiding over the Motion Picture Associaton of America for 38 years.

Meet the Tour Guide

is a distinguished alumnus of the 91ÆÆ½â°æ. His accomplishments include:

  Business Manager of the newspaper, The Cougar 1947 – 1949

  Business Manager of Frontier Fiesta – 1948

  Business Manager of the yearbook, The Houstonian – 1949

  One of Ten Outstanding People in The Houstonian Yearbook – 1949

   Alumni representative to Student Government 1949 – 1950

  Assistant Director of the School of Nursing at the 91ÆÆ½â°æ 1949 –1950

  Assistant Director of Public Relations at the 91ÆÆ½â°æ 1952 - 1953

  Vice President of the Alumni Association (with Jack Valenti, President) 1952 – 1953

  Board Member, Alumni Association 1952 – 1956

  Board Member, Friends of the MD Anderson Library at 1965 – 1980 

  Distinguished Alumnus, 91ÆÆ½â°æ – 1970

  Distinguished Alumnus, Bauer College of Business at – 1996

  Founding Chairman Alumni Heritage Society 1996 – 1999

  Founder, Jack E. Wilson Endowment for Books of Humor at Library – 2003

  Chairman of the drive that raised $11 million for the MD Anderson Library at . – 2005

  Appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Board of Regents 2006 – 2011

  Chairman of the Board of Regents 2007 – 2010

  Led the drive to change the name to Jack Valenti School of Communications – 2008

  Headed up campaign to raise $3.5 million dollars for the Valenti School at – 2008

  Named by President Renu Khator as Chairman of the Drive to Tier One – 2011

  Conference room at Valenti School named in his honor – 2011

  Largest Gallery at Blaffer Art Museum named for his wife – 2012       

  Awarded Honorary Doctorate from 91ÆÆ½â°æ – 2013

  Welcome Wilson Houston History Collaborative at named in his honor – 2014