A prized, frequently utilized space at the Valenti School of Communication is the Wilson Family Conference Room. This conference room was made possible by the generosity of Welcome Wilson, Sr. and his family. Welcome Wilson, Sr. is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Houston and was a close friend and business partner to the late Jack Valenti.
Welcome Wilson, Sr.’s accomplishments include:
Business Manager of the UH newspaper, The Cougar 1947 – 1949
Business Manager of UH Frontier Fiesta – 1948
Business Manager of the UH yearbook, The Houstonian – 1949
One of Ten Outstanding UH People in The Houstonian Yearbook – 1949
UH Alumni representative to UH Student Government 1949 – 1950
Assistant Director of the School of Nursing at the University of Houston 1949 –1950
Assistant Director of Public Relations at the University of Houston 1952 - 1953
Vice President of the UH Alumni Association (with Jack Valenti, President) 1952 – 1953
Board Member, UH Alumni Association 1952 – 1956
Board Member, Friends of the MD Anderson Library at UH 1965 – 1980
Distinguished Alumnus, University of Houston – 1970
Distinguished Alumnus, Bauer College of Business at UH – 1996
Founding Chairman UH Alumni Heritage Society 1996 – 1999
Founder, Jack E. Wilson Endowment for Books of Humor at UH Library – 2003
Chairman of the drive that raised $11 million for the MD Anderson Library at UH. – 2005
Appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the UH Board of Regents 2006 – 2011
Chairman of the UH 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 UH – 2008
Named by President Renu Khator as Chairman of the Drive to Tier One – 2011
Conference room at UH Valenti School named in his honor – 2011
Largest Gallery at UH Blaffer Art Museum named for his wife – 2012
Awarded Honorary Doctorate from University of Houston – 2013
Welcome Wilson Houston History Collaborative at UH named in his honor – 2014