Photo By HELEN COMER/The Jackson Sun
Julian Williamson helps raise lights to the cat walk area at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Monday as he and others get the stage set for Union University's fourth annual Scholarship Banquet. The keynote speaker will be former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Williamson was busy Monday preparing the stage for former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the keynote speaker for Union's fourth annual Scholarship Banquet this evening.

Ten large backdrops painted purple, blue and gold and in the shape of eastern orthodox churches hung across the Carl Perkins Civic Center's 80-foot wide stage as Williamson looked on.

"We wanted to get that feel that would recall where Gorbachev came from, yet also be indicative of his accomplishments," Williamson said while sitting at the edge of the stage. "With Gorbachev's reforms came a degree of religious freedom; that's why we decided to use the outline of the churches."

While Union is governed by The Southern Baptist Convention, the former Soviet leader is not a Christian. Union officials say there has been no conflict.

"In all honesty, we've had maybe two people make negative statements," said Sara Horn, Union's news and information director. "But all in all, we've had an overwhelming positive response."

Kent Freeman, a Union associate vice president, agreed with Horn.

"No, we've had no conflict at all," Freeman said. "I think people realize that this is about the impact Gorbachev has had on the world and the changes he's made in the fall of Communism and the rise of Democracy."

Gorbachev's economic reforms in the late 1980s prepared the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for Democratic reforms and an easing of tensions with the West. After leaving office in 1991, Gorbachev has remained publicly active, focusing most of his energy on the Foundation for Social, Economic and Political Research in Moscow, also called the Gorbachev Foundation.

Speakers are chosen after consideration by the school's presidential advisory committee, Freeman said. Gorbachev and others are then booked through the Washington Speaker's Bureau.

"We have a substantial amount of sponsors that donate money to pay for the speakers and scholarships," Horn said.

Together, the Scholarship Banquet and the August Germantown banquet featuring Former Secretary of Education William Bennett, is expected to raise more than $1.3 million benefiting the Germantown campus and student scholarships.

As of Monday, nearly 400 student tickets had been given out, with more students on a waiting list to attend the evening event. Tickets for the public sold out by mid-afternoon Monday.

Williamson has prepared the stage for Union's the three previous scholarship banquets which hosted Margaret Thatcher, Lou Holtz and Colin Powell.

"We do drawings and scale models months in advance of an event," Williamson said. "We'll do the scenery and lighting today and set up the podium and a 24 by 18-foot screen tomorrow. The screen will be used to present a video on the history of Union University and a short introduction for Gorbachev."

About 6,000 square feet of backdrops will fill the Civic Center stage. Williamson will employ around 10 assistants, including a spotlight operator and soundboard operator.

Since Gorbachev does not speak English, a translator will interpret.