Peggy Noonan, well-known author and columnist for the Wall Street Journal, will be the featured speaker at the annual Inner-City Scholarship Fund (ICSF) Dinner Celebration March 5 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.

The ICSF dinner is held each year to thank donors for their support and celebrate the good work of the ICSF.

A former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, Noonan has written essays which have appeared in Forbes, Time, Newsweek, the Washington Post, the New York Times and other publications. In addition, she was nominated for Emmy Awards for the writing of a post-Sept. 11 television special and for her work on the television drama “The West Wing.” Her latest book, “John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father,” garnered favorable reviews including that of Publishers Weekly, which stated, “Noonan’s and John Paul’s fans will appreciate her take on the late pope and the delightful way in which she weaves his legacy into her own walk of faith.”

The ICSF grants scholarship assistance annually to needy students attending primary and secondary Catholic schools in the Greater Boston area. Scholarship assistance is awarded to students on the basis of financial need and without regard to race, color, creed or gender.

During the 2006-2007 school year, the ICSF provided almost $6.5 million dollars in financial assistance and ensured that 5,545 students were able to attend Catholic schools in and around Boston. Of these recipients, nearly 30 percent were non-Catholic and 63 percent were non-white.

As a result of last year’s campaign, close to $6.7 million dollars is being distributed during the current 2007-2008 school year.