New Scholarship Honors Ebby Halliday, First Lady of Real Estate
August 31, 2014
Ebby Halliday is a name that has long reverberated throughout North Texas. Known as Dallas’ First Lady of Real Estate, Halliday is admired near and far for both her business prowess and her philanthropic efforts. Now thanks to her firm, Ebby Halliday Realtors, that powerful name will continue to resonate for generations at UT Dallas through the establishment of the Ebby Halliday Scholarship Fund to support aspiring real estate students in the Naveen Jindal School of Management.
“Ebby Halliday set the stage for our company to not only focus on meeting the needs of homebuyers and sellers, but for our company to give back to the community at large and to prepare the foundation for the next generation in so many ways,” said Mary Frances Burleson, president and CEO of Ebby Halliday Realtors. “We look at this scholarship as a means to positively impact the lives of promising young scholars for many years to come.”
Founded in 1945, Ebby Halliday Realtors participated in more than 19,500 property transactions in 2013 with a sales volume exceeding $6.4 billion. With a mission to “serve the client, serve the community and serve the industry,” Ebby Halliday associates and staff are encouraged to embrace and help build the communities they serve.
In addition to Ebby Halliday Realtors’ contribution, UT Dallas Distinguished Alumna Jefflyn Williamson BS’83, owner of Jefflyn & Company Commercial Real Estate, which manages the majority of Ebby Halliday’s commercial buildings, matched the firm’s gift to further the impact to students.
“Scholarships played a key role in my education,” Williamson said. “Given the opportunity, I felt it important to do my part to create a more substantial impact on another generation of students at the University that provided me with a solid foundation.”
Launched in 2011, the Jindal School’s real estate program enrolls 190 undergraduate and graduate-level students. Courses emphasize practical tools, decision-making and the very latest analytical technologies, preparing students for the unique demands of the industry. The Ebby Halliday Scholarship Fund is the first to directly benefit the program.
“The real estate industry makes a profound impact on every sector of business and public policy, so it is important for the School of Management to play a prominent role in this influential landscape,” said Dr. Hasan Pirkul, Jindal School dean and Caruth Chair. “The Jindal School’s real estate program aims to provide students with tools to succeed in the industry, and this scholarship supports those efforts.”
Myles Bowen, a first-year graduate student, was selected as the first Ebby Halliday Scholarship Fund recipient this fall.
“It is truly an honor being named a recipient of a scholarship bearing such a legendary name,” Bowen said. “The financial assistance makes such an impact, and I look forward to learning as much as possible before setting out into the industry.”