Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) means a lot to Billie J. Evans, 2011-12 PVAMU Staff of the Year. A native of Waller, Texas, and an administrative coordinator at the School of Architecture (SOA), Billie started working at PVAMU 27 years ago. She credits the university for taking a chance on her and giving her the tools to prosper.

Although Billie sees herself as “just a regular staff member,” she is much more. As a steadfast supporter of the university, Billie is a custodian of dreams, helping students achieve their academic and career goals through philanthropy.

Profoundly grateful for the university’s continuing investments in her career and those of aspiring students, Billie sat down with the Office of Development to share why she gives to PVAMU.

On Witnessing Transformations at PVAMU: I have seen a lot in my 27 years at Prairie View, especially during my 18 years in SOA. Watching the rise of the Nathelyne Archie Kennedy Building and the new Fabrication Center has been amazing. I am in awe as I think of the growing number of students who will benefit from the latest technologies and collaborative research that our innovative spaces allow.

It’s true that “Prairie View Produces Productive People.” I see that inside and outside of the walls of our buildings as faculty interact one on one with students, spending quality time with them to make sure that they are equipped with the experiences and resources to realize their dreams. Our faculty are transforming lives, and it’s a privilege to be a part of that growth.

On Her First Gift to PVAMU: I made my first gift to the university in 2011 to the Simon Wiltz Endowment Fund in memory of longtime SOA faculty member Simon Wiltz. He paved the way for so many architecture students to succeed and was always giving back. I wanted to follow his lead and honor his inspirational legacy through my own giving to the university. His untimely passing was a reminder that the time to make a difference is always now—right now.

On Making a Difference: It never crosses my mind to stop giving. I continue to give because I know that I can make a difference in the lives of our precious students—so many are in need.

The greatest gift that I can give a student is to help them succeed. It does not matter if I am not a faculty member. I can still invest in students just as PVAMU invested in me.

Giving is a blessing, a blessing that I hope to pass on to others.

My hope is that students will give after they graduate because philanthropy helped them capture their dreams and made a difference in their lives—a difference that will ripple through the lives of students at Prairie View forever.

 

To learn more about how you can help PVAMU students realize their dreams, visit www.pvamu.edu/development or call 936-261-1550.