Longhorn Fan and Former History Teacher Leaves a Legacy

When Betty Bird was first asked by friends to accompany them to a Longhorn baseball game, she saw it as a way to stay busy and be around kids. "I had recently retired after 30 years of teaching and I really missed the student interaction," says Betty, who received her degree in education from The University of Texas at Austin in 1963.

Today Aunt Betty, as she is known to the Longhorn players, never misses a game...home or away. And in an effort to share her passion for Longhorn baseball with future fans she assisted in creating the Women?s Baseball Clinics, an annual event she continues to help coordinate.

"I grew up attending athletic events with my father but some women find the experience a little intimidating," says Betty. "This was a way to create an atmosphere where women feel comfortable learning the traditions and history of the game."

And history is important to Betty. She is an active member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Daughters of the American Revolution and she taught both American and Texas history. It was during her years as a history teacher at Crockett High School in the Austin Independent School District that Betty served on the school?s scholarship committee.

"In serving on the committee, I realized there were so few scholarships available for students entering the teaching profession," says Betty. "I knew this was an area where I could make a difference."

Betty made a bequest through her will to the College of Education to create scholarships for future teachers. Making the gift through her estate allowed Betty to create an endowment without affecting her current income. Betty adds, "Not every alumna can make a six- or seven-figure gift, but every alumna can make a gift. By utilizing my estate, I was able to make a bigger gift than I ever thought possible."

Like Betty, you can be a philanthropist too.

Right now there are exciting and creative ways to leave a legacy to the College of Education and at the same time provide for yourself and your family. By including the College of Education in your retirement and estate planning you can diminish tax burdens while supporting the students, faculty, programs and facilities of Texas' top-ranked College of Education.

For more information, please contact Karl Miller, Assistant Dean for Development for the College of Education, at 512-471-8178, or the UT Office of Gift Planning (toll-free 866-4UTEXAS).