Billy & Jean Mann Football Program Endowment

The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System established the Billy & Jean Mann Football Program Endowment on September 1, 2015, to benefit Intercollegiate Athletics. The endowment honors Mr. Billy Mann and Mrs. Jean Rice Mann, the parents of Debra J. Mann. Debra provided initial funding for the endowment that has been joined with gifts from family and friends.

Debra J. Mann graduated from The University of Texas in 1971 with a degree in business. She was active on campus in many organizations, including the Texas Spirits and Orange Jackets. Debra was also named a 1970 Cactus Goodfellow.

“I owe my career to The University of Texas, but I owe my life to my parents,” she said. “They were products of the Depression, and as a result, they made sure my sister and I had everything growing up, including an excellent education. Therefore, I gladly have established an endowment in honor and memory of my parents. They were the best. Period.”

Debra became a CPA and made a career in taxation for various oil and gas companies. She is now retired.

“My parents started taking my twin sister and me to football games in the early 1960s. UT sports has been my favorite pastime ever since. I valued my time at UT and loved how it valued me,” Debra said.

Debra added that the first Texas Football game she attended was a loss against TCU in 1961. “Texas was one of the best teams in the country and we got beat 6-0. I did not know I was such a sports fan until that long day in November 1961,” she said. “For some reason after that loss, I was absolutely smitten with UT. I wonder now if I would love UT football as much as I do if we had won that game.”