If you wandered into the Shea Street Building late in the day on Wednesday, April 16, you might have thought nothing was going on. Other than security personnel at the front desk, no one was on the first floor. It wasn’t until you reached the third floor that it was evident that a celebration was taking place, and not just any celebration. The space was packed with students, faculty, and staff. They all came out in full force for one reason only: Marilyn Davies, the namesake of UHD’s College of Business. 

Davies’ relationship with UHD began with summer school at UHD’s predecessor, South Texas Junior College. Later, she grew to admire the institution as both her brother and her son earned their bachelor’s degrees from UHD. A Gator to the core, her son went on to earn his master’s degree at UHD.  

A graduate of Texas Tech University, she began her career in computer sales, then the oil and gas industry. In the 80s, Davies purchased the assets of Bailey Banks Seismic, becoming CEO. In 1991, Davies started her own data brokerage business to market seismic data to energy companies. The company is the proprietor of the Professional Geophysics Inc. database that includes 25,000 miles of data related to exploration areas and basins across the U.S. 

Javier “Jay” L. Zambrano, Vice President of Advancement and University Relations, welcomed the crowd, introducing Dean Jonathan Davis who framed the special occasion as “honoring someone whose impact on our college is both deep and enduring. We celebrate a milestone gift, but more importantly a lasting legacy.” 

He continued: “The College of Business becoming the Marilyn Davies College of Business (MDCOB) marked a turning point—a visible symbol that our college was stepping forward into a new era. The Davies name has brought a new recognition and legitimacy to our work, helping us attract top faculty, inspire recruiters to hire our students, and even draw additional philanthropic support—including unprecedented scholarship funding from the C.T. Bauer Foundation.” He noted that her generosity has not only elevated MDCOB’s work—it has changed how “the world views us and how we view ourselves…we thank you for your trust, your belief in what we do, and your investment in what we are becoming.” 

Ms. Davies’ gift transformed the College of Business in a multitude of ways by funding: 

  • student employees who assist with outreach, advising, marketing, and research. 
  • new investments in faculty research, including training and research data. 
  • student travel to conferences. 
  • a search for the college’s first director of advancement. 

Other speakers were Accounting major Jiromi Mancia, a Ted Bauer Scholar and Vice President of the UHD’s Student Professional Accounting Society for UHD; alum Omar Virjee (BBA ‘08, Accounting), President and CEO of Virjee Consulting; Dean’s Advisory Council Chair Gilbert Herrera, Director, Consulting Services, LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors; and fellow funder and friend Darren Wolfman, President of the C.T. Bauer Foundation. 

UHD President Loren J. Blanchard joked that the speakers had skirted the real reason for the party: to celebrate Ms. Davies’ fulfillment of her pledge of $10M. “Ms. Davies’ historic gift, which established the first College of Business in Texas named for a woman, remains the largest ever made to the University of Houston-Downtown,” said Dr. Blanchard. “Ms. Davies’ impact on UHD stems from more than her transformational gift and extends beyond the borders of MDCOB. As a member of my President’s Leadership Council, she is an active voice in education, a community leader, and a champion of student success. Her leadership challenges all of us—faculty, staff, alumni, and especially students—to believe in the power of giving back. She is a fierce advocate for education, believing, as we do, that higher education is a powerful equalizer.” 

When Ms. Davies was presented with a large crystal vase, she said, “This school is my point of pride. I’m not stopping here. I’m going to give more money.” Smiling, she added: “And I love cut crystal. This is going in my office.” With that, champagne flutes were raised to toast the one-in-a-million Marilyn Davies.