Local alumnus launches scholarship to grow in-state real estate talent

Peyton Adams, an Oxford resident and associate broker with a local real estate firm, and his family created the Billy Ray Adams Family Scholarship Endowment at the University of Mississippi on Jan. 3, 2026. The endowment will award scholarships to students in the School of Business Administration who major in real estate, building a permanent source of support for the university’s Real Estate Initiative.

The scholarship honors Billy Ray Adams, an All-American Ole Miss fullback who later pursued a successful career in insurance and risk management. By tying the award to a career-focused major, the family intends to create clearer pathways for students from Lafayette County and across Mississippi to enter the real estate profession and related fields such as insurance and risk management.

Program faculty have described the endowment as a strategic boost for the Real Estate Initiative, helping the program attract students who might otherwise leave the state for training and employment. For Lafayette County, that retention is significant. Keeping graduates local strengthens the workforce that supports housing markets, property management, insurance services, and the small businesses that rely on real estate expertise.

Beyond workforce development, the scholarship carries public health and equity implications. Home stability, affordable housing development, and community planning are social determinants of health; expanding local expertise in real estate and risk management can translate into more informed development practices, better consumer protections, and increased access to stable housing. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers can also broaden the socioeconomic and racial diversity of the profession, supporting equitable access to careers that influence local neighborhood conditions and long-term health outcomes.

The endowment is intended as a long-term investment in community capacity. By supporting students who train and begin careers in-state, the fund aims to counter brain drain and channel talent into Lafayette County’s economy. Local employers in real estate, insurance, and finance may gain from a deeper pool of trained candidates who already understand regional markets and community needs.

Donors interested in supporting the scholarship can contribute through the University of Mississippi Foundation. The new endowment joins other efforts to connect education, economic opportunity, and community health in Lafayette County, and signals a family-led approach to strengthening local institutions that shape housing, financial stability, and the built environment.