Zach Halaby, CS 2018, M.S. CS 2022, was openhearted, thoughtful, smart, and considerate. He made friends easily and was committed to making everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome. He created community wherever he went, and those communities loved him. 

Zach dedicated his life to learning, service, and adventure. He was involved in his church and began volunteering there at a young age, continuing his service into adulthood. Multitalented and multifaceted, Zach was a musician, songwriter, and rock climber. He also spoke Arabic and Spanish and earned his pilot’s license. He used these interests and skills to connect with nature and with people all over the world. 

At Georgia Tech, Zach studied computer science and had an interest in artificial intelligence. He made many friends at Tech, all of them brilliant young people who said Zach was the smartest among them. 

Much to the surprise of others, Zach struggled with depression and died by suicide in 2023. His legacy is one of deep and abiding kindness and gentleness. To honor that legacy and recognize his generosity of spirit and dedication to giving back, his parents, Tracy and Scott Halaby, have created an endowment in his memory to support the Tech Ends Suicide Initiative. 

This initiative, part of Georgia Tech’s Center for Mental Health Care and Resources, uses a community healthcare approach that recognizes each member of the Georgia Tech community as a caregiver. The key components of this model for students, faculty, and staff are to lead, train, identify, engage, treat, transition, and improve. 

“At its core, the Tech Ends Suicide initiative is grounded in people coming together to care for others,” said Vidal Annan Jr., senior director of the Center for Mental Health Care and Resources. “Through Tracy and Scott’s amazing donation, they pay tribute to Zach’s memory by contributing to a cause that I am sure he would have found meaningful. It is with honor that we will use their gift to make Tech a more informed, supportive, and mentally healthy space for all students.” 

Scott and Tracy hope that supporting this initiative through the Zachary Halaby Memorial Endowment will help promote early intervention and support for students with mental health challenges. 

“In the face of unimaginable loss, the Halaby family has chosen to honor their son’s memory with profound generosity and purpose,” said John Stein, associate vice president for Student Life and Brandt-Fritz Dean of Students Chair. “Their gift to Georgia Tech will serve as a beacon of hope, ensuring that students in crisis receive the support they need. Through this donation, they transform grief into action, creating a lasting legacy of compassion, awareness, and suicide prevention.” 

“People were drawn to Zach like sunflowers to light,” said Tracy. A loving son, brother, uncle, and friend, Zach touched many people in his life, and now this gift in his memory will continue to have a positive impact on others. “We hope the gift makes a difference,” said Scott. “We hope that it brings light, healing, and hope.” 

The couple also hopes that this gift will inspire others to support mental health care at Georgia Tech, and together, their collective support can help students when they need it most. 

For more information on how to support mental health care at Georgia Tech, contact Emily Wong, director of Development for Parent Giving, at emily.wong@dev.gatech.edu.