Larry L. Corley Scholarship Endowment

The Larry L. Corley Endowed Scholarship was established by the estate of Patricia Vickers Phillips in Memory of Larry Corley. After graduating from Madisonville High School, Laurence L. “Larry” Corley, Sr attended the Allen Military Academy on a basketball scholarship for one year. He then moved to Huntsville and enrolled at Sam Houston in 1943. As did many other students during the early 1940’s, Corley left Sam Houston for a brief period to serve in World War II. After completing his tour of duty in the military he returned to Sam Houston and received his Bachelor of Professional Accounting degree from Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1948. Corley immediately began his teaching career at Sam Houston in 1948 while he continued as a student working towards his master’s degree in accounting which he received in 1950. He continued his education with extensive work towards his doctorate at the University of Texas. Corley was a professor in the College of Business at Sam Houston for 39 years until his retirement in 1987. He served as chairman of the department of general business for four years. Patricia grew up in Madisonville, Texas where her mother owned and operated the Madisonville Flower Shop. She graduated as valedictorian of the Madisonville High School senior class in 1954. She continued her education at Sam Houston State University and graduated with the highest possible honors of Summa Cum Laude in 1958. Immediately after graduation, Patricia began working as an executive secretary for Kenneth C. Schoppe, Sr., Vice President of Exploration at Humble Oil, now ExxonMobil. Patricia spent her entire professional career with ExxonMobil.