Longhorn football fans will remember Cory Redding as a gridiron hero in Coach Mack Brown’s first recruiting class. Today Cory and his wife Priscilla are heroes of another kind. They have established an endowed scholarship in the College of Education to help talented UT students with financial need.

Cory was a two-time All-American and first-team All-Big 12 defensive end at Texas. After playing in 52 college games, he started his pro career with Detroit, later played for Seattle, Baltimore, and Indianapolis, and finished in Arizona in 2016. During his career, he made the decision to support the professions that have made a lasting impact on his life — education and health sciences.

He chose to give back because he values and supports those who work to keep students on track. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for key people in my life who mentored me and kept me grounded,” Cory said. Part of what keeps him grounded are the three values that he lives by — desire, discipline and dedication. And he expects the students who receive his scholarship to exhibit that same spirit.

Cory demonstrated his dedication to education by completing his own degree. When he left for the NFL, he was only 18 hours away from earning a degree in Applied Learning and Development. After hanging up his cleats, he re-enrolled at UT in 2016 and graduated the following year. Priscilla also holds a degree in Applied Learning and Development. Together the two have pursued their interests in education, business and philanthropy. The Cory Redding Foundation will support long-term efforts to help the endowment grow.

“In the days when my wife and I are no longer here, our grandchildren’s grandchildren will hopefully be part of this process, continuing this endowment,” he said. “One hundred years from now, they’re going to look and see the Cory and Priscilla Redding Family Scholarship, and to me, that is better than any accolade I could ever achieve on the football field.”

“One hundred years from now, they’re going to look and see the Cory and Priscilla Redding Family Scholarship, and to me, that is better than any accolade I could ever achieve on the football field.”