Dionte Berry
News Editor
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Murray State’s longest serving Regent, Phil Schooley died at the age of 75 on Sunday, Aug. 15.

Schooley served on the Board of Regents since 2009 and was a cybersecurity and  network management advisor and transfer advisor in the School of Engineering.

Much of the campus community learned of his death on Aug. 16 after President Bob Jackson announced Schooley’s death via social media.

“Our Racer community has a heavy heart today with the news regarding Regent Phil Schooley’s passing. He loved Murray State University and worked hard every day to improve it,” Bob Jackson wrote in an Instagram post.

Schooley is survived by his wife,  Virginia, of 50 years; his son, his sister and two grandchildren, according to his obituary.

Schooley earned a bachelor of science degree in education with an industrial arts major from Murray State  and later a master’s degree in teaching from Southeast Missouri State University, according to his Board of Regents biography.

Schooley’s career at Murray State began in 2001 while he was already 33 years into his secondary education career, according to his Board of Regents biography. During his time at Murray State, Schooley served as the Murray State Staff Congress President from 2008-09 and was the recipient of the 2011 Murray State University Staff Excellence Award.

According to his obituary, Schooley’s funeral service was on Saturday, Aug. 21.

As a dedicated member of the Murray State community Schooley had a dream to help students get secondary education. Schooley’s son announced on Facebook a special way those wanting to express their love for his late father can  do so.

“If you are wondering what expression of love to show, whether it be flowers or a keepsake, we wanted to offer another option,” Brian Schooley wrote in his post. “One of my Dad’s dreams was to fund a scholarship to help students get their college degree, so you can donate money to a new scholarship we have created in his and mom’s name.”

The scholarship is called the Phil and Virginia Schooley Endowed Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made at murraystate.edu/givenow. Checks can also be made out to the Murray State University Foundation with the scholarship name on the memo line and  can be dropped off at the Office of Development at 200 Heritage Hall, Murray, Kentucky.