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   Since 1983, Dr. Thomas E. Corts has been president of Samford University, Alabama's largest privately supported institution of higher learning. It was founded by Baptists of Alabama in 1841 and retains a close church relationship. Samford occupies a beautiful Georgian-Colonial campus in the Homewood section of suburban Birmingham, Alabama, and includes Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Cumberland School of Law, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education, Beeson School of Divinity, McWhorter School of Pharmacy and schools of business and music.

   Before assuming the presidency of Samford, Dr. Corts was for nine years president of Wingate College in North Carolina. He began his career at his AlmaMater, Georgetown College of Kentucky.

   Dr. Corts has served as chair of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, president of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities and is a past president of the National Fellowship of Baptist Educators. He is vice-chairman of the President's Advisory Council of the Association of Governing Boards. Dr. Corts has won numerous honors including the Outstanding Educator Award in Alabama, Citizen of the Year Award, the National Council of ACCR Foundation, Inc.editation for Teacher Educations's Most Supportive President Award and induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor.

   Dr. Corts was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, and grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio. He is a graduate of Georgetown College of Kentucky, and holds Master's and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Indiana University.

   He and his wife, Marla, have two married daughters, one son, four granddaughters and one grandson.