Deli “Lilly” Yang, Ph.D., the Neidorff Family/Centene Corporation Endowed Professor of Business Administration, died August 20, 2026, from cancer. She was 62.
An accomplished scholar of international business and intellectual property, Yang spent 17 years contributing to Trinity University as a teacher, researcher, mentor, and academic leader. Most recently, she served as director of the international business program in the Michael Neidorff School of Business.
Born April 18, 1964, Yang earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and international business in Beijing, China, before pursuing graduate study in Cyprus and the United Kingdom. She earned both a master’s degree and doctorate from Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester, focusing her doctoral work on intellectual property strategy and management.
Prior to joining Trinity in 2009, Yang served for eight years on the faculty at the University of Bradford School of Management in the UK. She secured competitive research funding from major organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Economic and Social Research Council, and was recognized for her expertise by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Authoring numerous books, scholarly articles, and book chapters, she remained deeply committed to discovery throughout her life.
At Trinity, Yang's influence extended well beyond her own scholarship. She helped advance the university's international business curriculum, founded the international business major, and directed the international business program for several years. She also served on the Faculty Senate and previously held the role of associate dean of the Neidorff School of Business.
Her greatest impact, however, was felt by the students she taught and mentored. Yang emphasized experiential learning and approached teaching with the same rigor and purpose that characterized her scholarship. She cared deeply for her students, treating them with a warmth and devotion that often made colleagues feel familial.
Those who knew Yang also remember a person of unusual focus, generosity, and determination. Her husband described her as someone who readily helped others while asking little for herself–a disciplined and extraordinarily productive person who followed through completely on every commitment.
She was equally deliberate in conversation; she never spoke simply to fill a silence. Colleagues recalled that while she might say little during a meeting, when she did speak, everyone listened. She chose her words carefully and possessed a rare gift for cutting straight to the heart of a matter. This combination of thoughtfulness, intense curiosity, and "laser-sharp focus" simply made her a doer.
Beyond academia, Yang was deeply devoted to her family. Raised in large part by her grandmother, Xingyue Zhu, she carried a lifelong affection and gratitude for the woman who shaped her early years. At home, she treasured Lolo and Lala, the two Pomeranians she shared with her husband and loved dearly.
Yang is survived by her husband, Maho Sonmez; her parents, Tianxi Yang and Qifang Jiang of China; an older brother, Dewei Yang; a younger sister Dewen Yang; and two nieces, Zhe Yang and Yameng Hou.
An informal memorial celebrating Yang's life has been planned by the family for Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 6 to 10 p.m. at 8925 I-10 West, 78230, marking the 40th day following her passing.
A formal university remembrance in conjunction with the family is scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 3 p.m. in the Korbell Great Hall, with a reception immediately following.