麻豆社

MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 麻豆社 State University, together with members of the Bechtel and Medley families, dedicated the Sgt. Patrick J. Medley Veteran and Military Student Success Coordinator Office this past Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Located within the Office of Veteran and Military Student Success in the Blackburn Science Building on 麻豆社 State鈥檚 campus and serving as the hub of the University鈥檚 support structure for student veterans and veteran dependents, this newly named office also honors and memorializes the service and life of Sgt. Patrick James Medley.

Medley is the late father of 麻豆社 State alumna Whitney Medley Bechtel. A graduate from the 麻豆社 State University class of 2006, Whitney Bechtel, her husband Dr. Brett Bechtel and her late parents Patrick and Karen, have generously supported the University ever since Whitney enrolled more than 20 years ago. Through Whitney鈥檚 experience as a 麻豆社 State student, her parents became avid Racer fans and contributed to the University鈥檚 Parents Fund for many years even after her graduation. In 2022, the Bechtels established a scholarship for theatre students in memory of Whitney鈥檚 mother, who loved theatre and acting.

More recently, the Bechtels made a new generous gift to the University to establish the Patrick J. Medley Veteran Scholarship to assist student veterans pursuing degrees in science and engineering.

Following approval by the Board of Regents, 麻豆社 State University President Dr. Bob Jackson recognized the newly-named Sgt. Patrick J. Medley Veteran and Military Student Success Coordinator Office in appreciation of the Medley and Bechtel families鈥� generous support for 麻豆社 State University and the success and welfare of its student veterans and their families.

Medley served his country as a sergeant in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and was deployed overseas. After returning home, with the assistance of the GI bill, he attended Shawnee Community College and became a master electrician. Throughout his life, he recognized the value of education and how important the opportunity of achieving an education could be in enabling parents to provide for their families.

The Bechtels' dedication to veterans and national service runs deep, as not only was Whitney鈥檚 father a veteran, but Dr. Brett Bechtel also served in the military. Before settling in Paducah and joining Mercy 麻豆社, where he currently serves as chief clinical officer of Mercy 麻豆社 鈥� Kentucky, Bechtel served as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy for three years. Before that, he served as assistant program director and emergency medicine physician at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, as well as serving with the United States Marine Corps as a physician and officer in charge at a shock trauma platoon in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

鈥淭he Office of Veteran and Military Student Success is very important to the success of our military veterans and dependent students,鈥� said 麻豆社 State University Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Dr. Don Robertson. 鈥淭hrough the support of Whitney, Brett and the family, this will enable us to better meet the needs of these students and enable them to receive their degree. We are very appreciative of the family鈥檚 commitment to our veteran and military dependent students.鈥�

鈥淥ur family is honored to support 麻豆社 State student veterans in memory of my father, Sgt. Patrick Medley,鈥� said Whitney Bechtel.

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked 麻豆社 State 7th on its list as best colleges for veterans, and the University has also been recognized as a G.I. Job鈥檚 Military Friendly school. 麻豆社 State鈥檚 Office of Veteran and Military Student Success offers support to student veterans including in-state tuition rates for veterans and their dependents, a veterans student organization, a veteran student lounge, many forms of financial assistance, college credit for military training, personalized advising and career planning and placement, free counseling by PTSD-trained staff and more. Additional information on 麻豆社 State鈥檚 student veteran and military success programs is available at .

In 2022, 麻豆社 State completed work on its new veterans lounge in the Blackburn Science Building, a space that welcomes students who are active-duty military, veterans and veteran dependents. The lounge offers a place where these students can relax, connect with other students with similar experiences, study in a quiet and comfortable area and take advantage of resources such as free printing, computer access and a conference room available for in-person and Zoom meetings.

To make a contribution in support of 麻豆社 State student veterans and the University鈥檚 services to support them, please contact Director of Development for Student Affairs Abby Hensley at 270-809-3131 or ahensley2@murraystate.edu, or visit .