MSU holds ribbon cutting to dedicate the Sgt. Patrick J. Medley Veteran and Military Student Success Coordinator Office

MURRAY, Ky. – Murray 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 Murray State’s campus and serving as the hub of the University’s 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 Murray State alumna Whitney Medley Bechtel. A graduate from the Murray 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’s experience as a Murray State student, her parents became avid Racer fans and contributed to the University’s Parents Fund for many years even after her graduation. In 2022, the Bechtels established a scholarship for theatre students in memory of Whitney’s 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, Murray 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’ generous support for Murray 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’s father a veteran, but Dr. Brett Bechtel also served in the military. Before settling in Paducah and joining Mercy Health, where he currently serves as chief clinical officer of Mercy Health – 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.

“The Office of Veteran and Military Student Success is very important to the success of our military veterans and dependent students,” said Murray State University Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Dr. Don Robertson. “Through 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’s commitment to our veteran and military dependent students.”

“Our family is honored to support Murray State student veterans in memory of my father, Sgt. Patrick Medley,” said Whitney Bechtel.

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Murray State 7th on its list as best colleges for veterans, and the University has also been recognized as a G.I. Job’s Military Friendly school. Murray State’s 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 Murray State’s student veteran and military success programs is available at murraystate.edu/veterans.

In 2022, Murray 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 Murray State student veterans and the University’s services to support them, please contact Director of Development for Student Affairs Abby Hensley at 270-809-3131 or ahensley2@murraystate.edu, or visit murraystate.edu/giving.