Past faculty member gives $100,000 to

MSU College of Education for scholarships

MURRAY, Ky. —  Dr. Garth Petrie and his wife, Dr. Pat Petrie, of Middleburg, Fla., have donated $100,000 to Murray State University to establish a scholarship to benefit students preparing for careers in education.  

Garth is a 1960 (BS) and 1962 (MAE) graduate of the MSU college of education, and Pat is a 1962 (BME) Murray State graduate. Beginning in 1973, Garth was also a Murray State University faculty member for more than 20 years in the college of education. He was a fixture in Murray State’s education administration program where he trained area educators to serve as principals and superintendents.

The Petries named the scholarship the Robert and Dolly Parton Petrie Endowed Scholarship for Education after Garth’s parents who were steadfast educators who enjoyed long and successful careers in their field. Robert was born and raised in Todd County, Ky., as one of 16 children. He served 45 years as a teacher and a principal in both Bardwell and Cunningham, Ky. Dolly taught for more than 30 years in Carlisle County, Ky. 

Robert and Dolly were also graduates of Murray State University. Robert earned his master’s in education administration in 1957, and Dolly completed a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1960, the same year as her son. 

 “My parents instilled in me a love for learning early in my life and that love never ended. They continued their educations throughout their lives and the years we attended Murray State were memorable,” Garth said. “Pat and I feel strongly that this scholarship is another testament to their commitment to education.” 

“It is our pleasure to join the Petries in this gracious and noteworthy endeavor,” said Dr. Renee Campoy, interim dean of the Murray State University college of education. “The Petrie family has a long history of serving as quality educators in our area, and we are honored they have chosen to support Murray State to continue to recruit and develop excellent teachers for their hometown region.”

The scholarship will benefit students in the fall of 2011. Recipients must be full-time students at Murray State University majoring within the college of education, excluding physical education. Students must have attended high school in Todd or Carlisle County in Kentucky and hold a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Additional qualifications and criteria are listed in the Murray State University scholarship guide. 

Interested students may apply online at www.murraystate.edu/scholarships starting this winter.