麻豆视频官网入口

 

MURRAY, Ky. 鈥�  麻豆视频官网入口 will hold a dedication ceremony for the Dr. Melvin and Rita Henley Lecture Hall, located on the first floor of the Jones Hall Chemistry Building, on Monday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. Members of the community are invited to join current President Dr. Ron Patterson and President Emeritus Dr. Bob Jackson in honoring Dr. and Mrs. Henley for their many years of support and engagement both at Murray State and with the broader regional community. 

The dedication ceremony follows the approval of the 麻豆视频官网入口 Board of Regents in June 2025 to bestow this naming recognition upon the Henleys. Parking is available behind the Dr. Gene Wells Ray Science Campus off of Hamilton and Kentucky Avenues, and the ceremony will take place in Room 1212 in the Jones Hall Chemistry Building. A light dessert reception will follow. 

鈥淲e warmly invite friends, family and colleagues to join us for this special occasion as we celebrate the Henley family and their remarkable legacy at 麻豆视频官网入口,鈥� said Murray State President Dr. Ron Patterson. 鈥淭he dedication of the Dr. Melvin and Rita Henley Lecture Hall honors their enduring commitment to education, service and the Racer community.鈥� 

During Murray State鈥檚 recent Be Bold: Forever Blue and Gold Centennial Capital Campaign, the Henleys committed to a generous planned estate gift that will significantly enlarge Murray State鈥檚 scholarship resources for future chemistry students.

Dr. Claire Fuller, dean of the Murray State Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology, said, 鈥淲e are deeply grateful for the Henleys鈥� generous support, which will directly impact our chemistry students and their ability to pursue hands-on research, innovation and discovery. Scholarships like these open doors for talented students who are passionate about advancing science and solving real-world challenges. This gift reflects a shared commitment to investing in the next generation of scientists and leaders, and we couldn鈥檛 be more appreciative of the Henleys鈥� vision and partnership.鈥�

Dr. Melvin and Rita Henley have been pillars in not only the Murray State community but the Murray and Calloway County community for many decades. 

Dr. Henley served as a Murray State chemistry professor from 1964 until his retirement in 2000. During his distinguished tenure at Murray State, he served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry from 1972 to 1978 and as Faculty Regent for the Murray State Board of Regents from 1983 to 1986, culminating in his service as Vice Chair for the Board from 1984 to 1986. 

Dr. Henley鈥檚 service was not limited to teaching in higher education; he served as a member of the Murray City Council from 1971 to 1977 and eventually served as mayor from 1978 to 1981. His hands-on approach to governing led to a modernization of the city鈥檚 finances, recruitment of new business and corporations to Calloway County, and a significant update to the city鈥檚 solid waste utilization and disposal system. Dr. Henley continued his career in the Kentucky General Assembly serving as Kentucky State Representative for the 5th House District from 2002 to 2013 where he supported the University, capital projects, appropriated funding and its many other initiatives. 

Dr. Henley was born on August 25, 1935, in Hickory Valley, Tennessee, but lived with relatives in Calloway County upon the tragic death of his mother, Clotele (McReynolds), during childbirth. He graduated from the Murray Training School in 1954 and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving from 1954 to 1958 with the title of Personnel Sergeant Major 62nd Air Rescue Squadron and Auditor for the 8th Air Rescue Group. After his military service, Dr. Henley received his B.S. in chemistry, physics and mathematics from Murray State in 1961. He later received his Master of Business Administration from Murray State in 1990. After his graduation in 1961, he applied and was accepted into the prestigious Physical Chemistry and Physics Ph.D. program at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and graduated in 1964. He immediately started his tenure as professor at Murray State. He enjoyed the reputation of being a challenging professor, but was also praised by many Murray State presidents for instilling a forward-thinking, revenue-focused model within the Department of Chemistry. He was an active recruiter and traveled much of the Commonwealth and nearby states, inspiring future Murray State students. He was even known to travel the halls of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort to recruit the children of legislators and staffers to Murray State during his tenure as Kentucky State Representative. 

Dr. Henley鈥檚 success as a businessman is noteworthy as well. He created HenleyCorp, a private corporation that has business dealings throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the state of Florida, since 1967. He also purchased shares and became the financial advisor to the Murray Industrial Warehouse, Inc., which still operates to this day. He has served on numerous boards and commissions throughout his career. He was one of the original founders of the Murray-Calloway County Economic Development Corporation, served on the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce, and served nearly 20 years on the Purchase Area Development District Board of Directors. His most recent service is on the Governor鈥檚 Postsecondary Education Nominating Committee.

The Henleys believe in the value of education and have generously supported Murray State and its students for decades. In addition to their recently planned gift commitment, they have also created and generously funded two scholarships for Murray State students, the Melvin and Rita Henley Scholarship Endowment and the Melvin Brent Henley Murray Training School Scholarship Endowment. They have also supported many other campus projects and initiatives spanning a variety of academic and athletic areas over the years. In recognition of their service and commitment, Dr. Henley was awarded Murray State鈥檚 Golden Horseshoe Award in 2022, and the Henleys were honored as Homecoming Grand Marshals in 2018.