Ron K. Patterson

Patterson was raised in Corinth, Mississippi and has two younger sisters.^[1] A first generation college student, he transferred from Northeast Mississippi Community College to complete his bachelor's degree in human services at the University of Tennessee Southern, and later earned an education specialist degree with a concentration in community college administration from Arkansas State University. In 2002, he earned a master's degree in education from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.^[2][3] In 2022 he earned a Doctor of Education degree in the Interdisciplinary Leadership program at Creighton University.^[2][3][4]

Patterson began his career coaching basketball and golf at Tusculum College in Tusculum, Tennessee and Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.^[2][5] He then changed careers to become an administrator, first as an admissions counselor at Christian Brothers University in Memphis and subsequently as vice president for enrollment management at Marietta College, as director of admissions and enrollment services at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, and at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. He then served for six years as associate vice president at the University of North Alabama in Florence, for the last two years as the university's first vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion.^{[1][3][4][5][6]}

In 2023, after completing his doctorate, he became President of Chadron State College,^[4][6][7] where he spearheaded a new five-year plan.^[5] In 2025 he was appointed president of Murray State University, beginning his term that July.^[2][5][8][9] One of Patterson's first initiatives as Murray State President was the Racer Spirit Listening and Learning Tour, which included nearly 40 sessions with various constituent groups across a multi-state region. ^[10][11]

Patterson and his wife Jenny have two children.^[2][7]