“Yates was a dedicated husband, father, brother and friend who tragically lost his life in service to his community,” Clark State said in a release.
The room dedication will be held at 4 p.m. June 20 in the fourth-floor conference room of the Clark State Brinkman Education Center, 100 S. Limestone St.
RSVP is required by June 16 by sending an email to: bostickc@clarkstate.edu
The Clark State Foundation also established a scholarship honoring Yates to support cadets pursuing a career in local law enforcement.
“The college community stands with the Yates’ family and recognizes that Matt was a proud Clark State graduate,” said Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State. “We were unbelievably proud of him, as well. By naming a room in his memory and establishing a scholarship, we honor his legacy as an outstanding officer of the law.”
He died on July 24, 2022, responding to a report of shots fired in Harmony Estates mobile home park. A resident of the park shot his mother to death and ambushed deputies as they entered the mobile home.
In May, Matthew Yates’ name was added to the Ohio Peace Officers Memorial wall in London and to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Tracy Yates serves as the director of workforce and business solutions at Clark State. She said her husband’s death left many people wanting to honor and celebrate Matthew’s life.
“The main goal is to support the (police academy) program at Clark State because we need more officers,” Tracy Yates said in the release. “And this let’s someone go through the academy who might not otherwise be able to afford it.”
Donations to the Matthew Yates Memorial Scholarship can be made online at: https://slate.clarkstate.edu/register/matthewyatesscholarship