Mountain Empire Foundation announces Michael D. Chandler Scholarship

BIG STONE GAP — The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation and the family of Michael D. Chandler have announced the Officer Michael D. Chandler Memorial Endowed Scholarship, created to support local students pursuing careers in law enforcement. He died in the line of duty. This scholarship was started by Michael's wife, Natasha Chandler, to keep his legacy of service alive in the community he loved and protected, according to a news release from the college. Michael served the town of Big Stone Gap both as a firefighter and later as a police officer, dedicating his life to helping others. Chandler was a Big Stone Gap police officer killed in the line of duty in Wise County Nov. 13, 2021. He was shot while responding to a welfare check on his 29th birthday and died later that day. Michael Donivan White was convicted of the murder and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison. "Michael cared about this community, he cared about the people in it, and he believed in helping others build a better future. Creating this scholarship felt like the right way to honor that," Natasha Chandler said. Over the coming months, the community will see various fundraisers and local events designed to help build the scholarship fund. This scholarship is intended to support the next generation of law enforcement who will serve Southwest Virginia with the same integrity and heart that Michael was known for. Each recipient will carry a piece of Michael's legacy: a legacy built on bravery and a true desire to make his community safer and stronger. This scholarship is a living memorial. It ensures that Michael's name, his values and his impact will carry on through generations of law enforcement officers who choose to protect and serve this community, the release said. Each future recipient will step into the profession with a piece of Michael's legacy beside them, it said. "For me, this scholarship is deeply personal," Natasha added. "It is a way to continue giving back to the same community that has stood by me and my family through unthinkable loss. It is a way to support the next wave of first responders who will stand on the front lines just as Michael once did. It is a way to ensure his legacy never fades." The release said the endowed scholarship will remain a permanent fund at MECC, ensuring that Michael's name and his impact live on for generations.