FHU Students Micaiah Widrig and Matthew Moses Awarded the Stephen Hatchett Memorial Scholarship

Henderson, TN (12/12/2025) — FHU freshmen Micaiah Widrig, of Christiansburg, VA, and Matthew Moses, of Ooltewah, TN, were awarded this fall's Stephen Hatchett Memorial Scholarship, which has been awarded for more than 20 years at Freed-Hardeman University. Stephen Hatchett (1985-2011) passed away at 25 after a lifelong battle with Batten Disease. His parents, Randy and Sherry Hatchett, and brother, Rob Hatchett, attended FHU.

Winners of this scholarship are asked to write a two-page essay about the special-needs person who has had a significant impact on their lives. Widrig and Moses each wrote about their brothers.

"My little brother, Carter, was adopted when he was born. When he had an issue with eating and had to be put on a feeding tube, it was a life-threatening situation and it was a difficult time for my family," said Moses, a nursing major. "My goal is to give patients the best experience and empathy because that is what families need the most."

Widrig wrote about his younger brother, Reagan, and what he meant to their family. "This scholarship means a lot to me, and it will help me not be in debt. I really needed this." Widrig is a law and politics major.

Rob Hatchett presented Moses and Widrig with their scholarships during chapel Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.

"You hear people's words and then you meet them in person, see their hearts and hear that in their writing," he said. "As they told the story about their siblings, I thought about my sibling, and there was a connection there on paper. We get a lot of stories each year, and it's tough to narrow it down to just a couple."

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(l to r) Rob Hatchett, Matthew Moses, Micaiah Widrig and Randy Hatchett pose together following the announcement of the winners of the Stephen Hatchett Memorial Scholarship during chapel Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.