The medal's obverse bears portrait of Charles "Chuck" Yeager, facing. To his left, "Only / the Best"; Around, MARSHALL UNIVERSITY / SOCIETY OF YEAGER SCHOLARS; signed on shoulder at right, (GG monogram)
The reverse bears the seal of the university. Around, SIGILLUM UNIVERSITATIS MARSHALLENSIS / (star) 1837 (star)
The Society of Yeager Scholars is named for U.S. Air Force Brigadier General (Ret.) Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, who is a native of Lincoln County, W.Va. In October 1947, Yeager became the first supersonic pilot by breaking the sound barrier in a Bell X-1 experimental aircraft in California.
Marshall Scholars undergo an extended competition, involving a challenging written application and two interviews -- one by telephone and one by a panel of interviewers on the Huntington campus of Marshall University. The final selection is made by university faculty and staff, university alumni, Society of Yeager Scholars board members and community members.