Jim and Martha Greenwood

This fund was established by Jim and Martha Greenwood to provide scholarships for deserving students with physical disabilities who are pursuing degrees in the fields of Engineering, Computer Sciences or Sciences.

Jim Greenwood was born in Gorham, Maine in 1941, and, although he was confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, he didn’t know the meaning of the word “disability.” Jim was senior class president at Gorham High School. He attended Southern Illinois University and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965, majoring in Political Science and his Master of Science in Education in 1968, majoring in Higher Education with a specialization in College Student Personnel.

Jim chose SIU because it was one ofthe few schools in the country with facilities for the handicapped. Known as Greenie to his friends, Jim served as a Resident Fellow at Thompson Point on the SIU campus.

Jim was hired by IBM and worked in their personnel department for 29 years. He served as Regional Manager for National College Recruiting in Atlanta, Georgia the last seven-and-a-half years and his responsibilities included recruiting at 35 universities from Texas to Maryland. In 1995, Jim and his wife, Martha, retired to Venice, Florida. He helped design their special home that was architecturally friendly to him. He remained active during retirement by helping to coach the league softball team of Christ Methodist Church, teaching sailing to disabled people through SALT (Sailing Alternatives), being an active Big Brother in the Big Brothers and Sisters organization, and even teaching in the Venice High School “New Deal” program for kids at risk. Jim had a big heart and “can do” spirit.

Jim passed on May 6,2009 and Martha died on January 30, 2013.