Woodward-Grivich Endowed Scholarship

The Woodward-Grivich Endowed Scholarship is established by Walter “Mac” Woodward Jr. and his wife, Leanne Grivich Woodward in memory of their parents, Nick ’40, ’48 and Winifred (Corley) ’48 Grivich and Dr. Mac and Mary (Robinson) Woodward. Nick and Winifred were both first-generation college students who met during Nick’s senior year at Sam Houston State Teachers College. Nick earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1940, and married Winifred in 1942. Afterwards, Nick served in the U.S. army during WWII in the European Theater. After the war, Nick and Winifred returned to SHSTC, Huntsville, Texas to continue their studies. In 1948, Nick earned a Master of Arts, and Winifred earned a Bachelor of Science. For the rest of their working career, Nick and Winifred dedicated their lives to education and service to others. Winifred was an elementary school teacher, and Nick was a high school teacher, football coach, high school principal, and ultimately Superintendent of Schools. Mac, Sr. was a graduate of the University of Texas and earned his Doctor of Medicine from the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II, Mac, Sr. was a long-time family doctor and surgeon in Huntsville, Texas. Later in his career, Dr. Woodward served as the Director of Health Services at Sam Houston State University. Mary Smither (Robinson) Woodward was born and raised in Huntsville, Texas, a 5th generation citizen of Huntsville, Texas. Her father, Wilbourn Robinson, was a Managing Partner of the Gibbs Brothers and Company of Huntsville, the oldest continuously owned family business on the same location in the state of Texas. Dr. Mac and Mary married on June 21, 1947, in Huntsville, Texas. They raised their family in Huntsville and devoted years of selfless service to the Huntsville community.

In the words of Mac and Leanne Woodward, “It is our deepest honor to establish the Woodward-Grivich Scholarship in memory of our dear parents. Our folks made us what we are today. They gave us the foundation of love, humility, and service to others. And both our parents provided both of us an extraordinary education at Sam Houston State University! It is with respect and joy that we want to “pay it forward” and help future students attain an extraordinary education at SHSU. We hope that the Woodward-Grivich Scholarship may help students in some small way toward earning their degree at our beloved Sam Houston.”