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AGTA Launches Scholarship for University of Arizona Geosciences Students
The inaugural Dick Greenwood Memorial Scholarship in Gems Science will cover the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), in partnership with the University of Arizona (UA), has launched the Dick Greenwood Memorial Scholarship in Gems Science, created in honor of the late gemstone dealer Dick Greenwood.
Dallas—The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has announced a new scholarship created in partnership with the University of Arizona (UA).
The Dick Greenwood Memorial Scholarship in Gems Science was created in honor of the late gemstone dealer Richard (Dick) Greenwood who died in 2019.
The scholarship will fund one year of tuition and fees for a fourth-year Geosciences major at UA.
The first award will cover the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
AGTA will pay the student’s tuition directly to UA, and this scholarship will exist in perpetuity.
The funding comes from a newly formed AGTA 501(c)(3) Foundation, which will accept tax-deductible donations from the industry, as well as provide funding from its trade shows.
Criteria for applicant selection will be established by the AGTA Foundation scholarship committee early next year.
Officials at UA said they are delighted to offer their students this opportunity.
“We thank AGTA for its generosity in helping us move closer toward our mission of educating young minds who will fill and expand the pipeline of the next generation of gem and mineral experts,” said Joellen Russell, a UA distinguished professor, and Thomas R. Brown, a distinguished chair of Integrative Science, and head of the department of Geosciences in a joint statement.
“The UA Geosciences [department] is deeply impressed by the commitment of AGTA to our young gem and mineral scientists and their future careers. Collaborating with AGTA to train and support the next generation of gem science leaders has been a long-held goal of our UA Geosciences [department] that we are delighted is growing rapidly!”
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The Dick Greenwood Memorial Scholarship in Gems Science was created in honor of the late gemstone dealer Richard (Dick) Greenwood who died in 2019.
The scholarship will fund one year of tuition and fees for a fourth-year Geosciences major at UA.
The first award will cover the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
AGTA will pay the student’s tuition directly to UA, and this scholarship will exist in perpetuity.
The funding comes from a newly formed AGTA 501(c)(3) Foundation, which will accept tax-deductible donations from the industry, as well as provide funding from its trade shows.
Criteria for applicant selection will be established by the AGTA Foundation scholarship committee early next year.
Officials at UA said they are delighted to offer their students this opportunity.
“We thank AGTA for its generosity in helping us move closer toward our mission of educating young minds who will fill and expand the pipeline of the next generation of gem and mineral experts,” said Joellen Russell, a UA distinguished professor, and Thomas R. Brown, a distinguished chair of Integrative Science, and head of the department of Geosciences in a joint statement.
“The UA Geosciences [department] is deeply impressed by the commitment of AGTA to our young gem and mineral scientists and their future careers. Collaborating with AGTA to train and support the next generation of gem science leaders has been a long-held goal of our UA Geosciences [department] that we are delighted is growing rapidly!”
The idea for this scholarship came shortly after Greenwood’s passing.
He was remembered as being generous with his time and knowledge, especially for industry newcomers, and he ran the wholesale gemstone business A. F. Greenwood & Co., which was started by his father.
Richard (Dick) Greenwood, former owner of A. F. Greenwood & Co.
Greenwood was also devoted to the jewelry industry and contributed in various ways, including serving on the American Gem Society board, as well as on the AGTA board, where he served as president twice.
With help from Greenwood’s colleagues and dedicated donations, AGTA Board President Kimberly Collins has worked to ensure the scholarship was established.
“I am thrilled that we are finally able to make this education scholarship in Dick Greenwood’s name a reality,” said Collins, whose three-year term will end next year.
“This was one of my last goals as president, to make sure it came to fruition. Richard (Dick) Greenwood epitomized what AGTA strives for in the gemstone and jewelry industry. The highest ethical standards and integrity. He was always striving to learn more, to be better, to be responsible. To take care of those that enable us to be successful.”
Bruce Bridges of Bridges Tsavorite will become president at the 2025 AGTA GemFair in Tucson.
John W. Ford Sr., CEO of AGTA praised Collins for seeing the project through.
“The idea for this scholarship started at AGTA, but I want to credit Kim for never giving up on this idea and fulfilling this promise made to honor Dick Greenwood’s legacy,” he said.
“Kim persisted to see it through to completion. This scholarship is the first initiative on a long list of commitments that AGTA has in store to bring more young people into the industry and work with the UA to do so.”
Questions about the scholarship can be directed to AGTA at info@agta.org or to Scott Coleman, director of marketing and communications for the UA College of Science, at scottcoleman@arizona.edu.
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