Jim Black

Jim Black grew up in Owen County, Kentucky, graduating from Owen County High School in 1960. After a year out of school, Jim entered Eastern Kentucky University—choosing Eastern because it was close to home, and, as Jim so fondly remembers, "President Bob Martin gave me a scholarship."

In fact, Jim recounts the day his dad took him for a visit to Eastern. "I'll never forget the day I met Dr. Martin. Dad drove me to the Eastern campus in his old pickup truck, parked it right in front of the administration building, and went in with me. It is a wonder the pickup truck wasn't towed." With his scholarship in hand, and while also working for the Southern Dollar Store in Richmond, Jim went on to complete four successful years at Eastern—graduating with a business major and an accounting emphasis in 1965.

Reflecting upon his Eastern experience, Jim is reminded of the movie Spencer's Mountain. At the end of the movie, the young boy going off to college boards a bus, leaving his family in tears, and takes a back seat. Seeing the boy in tears, an old man asks if he's going very far. The boy replies, "Right far."

Jim, too, has gone right far since that day he and his dad visited Dr. Martin. Jim's Eastern experience developed into a successful career in accounting and has provided him many opportunities he otherwise would not have had. "Without Eastern, I would be back in Owen County plowing ground and raising tobacco. I am grateful for what Eastern provided me."

Now Jim is giving back to those who helped him along the way by providing funding for a charitable gift annuity with Eastern as a way to help future students. In addition, he gives the income he receives from the annuity to the Owen County Rotary Club, which helped him while he was at Eastern and is still providing for Owen County students attending college.

Jim has never forgotten Eastern and others who were influential in his life. Perhaps you, too, would like to support Eastern while also receiving an income stream for life. A charitable gift annuity is a wonderful way to accomplish both goals. Please feel free to contact Melinda A. Murphy, J.D., at melinda.murphy@eku.edu or by calling 859.622.8090 for any questions you may have.