Emeritus prof, founder of YSU English Festival earns lifetime service award

Gary Salvner, emeritus professor and former chair of the Youngstown State University English Department, received the ALAN Award at the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention in Atlanta.

Also at the NCTE conference, Margaret Ford of Campbell, Ohio, long-time adjunct faculty member in the YSU English Department, received the Ted Hipple Award for service to the organization. Ford is a former teacher and librarian in the Campbell City Schools, the former administrative assistant of the YSU English Festival, and the current ALAN treasurer.

This is the first time two major awards by ALAN were given simultaneously to individuals affiliated with the same institution.

The ALAN Award, given annually by the Adolescent Literature Assembly of NCTE, is a lifetime service award that honors an individual who has made “outstanding contributions to the field of young adult literature.” Typically given to major authors who write for young people, it also is occasionally given to educators and professionals in the field.

Salvner has served as a board member and president of ALAN and as its executive director for ten years. He has published three books and more than 30 scholarly articles and book chapters, and he has presented more than 60 scholarly papers at state, national and international conferences. He also has held multiple editorial positions for state and national journals and has been a co-recipient of over $1 million dollars in grants.

He helped establish the YSU English Festival in 1978 and has served on the Festival Committee for all of its 38 years, the last 24 as either chair or co-chair. The YSU English Festival is a nationally recognized, award-winning model for encouraging and rewarding reading and writing among young people. It has brought to campus more than 100,000 area students who have read almost 750,000 books as part of their participation. The festival is supported by student registrations, annual donations, and five endowment funds, two of which were established by Salvner.

Salvner came to YSU in 1977, retired in 2012, and continues to teach in the extended teaching program. He is the recipient of four Distinguished Professor Awards, the Watson and Chair Leadership Awards, and a Distinguished Student Service Award. He was also honored as the Ohio Outstanding College English Teacher of the Year in 1993.