YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown State University Foundation announced a new endowment for the YSU English Festival.
The Stephen Sniderman English Festival Endowment has been established by the Sniderman family, including Stephen Snidernman’s wife, Marilyn, and children Lani, Andy and Peter, for the festival.
“We are proud of our dad’s legacy of creativity and education,” Peter Sniderman, Stephen’s older son, said in a news release. “He had an incredibly fertile mind, and we’re honored to share his vision and passion with future generations.”
Sniderman taught in YSU’s English Department for 41 years, retiring in 2010. He was one of the earliest members of the English Festival Committee and joined the English Festival Advisory Board upon his retirement, serving the festival for 40 years.
At festival awards ceremonies, his traditional spot was by the stairs at the edge of the stage, where he would be among the first people to congratulate the hundreds of festival contestant winners each year.
The Stephen Sniderman English Festival Endowment will fund monetary prizes and other expenses of the Writing Games, one of the most popular activities at the festival, consistent with Sniderman’s longtime interest in both games and writing. The Writing Games will be named the Stephen Sniderman Memorial Writing Games to honor his memory.
“Dr. Sniderman was dedicated to teaching young people and loved passing along his passion for books to others,” said Andrew Zajac, YSU Foundation senior development officer. “The English Festival at YSU wouldn’t have been what it is today without the energy and enthusiasm he had for the festival for so many years. This endowment will ensure that his passion for reading and the English Festival will live on for generations to come.”
Donations to the endowment can be made on the YSU Foundation’s website.