Family of longtime professor set up endowment for future Youngstown English Festivals

For over 40 years, Stephen Sniderman taught in Youngstown State University’s English department and was instrumental in organizing the YSU English Festival each year.

Now, the Sniderman family is helping Stephen continue his dedication to the annual festival after his death in 2023.

Stephen Sniderman Endowment

Sniderman started teaching at YSU in 1969, focusing on his favorites like Huckleberry Finn and William Faulkner.

Sniderman was one of the earliest members of the English Festival Committee and joined the English Festival Advisory Board when he retired in 2010.

Each year, the festival wraps up with awards ceremonies.

Fellow organizers say during the ceremony, Sniderman could always be found by the stairs at the edge of the stage to congratulate participants and was one of the first people to congratulate the hundreds of festival contestant winners each year.

His peers at YSU said he was dedicated to advancing young people’s love of reading and appreciation of writing.

YSU Foundation Senior Development Officer Andrew Zajac said the English Festival “wouldn’t have been the same without the energy and enthusiasm he had for the festival for so many years.”

“Dr. Sniderman was dedicated to teaching young people and loved passing along his passion for books to others,” said Zajac. “This endowment will ensure that his passion for reading and the English Festival will live on for generations to come.”

The Stephen Sniderman Endowment will pay for monetary prizes won by students in the writing games he created.

“We are proud of our dad’s legacy of creativity and education. He had an incredibly fertile mind, and we’re honored to share his vision and passion with future generations,” said Peter Sniderman, the older son of Stephen.