2025 BRENDA S. TOWNSEND SERVICE AWARD WINNER
Emily Prendergrass, Vanderbilt University
2025 GARY MOORMAN EARLY CAREER LITERACY SCHOLAR AWARD WINNER
Gillian Mertens, SUNY Cortland
2025 GRADUATE STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS
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Parastoo Abedini, University of Alabama
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Jihane Amayou, University of Alabama
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Joyce Animah, University of Alabama
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Abbie Bracelin, University of Central Florida
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Leigh Bancroft, University of Florida
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Tiatasha Brown, University of Central Florida
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Jing Lyu, University of Florida
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Serafima Mintz, University of Florida
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Laura Snyder, University of Central Florida
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Amy Zhou, University of Florida
Brenda S. Townsend Service Award
Legacy Winners
2025 - Emily Prendergrass
2024 - Jennifer Van Allen
2023 - Enrique Puig
2022 - Vicky Cardullo
2020 - Vicky Zygouris-Coe
2019 - Carla K. Meyer
2018 - Lynn Yribarren
2017 - Mona Matthews
2016 - George G. Hruby
2015 - Nance Wilson
2014 - Jill Lewis-Spector
2013 - Missy Laine
2012 - Chet Laine
2011 - Cindy Hendricks
2010 - Joyce C. Fine
2008 - Sarah L. Dowhower
2006 - Donna E. Alvermann
2005 - Gary Moorman
2004 - Brenda S. Townsend
The Brenda S. Townsend Service Award
Chair: Emily Prendergrass (e.prendergrass@vanderbilt.edu)
For the dedicated service to the organization, the process of nomination and selection will be as follows:
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A current member of the American Reading Forum must nominate the person by submitting a nomination letter to the chair.
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The nominee has to have been a member of the American Reading Forum for at least 10 consecutive years and has to have served the organization for at least 10 years in multiple capacities.
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Nominations are to be sent to the chair of the Service Award Committee by October 1st. The letters of nomination will be read by the committee members.
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In October, the Service Award Committee will vote on whether there will be a recipient for the next conference and whom it will be.
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Presentation of the award, a plaque and lifetime membership in the American Reading Forum, will be made at the conference.
(The awardee will still have to pay for conference fees in order to attend.)
The Gary Moorman Early Career Literacy Scholar Award Legacy Winners
2025 Winner
Gillian Mertens
2024 Winner
Jennifer Van Slander
2023 WINNER
Adam Brieske-Ulenski
2022 WINNER
Jason DeHart
2021 WINNER
Brittany Adams
2020 WINNER
Jeanne Dyches
2019 WINNERS
Emily Howell & Jennifer Van Allen
2018 WINNERS
Rachelle Savitz & Carrie Symons
2017 WINNERS
Trevor Stewart & Vicky Cardullo
2014 WINNER
James Nageldinger
The ARF Graduate Student Scholarship Award
Chair: ARF Board (americanreadingforumorg@gmail.com)
To Apply:
Graduate students presenting at the December 2026 conference are eligible for consideration for a scholarship. The amount varies from year to year. The scholarship may only be awarded to a person once.
If interested, please complete the following steps:
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Submit a proposal by October 5. Please save your paper proposal submission as: lastname.ARF2026GradStudentProposal.
ARF graduate proposals must follow the format of standard proposals, but have two review rounds.-
Round 1: Proposals Due August 3 -- Notification by September 8.
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Round 2: Proposals Due October 5-- Notification by November 2.
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Ask an ARF member to write a brief letter of nomination on your behalf. Letters of nomination should be sent to the ARF Board (americanreadingforumorg@gmail.com) by October 5.
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Accepted proposals for a full paper presentation will be informed by November 2.
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If your proposal is accepted, you are required to submit your conference presentation and all handouts to americanreadingforumorg@gmail.com by December 1.
You must register and attend the conference to be eligible for the scholarship. Scholarship awards will be determined by the ARF Board and announced during the Business Meeting at the ARF conference in December.
All papers will be published in the American Reading Forum’s Annual Yearbook at www.americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/index.shtml.
The Gary Moorman Early Career Literacy Scholar Award
Chair: Vicky Zygouris-Coe (vzygouri@ucf.edu)
The Gary Moorman Early Career Literacy Scholar Award is given to junior American Reading Forum (ARF) members who are at the early stages of their career (generally defined as the first five years post-doctorate). This annual award was established in 2017 and is named after Dr. Gary Moorman, Professor Emeritus, Appalachian State University, in honor of his leadership and mentoring of young scholars. The award includes both a monetary prize and a commemorative plaque.
Criteria for Consideration
The award targets early career ARF members. The primary criterion is engagement in innovative reading/literacy research that addresses critical questions about policy, theory, and/or instructional practice. Active participation in professional organizations, particularly ARF, will also be considered. Applications will be reviewed by the ARF Awards Committee, chaired by Dr. Vicky Zygouris-Coe (vzygouri@ucf.edu). Application materials include:
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A nomination letter (maximum 1000 word letter) submitted by a current ARF member (self-nomination letters will not be accepted
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A statement about the importance of the applicant’s research for the reading/literacy field (maximum of 1000 word statement).
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A current curriculum vitae
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Sample publications (maximum 2)
All application-related materials should be submitted in a single PDF document to Vicky Zygouris-Coe by October 1.