Literacy skilled and advocate Allen Berger ’57, G’66 was honored with the William Pearson Tolley Medal for Adult Education and Lifelong Learning at the 2022 One University Awards on Friday, April 22.
Allen Berger ’57, G’66
The One University Awards is a celebration of excellence in teachers, scholarship, inventive work and devoted service by members of the Syracuse University neighborhood and past.
Now a resident of Savannah, Georgia, Berger is Heckert Professor of Reading and Writing Emeritus at Miami University (Ohio). During his educational profession, he additionally taught at Southern Illinois University, University of Alberta (Canada), and University of Pittsburgh. After retiring from Miami University, he joined the college of Armstrong Atlantic State University (now half of Georgia Southern University).
“Not only has Allen Berger supported others’ lifelong learning through his professional work and service for decades but he is also the quintessential example of a lifelong learner himself,” says Kelly Chandler-Olcott, interim dean, School of Education. “He is joining new communities and mastering new content well into retirement, which I find inspirational.”
After Berger graduated from Utica College in 1957—then half of Syracuse University—he served in the U.S. Army (together with six months lively responsibility) earlier than turning into a reporter/photographer for the Lynchburg (Virginia) News. He then earned a grasp’s diploma from Albany State Teachers College (1960), starting his lengthy profession in instructing. He taught English and studying for a number of years at Utica Free Academy and Monroe High School in Rochester, New York, earlier than incomes a doctorate from Syracuse University School of Education in 1966.
As an instructional and scholar, Berger co-authored and co-edited 10 books, revealed greater than 400 articles and chapters on studying and writing schooling, and served as a resident author in language arts at Houghton Mifflin. He is a previous recipient of the Laureate Award from the College Reading Association and is a Fellow in the National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy.
At Miami University, Berger started Teens for Literacy. This program encourages inner-city college students to promote literacy of their colleges and communities. It has been utilized in greater than 100 colleges all through the nation, together with in his adopted house of Georgia, thanks to Berger’s personal advocacy.
Berger is former chair of the Live Oak Public Libraries Board of Trustees; former president and secretary of the LOPL Foundation (serving to to set up the Savannah Children’s Book Festival); and a member of the Academic Success and Youth Development panels of the United Way of the Coastal Empire. After retirement, Berger added to his experience by coaching to serve on the Chatham County Board of Equalization, which permits property homeowners to attraction property values.
To honor his dad and mom—Henry and Goldie Berger, who constructed a profitable tailor store and dry cleansing enterprise in Utica—Allen established the Dr. Allen Berger Endowed Scholarship. Funded by means of a deliberate present, the scholarship supplies monetary help to School of Education graduate college students, with desire given to research in literacy schooling.
Syracuse University established the Tolley Medal in 1966 to acknowledge excellent contributions by nationwide and worldwide leaders in what was then often known as grownup schooling. For 4 many years, William Pearson Tolley was one of the nation’s pre-eminent leaders in increased schooling. By the time he retired in 1969, having served as the University’s Chancellor for 27 years, he had reconfigured the Syracuse campus, tripled enrollment and made lifelong studying his profession legacy.
In naming the award for Tolley, the Board of Trustees paid tribute to a person whose personal curiosity was expressed in constant, private help of Syracuse’s grownup schooling actions worldwide.
Past Tolley Medal recipients are: Don McPherson ’87 (2021); Donald P. Ely (2019); Marlene Blumin (2018); Ruth Colvin ’59, H’73 (2016); Naomi Warren (2013); Deborah Appleman (2012); Ethel Blatt (2011); Tom Skrtic (2009); Morris Keeton (2004); Kay J. Kohl (2003); Milton Reid (1994); Alexander Nathaniel Charters (1986); Paul Henry Bertelsen (1983); Thurman James White (1979); Lalage Brown (1975); James Robbins Kidd (1973); Kenneth G. Bartlett (1971); Sidney G. Raybould (1970); Mohan S. Mehta (1969); and Cyril O. Houle (1966).