Shenandoah University Establishes Dr. Karen Huff Legacy Endowment For Children’s Literacy
Surprise gift for Children’s Literacy Conference co-founder and longtime director announced during conference’s 40th-year celebration
The Children’s Literature Conference at Shenandoah University celebrated its 40th year in 2026, and the university has unveiled the steps taken to ensure the conference remains a leader in the advancement of children’s literacy for years to come.
The university announced on June 25 the establishment of the Dr. Karen Huff Legacy Endowment for Children’s Literacy, named for the CLC’s co-founder and the longtime director of Shenandoah’s children’s literature program. The endowment was a surprise gift for Karen Huff, Ed.D., during the Children’s Literature Conference’s 40th Anniversary Celebration reception on Day 2 of the three-day event.
To establish the endowment, the university quietly launched an appeal to past donors, alumni, and current and past attendees of the Children’s Literature Conference during Shenandoah’s annual Day of Giving in April. Shenandoah easily beat its original $50,000 goal, with nearly $100,000 contributed to the endowment when it was announced on June 25.
“We are all so grateful and so amazed at Dr. Huff’s 40 years of vision and leadership. Karen so often credits Nancy Larrick Crosby and her colleagues for the tremendous success of the Children’s Literature Conference, but this was Karen’s vision, and so much of what makes the conference special is a result of the passion and leadership she pours into it,” said Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D. “This is an amazing thing she has built, but we know that nothing, no matter how amazing it is, can run on air alone, and keeping the vision moving forward requires a long-term plan. It needs long-term financial stability. We wanted to ensure that Karen’s life work would continue in perpetuity, that the Children’s Literature Conference can forever introduce our youth to the joys of reading and empower future generations of educators.”
Shenandoah’s Children’s Literature Conference, which debuted in 1986, and is generously supported by the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, brings together children, educators, librarians and many others who play vital roles in children’s literacy with world-renowned, award-winning authors and illustrators through a combination of virtual and in-person events. In 2026, the CLC featured virtual presentations from April 28-June 9, and a three-day in-person conference on June 24-26, as well as several in-person events designed specifically for children.
The Dr. Karen Huff Legacy Endowment provides stable, long-term support for the Children’s Literature Conference to continue promoting children’s literature and literacy development for generations to come, while also remaining an accessible opportunity for educators.
To know that this work will continue in perpetuity is the greatest gift I could ever receive. The heart of the Children’s Literature Conference has always been simple: put books in children’s hands and inspire the teachers and librarians who guide them. When educators truly know the literature, they can spark that lifelong passion. Our ultimate goal has never changed: teachers must do an excellent job of teaching children the foundational skills of reading, but they must also be role models who share books children can’t wait to read. Mastery of the mechanics means nothing if a child is never engaged enough to actually open a book.”
Karen Huff, Ed.D., Director of Shenandoah’s Children’s Literacy Program
Also during the CLC’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, Huff was gifted a memory book featuring stories and photographs provided by past conference participants, students and elementary education alumni from Shenandoah’s Division of Education and Leadership. Many of Huff’s family and friends also made a surprise appearance during the reception to celebrate her work with the CLC and her commitment to children’s literacy over the last four decades.
