"When you have books and music in your life, you are never alone." –Anna Mae Koval
Anna Mae Koval loved to read, especially to her six grandchildren, and her love of words, books, and ideas has left a cherished legacy to the next generation. It is in this spirit that Edward Koval and his family have established the Anna Mae Koval Scholarship Fund at GSLIS. Income from his bequest of $1 million will provide need-based scholarships to students who work with the Center for Children’s Books (CCB) and have research interests in youth services and literature. This is the largest single bequest GSLIS has received to date.
Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, a young Anna Mae Carney traveled the world and explored her own imagination through books. Later, she shared her love of reading and learning with young people as a librarian at Chicago's Mercy High School as well as the Avalon Park Branch and the South Shores Branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Anna Mae and Edward married in 1953 and moved to Maryland when Edward was drafted into the army. They later returned to Illinois, where Edward attended graduate school at the University of Illinois, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering and a master’s in business administration. The Kovals raised their three boys—James, Paul, and David—in Decatur, Illinois, where Ed worked as a vice president with the A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company.
Anna Mae continued to work with young readers as a volunteer, and she instilled a love of reading in her own children and later her six grandchildren. Paul and David also attended Illinois and earned degrees in English and history, respectively. David’s wife, Jenni Taylor Koval, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in advertising from Illinois as well.
When Anna Mae passed away in March 2012, her family wanted to find a way to honor her memory. Anna Mae and Edward had always been passionate about supporting education, so when Edward learned about GSLIS and the Center for Children’s Books, he knew that this was the right fit.
“We always believed that education is the most significant part of a person’s life and a love of reading makes future success possible,” said Koval.
The scholarship recipients will be supported in their love of learning, their academic careers, and their commitment to the vital work that libraries do for their communities.
This spring, Koval hosted CCB Director Deborah Stevenson and Assistant Dean for Advancement Diana Stroud at his Arizona retirement community home, where Stevenson gave a presentation to a group of Koval’s fellow residents. She gave an overview of the CCB and discussed current trends in youth literature. Alumna Julie Yen (MS ’07), library supervisor at Mesa Community College, also visited and entertained the group by telling two stories.
“I know Anna Mae loved the University of Illinois, and I can’t think of a better way to honor my wife of fifty-nine years than with this scholarship in her name, in an area that she loved,” said Koval.
Koval was so eager to begin honoring his wife that he has also agreed to develop a current use fund so scholarships can begin to be awarded in 2014.
“It has been such a pleasure to work with the Koval family on this gift. Their love for Anna Mae and their desire to honor her legacy of working with young people is inspiring and infectious. I know that this very significant gift will benefit generations of students, and in turn, countless children across the country,” said Stroud.