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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University will host an "Everybody Reads" program in April and May celebrating the work of award-winning American writer Tobias Wolff, who will visit Portland and the OSU campus later this spring.

The "Everybody Reads" campaign is designed to engage the community with Wolff's writing in advance of his visit. The program is sponsored by the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing in OSU's College of Liberal Arts. Students in the MFA program will lead readings and discussions about Wolff's work, as well as Wolff-inspired writing workshops.

The program will culminate with a free public reading by Wolff, who will visit Oregon May 21-22 to receive OSU's Stone Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement.

On May 21, Wolff will be honored at a ticketed event at the Portland Art Museum. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at the museum's ticket office or online: http://bit.ly/1hJXdVh. On May 22, Wolff will appear at a free public reading, lecture and book signing at OSU. The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. in the CH2M HILL Alumni Center, 725 S.W. 26th St., Corvallis.

Wolff is best known for his work in two genres: the short story and the memoir. His first short story collection, "In the Garden of the North American Martyrs," was published in 1981. Wolff chronicled his early life in two memoirs, "In Pharaoh's Army" (1994) and "This Boy's Life" (1989).

The "Everybody Reads" events, all free and open to the public, are:

• 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, public book club discussion of "Old School," Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave.
• 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, public reading group, "This Boy's Life," Grass Roots Books & Music, 227 S.W. Second St.
• 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, young adult creative writing club, selected short stories; Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.
• 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, Tobias Wolff discussion group, led by OSU creative writing Professor Keith Scribner, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.

 The MFA students also will visit classes at OSU, Linn-Benton Community College, Corvallis High School, Harding Alternative High School and Crescent Valley High School.

The biennial Stone Award recognizes a major American author who has created a body of critically-acclaimed work and has mentored young writers. Wolff is the second recipient; the first was Joyce Carol Oates in 2012.

The award was established in 2011 by Patrick and Vicki Stone to spotlight OSU's Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing. The honorarium for the award is $20,000, making it one of the most substantial awards for lifetime literary achievement offered by any university in the country.