Jane DeRose Evans was elected as ASOR’s next President by the Board of Trustees during the Annual Meeting in November 2024. Jane will serve as the President-elect during 2025 as current President Sharon Herbert finishes her term. Below is her vision statement for ASOR:
ASOR is in a very healthy place overall – we have an active annual meeting where important information is shared and discussed; we produce excellent publications; we provide support for fieldwork of different kinds; and we have strong support in terms of development from a host of members. Because of ASOR’s health and size, we have been able to shift out of crisis mode and into long-range planning mode. I suggest that this long-term planning would include broadening ASOR’s audience for its programs, publications, and outreach. This includes scholars of ancient history, archaeology, Biblical studies, cultural heritage, digital humanities, and philology, as well as serious laypersons who are interested in these same topics. We can ensure the long-term viability of ASOR by bringing younger members into positions of responsibility, making sure that they have a voice in the future of ASOR, and that we readily acknowledge their contributions of time, thought, and work to the organization. We do not need to, nor should we, replicate other learned societies, but we need to provide programming and member opportunities to learn about and work in regions or areas of specialty that are specific and of interest to the membership.