ASOR’s Summer Stipend Program is underway for summer 2021! Summer is usually when many ASOR members and students travel to undertake fieldwork. With travel still uncertain this year, ASOR launched its inaugural Summer Stipend Program. Through this initiative, Summer Stipend recipients have the opportunity to work with directors of ASOR-affiliated archaeological projects on non-fieldwork components of archaeological research. Over the course of the summer, stipend recipients will be meeting virtually with those in their cohort group to network and assist with professional development. The 4 cohort meetings will cover the following topics: Mentorship, Community, and Social Capital; Topics in Diversity: Imposter Syndrome, Code Switching, and Self-Advocacy; Academia Reimagined/Alternative Futures; and Future Fieldwork.
Fueling this effort is ASOR’s commitment to expanding the diversity of our membership and supporting the next generation of scholars. ASOR seeks to increase the diversity of grant applicants by encouraging applications from BIPOC scholars and students, increasing visibility and engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and community colleges, and providing financial support. This year, ASOR awarded 27 summer stipends, 6 of which went to BIPOC students.
Mentorship is a key component of the Summer Stipend Program. To continue support beyond the summer, we are also starting a mentorship program that pairs Summer Stipend students with ASOR members. The goal here is to encourage the next generation of ASOR scholars by connecting them with a supportive network that offers sound professional advice, and encourages participation on ASOR-affiliated excavation projects and in the Annual Meeting.
ASOR’s mentorship initiatives do not start or stop here! Numerous ASOR groups are involved with mentoring the next generation of ASOR scholars and members. The ASOR Initiative on the Status of Women has been hosting mentoring roundtable lunches at the Annual Meeting for many years. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and the Early Career Scholars Committee are both also involved in efforts to support students and encourage their involvement in ASOR.
With so many avenues for ASOR members to get involved with mentoring, we hope you will find the right fit for you!
2-For-1 Match for Gifts to Endow Diversity at ASOR
Update—June 17, 2021 ($7,895 needed to earn remaining $15,790 of matching gift)[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]
A Time for Change
There are tipping points in history when systemic cultural and economic inequities must be faced head-on with courage and commitment. We at ASOR believe that our society is facing such a tipping point now with regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rarely do we see such a convergence of understanding and a desire for change. In this moment, ASOR is fortunate that one of our trustees has taken the initiative to provide a 2-for-1 challenge gift that will enable our organization to create sustainable change.
An Exciting Initiative
ASOR has long aspired to be an instrument of change, and it is a recognized leader for setting professional, ethical, academic, and cultural standards. Nothing illustrates this better than this exciting and generous 2-for-1 challenge gift of $150,000. This is the cornerstone of a targeted campaign to raise $250,000 to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The purpose of this initiative is to permanently increase participation in ASOR by students and scholars who are African American/Black and Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC). By acting effectively now, ASOR can be a leader in setting standards and procedures to promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.
How the Matching Challenge Works
This ambitious, expedited campaign, made possible by a 2:1 leadership pledge of $150,000 by Trustee Carolyn Midkiff Strange, has a June 30 deadline. From now until the end of June, every dollar contributed to this campaign (up to a total of $75,000) is being matched with two dollars. A contribution of $100 will be matched with $200, a gift of $5,000 will be matched with $10,000, and so on.
Immediate Actions
In the short term (2021), ASOR will use $50,000 to increase participation in ASOR by BIPOC students at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. ASOR will also underwrite Summer Stipends, Annual Meeting travel grants, and mentoring programs for BIPOC students and scholars.
The rest of the short-term funds (for 2021) will buoy an already-launched partnership with Archaeology in the Community (AITC). AITC is a successful non-profit centered in Washington, D.C. that fosters student and community involvement in archaeology, with an emphasis on under-served groups. Together with AITC — and building on their experience — we are developing educational resources to promote engagement in archaeology by secondary-level students.
A Permanent Endowment
ASOR will use the remaining $200,000 from this campaign to establish a permanent endowment that will generate $10,000 per year to support research scholarships, internships, and travel fellowships dedicated to BIPOC students and scholars. These fellowships will be a foundation for future efforts and will be a tangible sign of ASOR’s commitment to long-term change.
Join Us
Extending social equity and equal opportunity throughout all sectors of our world is one of the foremost challenges facing us today. You can join ASOR in making this change happen. Please consider a gift of any amount to help us earn this extraordinary $150,000 challenge gift.
The ASOR DEI Task Force delivered its report to the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees at the May 15-16 meetings. The primary work of the Task Force between September 2020 and May 2021 was to focus on recommendations for improving ASOR diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly as pertain to North American scholars who are Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC), identify ways these objectives could be integrated across the organization, and establish a permanent body that could oversee this and other DEI work. Click here to see the original charge.
After much research and consultation over the last academic year, the Task Force made several recommendations for consideration by ASOR leadership and the ASOR standing committees, including (though not limited to):
Implement structural changes with governance and increase recognition for diversity work across ASOR
Support graduate students and a mentoring program
Increase membership, Annual Meeting, and research scholarships
Create diversity programming including implicit bias and cultural competency professional development
Continue and strengthen partnerships with BIPOC serving institutions and organizations
Continue to make the Annual Meeting more welcoming and accessible
Based on the Task Force recommendations, the Board voted to extend the life of the Task Force through November 2021. Furthermore, the Board charged President Sharon Hebert, in consultation with the Task Force and Vice President Charles Jones, to develop a charge for a new standing ASOR DEI committee to be functioning no later than January 2022. This new committee will be a part of the CCC and work alongside other ASOR committees, the ASOR Office, and ASOR governance to implement the Task Force recommendations.
Throughout the next several months the Task Force will help create the permanent, DEI Standing Committee, will collaborate with ASOR leadership and standing committees as they finalize their DEI objectives and the new ASOR strategic plan, and will communicate with ASOR membership about Task Force recommendations and next steps on how to get involved.
The Task Force would like to thank all of the interviewees and organizations who contributed to these findings and the Early Career Scholars, the Initiative for the Status of Women, ASOR leadership, the ASOR Office, and ASOR members who initiated this work and provided feedback over the last year.
2021 ANNUAL MEETING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENT TRAVEL
In recognition of the fact that the ASOR Annual Meeting is one of the most important places for students to make connections and grow in the field, ASOR is pleased to offer the following types of support for travel to the 2021 Annual Meeting in Chicago:
TFBA recipients staffing the registration desk at the 2017 Annual Meeting.
Student Travel Grants: Up to ten (10) grants of $250 each are made available to students enrolled at an institution that is an institutional member of ASOR (see list of Institutional Members).
The Foundation for Biblical Archaeology Scholarships: Through a generous gift of The Foundation for Biblical Archaeology (TFBA), ASOR will offer up to six (6) scholarships of $700 each for students to attend the Annual Meeting who can in exchange volunteer to help support the meeting. As TFBA recipients will be interacting with many attendees during their volunteer hours, ASOR asks that all those who receive TFBA awards provide proof of vaccination. All ASOR staff working at the meeting will be vaccinated.
Applications for both types of scholarships are due on August 20, 2021 at noonET, and successful applicants will be notified around September 3, 2021. Questions about applying can be directed to Marta Ostovich.
ASOR’s Summer Stipend Program is underway for summer 2021! May is usually when many ASOR members and students travel to undertake fieldwork. With travel still uncertain this year, ASOR launched its inaugural Summer Stipend Program. Through this initiative, Summer Stipend recipients have the opportunity to work with directors of ASOR-affiliated archaeological projects on non-fieldwork components of archaeological research.
Fueling this effort is ASOR’s commitment to expanding the diversity of our membership and supporting the next generation of scholars. ASOR seeks to increase the diversity of grant applicants by encouraging applications from BIPOC scholars and students, increasing visibility and engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and community colleges, and providing financial support. This year, ASOR awarded 27 summer stipends, 6 of which went to BIPOC students.
Mentorship is a key component of the Summer Stipend Program. Over the course of the summer, stipend recipients will be taking part in monthly cohort meetings designed to assist with professional development. To continue support beyond the summer, we are also starting a mentorship program that pairs Summer Stipend students with ASOR members. The goal here is to encourage the next generation of ASOR scholars by connecting them with a supportive network that offers sound professional advice, and encourages participation on ASOR-affiliated excavation projects and in the Annual Meeting.
ASOR’s mentorship initiatives do not start or stop here! Numerous ASOR groups are involved with mentoring the next generation of ASOR scholars and members. The ASOR Initiative on the Status of Women has been hosting mentoring roundtable lunches at the Annual Meeting for many years. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and the Early Career Scholars Committee are both also involved in efforts to support students and encourage their involvement in ASOR.
With so many avenues for ASOR members to get involved with mentoring, we hope you will find the right fit for you!
Summer has arrived at the Strange Center! Staff are still working remotely, with one staff member coming into the office to check mail a couple of times per week. One of the last moves we made before closing down in March 2020 was purchase a beautiful Queen Anne desk that will eventually find it’s home in one of our staff offices.
Orchid blooming in the Strange Center.
The first floor houses Andy’s and Meagan’s office spaces, and also contains the kitchen and work space for processing mail, printing, and scanning. The second floor has the ACOR/CAARI office, Marta and Felice’s offices, and the conference room. The third floor of the Strange Center is still empty and we hope to see the space being used by new colleagues and research associates in the upcoming years. We look forward to hosting our ASOR family at the Strange Center as travel and social interaction become easier.
Last fall saw the arrival of our Eastern Redbud tree in front of the building, made possible by William Andreas and planted in honor of China Shelton (ACOR, CAARI). The tree is now well-established and even bloomed a little this spring. We look forward to many more years of showy pink-purple blossoms in the spring and some much-needed shade during hot Alexandria summers.
Redbud tree in June.
The first blooms of the redbud tree in March.
King St. construction.
Construction of a multi-purpose building on King St. behind the Strange Center started this spring. The four-story building will have a mix of condos, retail, and restaurant space. The building will incorporate a historical building on the corner of King St. and Payne St. that previously housed a restaurant, as well as a parking lot next to it. So far, the construction seems to be going smoothly and there were even some archaeologists surveying and test-pitting the lot this spring.
Our neighborhood in Old Town Alexandria is primed for summer with arrival of a new neighbor across the street, Goodies Frozen Custard and Treats. Goodies occupies a previously unused old ice house (ca. 1931) on Commerce St., a perfect setting for frozen treats. They just opened Memorial Day weekend.
Ice House across from the Strange Center.
ASOR Summer Hours
As in previous years, ASOR staff have the option of taking a half day on Fridays during June, July, and August, with the understanding they will work the extra hours earlier in the week. This means that after 12:30 PM ETon Fridays, ASOR staff may not be around to answer emails and office phones. ASOR staff are grateful for the chance to have a somewhat longer weekend during the summer months. Normal hours will resume in the first week of September and we look forward to the day when we are all back in the Strange Center.
2-For-1 Match for Gifts to Endow Diversity at ASOR
Update—June 4, 2021 ($24,600 needed to earn remaining $49,200 of matching gift)
A Time for Change
There are tipping points in history when systemic cultural and economic inequities must be faced head-on with courage and commitment. We at ASOR believe that our society is facing such a tipping point now with regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rarely do we see such a convergence of understanding and a desire for change. In this moment, ASOR is fortunate that one of our trustees has taken the initiative to provide a 2-for-1 challenge gift that will enable our organization to create sustainable change.
An Exciting Initiative
ASOR has long aspired to be an instrument of change, and it is a recognized leader for setting professional, ethical, academic, and cultural standards. Nothing illustrates this better than this exciting and generous 2-for-1 challenge gift of $150,000. This is the cornerstone of a targeted campaign to raise $250,000 to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The purpose of this initiative is to permanently increase participation in ASOR by students and scholars who are African American/Black and Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC). By acting effectively now, ASOR can be a leader in setting standards and procedures to promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.
How the Matching Challenge Works
This ambitious, expedited campaign, made possible by a 2:1 leadership pledge of $150,000 by Trustee Carolyn Midkiff Strange, has a June 30 deadline. From now until the end of June, every dollar contributed to this campaign (up to a total of $75,000) is being matched with two dollars. A contribution of $100 will be matched with $200, a gift of $5,000 will be matched with $10,000, and so on.
Immediate Actions
In the short term (2021), ASOR will use $50,000 to increase participation in ASOR by BIPOC students at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. ASOR will also underwrite Summer Stipends, Annual Meeting travel grants, and mentoring programs for BIPOC students and scholars.
The rest of the short-term funds (for 2021) will buoy an already-launched partnership with Archaeology in the Community (AITC). AITC is a successful non-profit centered in Washington, D.C. that fosters student and community involvement in archaeology, with an emphasis on under-served groups. Together with AITC — and building on their experience — we are developing educational resources to promote engagement in archaeology by secondary-level students.
A Permanent Endowment
ASOR will use the remaining $200,000 from this campaign to establish a permanent endowment that will generate $10,000 per year to support research scholarships, internships, and travel fellowships dedicated to BIPOC students and scholars. These fellowships will be a foundation for future efforts and will be a tangible sign of ASOR’s commitment to long-term change.
Join Us
Extending social equity and equal opportunity throughout all sectors of our world is one of the foremost challenges facing us today. You can join ASOR in making this change happen. Please consider a gift of any amount to help us earn this extraordinary $150,000 challenge gift.
2-For-1 Match for Gifts to Endow Diversity at ASOR
Update—June 13, 2021 ($11,890 needed to earn remaining $23,780 of matching gift)
A Time for Change
There are tipping points in history when systemic cultural and economic inequities must be faced head-on with courage and commitment. We at ASOR believe that our society is facing such a tipping point now with regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rarely do we see such a convergence of understanding and a desire for change. In this moment, ASOR is fortunate that one of our trustees has taken the initiative to provide a 2-for-1 challenge gift that will enable our organization to create sustainable change.
An Exciting Initiative
ASOR has long aspired to be an instrument of change, and it is a recognized leader for setting professional, ethical, academic, and cultural standards. Nothing illustrates this better than this exciting and generous 2-for-1 challenge gift of $150,000. This is the cornerstone of a targeted campaign to raise $250,000 to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The purpose of this initiative is to permanently increase participation in ASOR by students and scholars who are African American/Black and Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC). By acting effectively now, ASOR can be a leader in setting standards and procedures to promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.
How the Matching Challenge Works
This ambitious, expedited campaign, made possible by a 2:1 leadership pledge of $150,000 by Trustee Carolyn Midkiff Strange, has a June 30 deadline. From now until the end of June, every dollar contributed to this campaign (up to a total of $75,000) is being matched with two dollars. A contribution of $100 will be matched with $200, a gift of $5,000 will be matched with $10,000, and so on.
Immediate Actions
In the short term (2021), ASOR will use $50,000 to increase participation in ASOR by BIPOC students at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. ASOR will also underwrite Summer Stipends, Annual Meeting travel grants, and mentoring programs for BIPOC students and scholars.
The rest of the short-term funds (for 2021) will buoy an already-launched partnership with Archaeology in the Community (AITC). AITC is a successful non-profit centered in Washington, D.C. that fosters student and community involvement in archaeology, with an emphasis on under-served groups. Together with AITC — and building on their experience — we are developing educational resources to promote engagement in archaeology by secondary-level students.
A Permanent Endowment
ASOR will use the remaining $200,000 from this campaign to establish a permanent endowment that will generate $10,000 per year to support research scholarships, internships, and travel fellowships dedicated to BIPOC students and scholars. These fellowships will be a foundation for future efforts and will be a tangible sign of ASOR’s commitment to long-term change.
Join Us
Extending social equity and equal opportunity throughout all sectors of our world is one of the foremost challenges facing us today. You can join ASOR in making this change happen. Please consider a gift of any amount to help us earn this extraordinary $150,000 challenge gift.
Mentorship is a key component of the Summer Stipend Program. To continue support beyond the summer, we are also starting a mentorship program that pairs Summer Stipend students with ASOR members. The goal here is to encourage the next generation of ASOR scholars by connecting them with a supportive network that offers sound professional advice, and encourages participation on ASOR-affiliated excavation projects and in the Annual Meeting.
A Time for Change
Mentorship is a key component of the Summer Stipend Program. Over the course of the summer, stipend recipients will be taking part in monthly cohort meetings designed to assist with professional development. To continue support beyond the summer, we are also starting a mentorship program that pairs Summer Stipend students with ASOR members. The goal here is to encourage the next generation of ASOR scholars by connecting them with a supportive network that offers sound professional advice, and encourages participation on ASOR-affiliated excavation projects and in the Annual Meeting.
A Time for Change
A Time for Change