Dear ACWR Members,

This year marks the 35th year of Archivists of Congregations of Women Religious.  It is an exciting time in our organization’s history, marked by change and transition. This is my first opportunity to address our membership as your president. I am grateful you have entrusted me to serve our community in this position.

ACWR is moving forward with several new and exciting projects. The board has recently approved a new strategic plan; is working on updating our logo and overall look; and beginning this summer the website will be revamped and redesigned.

Our goal with these changes is to steer ACWR into the future by continuing to support our members and their communities, while working to promote our archives and the history of women religious to a wider audience. I am excited about these projects and look forward to keeping you updated on our progress as ACWR continues to evolve.

First, I am excited to announce the approval of an updated strategic plan to address the changing needs of our membership. In the coming years, ACWR will focus on three main priorities:

• • • Preserving Historical Records: Addressing the challenges faced by women religious communities due to closures, mergers, and demographic shifts, ensuring the preservation of their historical records.
    • Promoting Catholic Women Religious: Highlighting the significant role of Catholic women religious in shaping American history and their contributions to society.
    • Enhancing Accessibility: Making women religious collections more accessible to researchers, scholars, and the general public.

To support these changes, we are examining how ACWR committees support these initiatives. With that in mind, the Education Committee will provide programming focusing on women religious archival collections to an external audience, highlighting their historical importance and how to access these resources. Look for their newest schedule of topics in the coming months. The Mentoring Committee will continue to support our colleagues within ACWR with programming tailored towards the needs of women religious archivists today. The Publications Committee is revamping our website so that our communications are cohesive and accessible, both to our membership and others who wish to learn more about our work.

To further implement this plan, we have begun exploring some exciting collaborations. In February, we met with Chris Stevenson, director of the National Museum of American Religion, to strategize a partnership in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. It is our hope this will elevate the visibility of the collections of women religious nationwide. In June, several of our members (including myself) will present at the Conference on the History of Women Religious at the University of Notre Dame’s Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism. Additionally, a presence at the LCWR conference in August will position us to share ACWR’s offerings, particularly the Toolkit for Archives in Transition, with the congregational leaders who are determining the future of their archives.

 

ACWR Welcomes New Board Members

The board is excited to welcome our newest members, Sarah Aisenbrey and Sr. Virginia Jung, OSB. Sarah Aisenbrey is the archivist for the Sisters of the Precious Blood and joins the board as the Vice-President / President-Elect. Sr. Virginia Jung is the archivist for the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago and will be serving as the new secretary. Their terms will begin at the all-member board meeting in October.

As we welcome these newest members, we reflect with gratitude on the efforts of our retiring board members. Carlinthia Cox is finishing her three-year cycle as president, and we thank her for her work in the execution of a well-attended triennial conference last fall and her guidance as we contemplate the future of ACWR.  As Secretary, Laurel Wilson has logged many hours of board meetings to record meeting minutes. Both have been active and engaged board members, weighing in on the work of our organization. We thank both of you for your dedication to ACWR.

 

October Board Meeting for Members

Every fall the ACWR board opens its meeting to any member who wishes to attend. This year the meeting will be held via Zoom on October XX, 2025. In addition to the regular board meeting, the new Vice-President / President-Elect and Secretary will be sworn into office.

 

Stay tuned for more exciting news and developments from ACWR as we work to promote and preserve the legacy of Catholic women religious in the United States!

 

Sincerely,

Michele Levandoski

ACWR President, on behalf of the ACWR Board of Directors

Get Involved!

Involvement in ACWR committees is more important than ever, and all committees are seeking new members. Please consider volunteering your time to help the advancement of our organization and profession. For more information, please reach out to the ACWR National Office.