Many of you have embarked upon a new academic year. For PIASA, the “new year” began on July 1. Over the last couple of months we have issued new calls for award nominations and deter-mined the location and dates of our annual conference, which will be hosted by Central Connecticut State University in New Britain from June 9 to 11 of next year. The conference roughly coincides with the 50th anniversary of one of the oldest Polish Studies programs in the country. For that very reason we expect our meeting to be a special one and the first to be held in the United States since the outbreak of the global COVID pandemic.

In the meantime, we look confidently toward the future. We are working to develop a new partnership which will add to our awards and expect to make a major announcement in the near future. We will soon present to the general membership a proposal to amend our bylaws by limiting the president’s time in office to a maximum of six years and promoting a smooth transition from one president to another. We continue to nurture and enhance our relationships in Poland and with Polish institutions and scholars, who now contribute regularly to The Polish Review. Finding ways to remain relevant and active during a pandemic with its twists and turns has proved a challenge, but we have learned from it and adapted. Consequently, change is coming to PIASA, positive change, and I for one am excited by it. Please stay tuned!

― Robert Blobaum, PIASA President