ESR Welcomes Scholar-in-Residence

ESR is excited to welcome Thom Jeavons to campus as Scholar-in-Residence. Thom is a 1978 alumnus of ESR (M.A.) and holds a Ph.D. from Union Institute.

During his 18-month residency, Thom will develop several projects and opportunities, which will include devoting time to research, reflection, and writing about Quaker spirituality, as well as about leadership practices and values in the Quaker tradition. He will also contribute an occasional course to ESR's leadership curriculum.

Thom has been in leadership among Friends since 1979 when he began nine years of service as Executive Secretary for Baltimore Yearly Meeting.  He also served as General Secretary of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (1996-2006).  In addition, he has held many significant volunteer leadership positions for Friends including: clerk of the Conference Planning Committee for FGC (1984); on FUM’s Board from 1980 to 1986; and as a founder and first Steering Committee member (from 2003 to 2010) of the Friends International Center in Ramallah. He also helped create the first “Friends in Business” network in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

When not working for Quakers, his career has centered in academia where he has studied, taught, and written about nonprofit management, leadership, ethics, and fundraising.  He developed and directed programs for the Association of American Colleges (1988-1992); was the founding Director of the Center on Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Grand Valley State University (1992-1996); and has served since 2006 as the Executive Director of ARNOVA, the national and international association of scholars of philanthropy and nonprofits.

We look forward to having Thom on campus for the next 18 months, and for the contributions he will make to ESR's leadership program.