Don’t miss out
Attending a genealogical institute — a week-long immersion in genealogy with likeminded folks who don’t roll their eyes when the trials and tribulations of that elusive ancestor are discussed at length — is one of the great joys of life.
And — sigh — like many things in life, it’s not cheap.
But even if the kids’ tuition or that doctor bill or fixing the leaky water heater has taken up all of the extra cash in the family budget, it doesn’t mean you can’t go to one of these amazing week-long educational institutes in 2019-20 that are like summer — or winter — camp for genealogists.
Because there are scholarships available if you apply on time and are selected as one of the recipients.
The Legal Genealogist emphasizes that apply on time part because there are deadlines coming up fast for several of these opportunities:
Deadline November 30: The AncestryProGenealogists Scholarships. The AncestryProGenealogists Scholarship Program will provide four scholarships that will cover tuition, round-trip economy travel (airfare, train, or bus), and hotel expenses for one individual each to attend one of four genealogical institutes, not to exceed $2,000 per selected recipient. The scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants who demonstrate a commitment to genealogy as a profession, a desire for professional development, and the ability to communicate that commitment in writing.
One recipient will be chosen for each of the following institutes: the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) (July 29-August 2, 2019); the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) (either of its two sessions, June 23-28, 2019 or July 14-19, 2019); the Institute on Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) (July 21-26, 2019); and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) (January 12-17, 2020) or the SLIG Academy for Professionals (January 20-24, 2020).
The application form is on the ProGenealogists’ website and is an interactive form. You’ll need a current resume in computer file form (PDF or Word) and it would really be a good idea to focus the required 500-700 word essay on “your genealogy career up to this point, where you see yourself in the future as a professional genealogist, and how attending your top-choice institute will benefit your career.”
Deadline December 1: The Frazine K. Taylor African American Research Scholarship. The Frazine K. Taylor African American Research Scholarship (application due by December 1 each year) is open to anyone employed in a repository committed to expanding their knowledge of African American genealogical research.
This scholarship covers tuition at the Institute on Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) (July 21-26, 2019), in Course 10 – Building An African American Research Toolbox. Preference will be given to those individuals currently employed in libraries or archives that serve the public in order to expand their educational opportunities. The scholarship will be awarded to the applicant who demonstrates a passion for African American genealogy and the ability to communicate that commitment in writing.
You will need to compile an application with your name, address, email, phone, the name of the Library or Archive where you are employed, the length of time you have worked in a library or archives, the average number of hours (monthly) spent working with patrons, a description of how participation in this course will benefit your patrons (in 500 words or less–1 printed page), and a letter of support from a supervisor or colleague.
Details can be found on the IGHR Taylor scholarship page.
Deadline December 1: IGHR Jean Thomason Scholarship. The Jean Thomason Scholarship (application due by December 1 each year) is named for and in honor of Jean Thomason, who directed the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research from 1997 to 2007. It covers the cost of IGHR tuition, is awarded annually and is open to anyone currently employed at a library.
You will need to compile an application with your name, address, email, phone, the name of the Library where you are employed, the length of time you have worked in a library, the average number of hours (monthly) spent working with patrons, the course you plan to attend, a description of how participation in this course will benefit your patrons (in 500 words or less–1 printed page), and a letter of support from a supervisor or colleague.
Details can be found on the IGHR Thomason scholarship page.
Deadline December 31: Richard S. Lackey Scholarship (Gen-Fed). The Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship is awarded each year by the Genealogical Institute on Federal Research Alumni Association (Gen-Fed Alumni) to an experienced researcher holding either a paid or volunteer position in the genealogical community.
The $600 scholarship covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), ticket to the alumni dinner, and partial travel, hotel, and meal costs. The best part: the winner will have a reserved slot in Gen-Fed — one of the hardest institutes to get into because demand for seats is so high.
The application form can be downloaded at the Gen-Fed website. The application and required attachments must be submitted in a single PDF-format file, by email to Gary Zizka (email gmzizka (at) gmail.com) with “Lackey Scholarship 2019” in the subject line. The PDF file name should include last name and first initial, such as “ZizkaG Lackey Scholarship 2019 Application.”
The bottom line here: the clock is running on these scholarships.
Don’t miss the deadlines!
