Are you ready for some in-depth learning this summer? Three big genealogical educational opportunities have opened up to you by going virtual. If you’ve always wanted to attend an institute or a national genealogy conference, here is your chance. With no travel or hotel costs and the comfort of watching from home, this is an excellent opportunity for all genealogists of any level of experience.
National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference
NGS was scheduled for May 20-23 in Salt Lake City. With the COVID-19 closures, the conference organizers have opted to go virtual. On Wednesday, May 20th, NGS 2020 LIVE! will give you the chance to watch lived-streamed lectures by Thomas W. Jones, Judy G. Russell, Elizabeth Shown Mills, and Blaine Bettinger, plus lunch speaker Stephanie Raff.
In addition to viewing the live stream, you’ll also be able to view your choice of On-Demand lectures. Those will be available 1 July 2020 with topics on DNA, methodology, migration, military, African American, immigration and naturalization, tech tips, land, organization, and much more. There really will be something for everyone with a nice mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced presentations. You’ll be able to view your On-Demand sessions through 15 May 2021. How many times have you wished you could watch a lecture again after a conference? Well, now you can!
Nicole and I are excited to be presenting the following classes as part of the On-Demand lectures.
-Diana: They Dynamic Duo for Locality Research: The FamilySearch Catalog and Research Wiki
-Diana: Navigating the Unique Texas Land Grant System
-Diana: Settlers of Indian Territory: Discovering Their Stories in This Unique Place and Time
-Nicole: Tech Tools for Diagramming Complex Relationships in Cluster and DNA Research
-Nicole: Transcribe and Take Note – Using Google Docs, Sheets, and Keep for Data Collection
Several options are available for registration, another plus. If you are an NGS member you’ll receive a discount on registration. All registration packages include the live stream on May 20th and the electronic conference syllabus. Here is the price breakdown for the options.
-Light Package, $150 for NGS members and $185 for non-members: Live-stream plus 10 On-Demand lectures
-Full Package, $215 for NGS members and $250 for non-members: Live-stream plus 20 On-Demand lectures
-The Works Package, $395 for NGS members and $430 for non-members: Live-stream plus an estimated 45 On-Demand lectures, and a USB with audio recordings.
To learn more visit NGS Registration Packages.
Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)
An institute provides a week-long immersion in a certain genealogy topic such as church records, DNA, or research in a specific locality. GRIP generally is held in the summer on the campus of LaRoche University in Pittsburgh. However this year, the institute has gone virtual and is offering several courses during each of three separate weeks.
Tuition for a full-week course is $475 and includes the one-week course, daytime and optional evening sessions, and an electronic syllabus for the course. To view the course schedule and learn more see Courses.
Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR) 2020: July 26-July 31
Another virtual learning opportunity is IGHR, generally held on the University of Georgia Campus in historic Athens, Georgia. I’ve never been able to attend this institute, despite it’s focus on southern research because it conflicts with the BYU Conference on Genealogy and Family History. With that cancelled for 2020, I registered for IGHR Course Eleven – Researching African American Ancestors: Government Documents and Advanced Tools. Coordinated by Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, I’ll be learning from a variety of experts on African American genealogy.
Some of the courses are sold out, but several are still available. Learn about DNA, military records, Scottish research, land platting, southern research, New York research, and advanced library research. Learn more here.
If you’re ready for a new adventure in your genealogy education, I highly recommend trying out NGS and/or an institute. We don’t know what we don’t know!
Best of luck in all your genealogical endeavors!
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