Category: Featured

Announcing Date Change for Gen-Fed 2024

February 13, 2024

Gen-Fed 2024 Date Change!

Due to unforseen circumstances, the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will now be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.,
from Sunday, August 11th through Saturday, August 17th, 2024.

Sometimes, we just have to roll with the punches. If these new dates allow you to attend now, Gen-Fed is still accepting entries for the registration drawing through February 16th, 2024. One of the benefits of this change is that we can add three more seats.  It may not seem like a lot, but with our limited classroom size, we try to accomodate as many as we can.  If you have already signed up for the drawing and cannot now attend, send an email to info@gen-fed.org.

To enter your name in the drawing click here after reading the FAQ below: https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S 

The form closes at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, 16 February 2024. Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT.  You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat. Please mark “info@gen-fed.org” as a safe contact in your email!

READ THE F.A.Q. FIRST 

Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET during a live session, viewable by all, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).

Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2024 we will be now be drawing 38 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, plus (b) the number of 2023 scholarship winners or sponsored students who selected Gen-Fed as their institute of choice. Twenty additional names, above and beyond the remaining available seats, will be drawn for waitlist status.

Q: How many times can I enter?
A: Once, please. Duplicates will not be included in the drawing.

Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if/when seats become open.  No waitlist students will be notified after July 10th. The waitlist students will not be held over for 2025.

Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment ($650) will be due, in full, upon email notification that you’ve won a seat and are officially registered.

Q: What if I’m attending on a scholarship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, other sponsorship, etc.)?
A: No need to fill out the form–your seat has already been reserved.

Q: What about hotel and transportation?
A: Each student is responsible for their own transportation and board. Gen-Fed has contracted with a local hotel for a lower group rate.  Go to the Registration FYI page for more.

Q: What else should I know?
A: Students must all agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct to be allowed to register.  Additionally, the National Archives has COVID regulations in place, and the Gen-Fed Institute has also amended it to include their own recommendations. Both must be at least read before a person can be entered into the drawing.  Read them here.

Q: Am I ready for Gen-Fed?
A: This is an important question. Gen-Fed is a week of advanced-level courses on federal records in a complex facility.  It is best to have at least intermediate to higher-intermediate level skills and education going into this week.  Try this self-evaluation test here.

Good luck and we hope to see you in the second week of August!

Rebecca and Mary

 

Announcing Registration for Gen-Fed 2024

January 1, 2024

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 4th through Saturday, August 10th, 2024.

Gen-Fed will begin accepting entries for the registration drawing the week of February 10th through February 16th, 2024. More people want to attend Gen-Fed than we can accommodate at NARA. For that reason, we use a random selection process to even the playing field:

    1. Fill out the Attendee Seat entry form (remains open for one week).
    2. If you win a seat in our random drawing, you’ll be registered.
    3. If you are selected, you must be prepared to pay the fee, agree to policies, and attend the week of Gen-Fed.

To enter your name in the drawing click here after reading the FAQ below: https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S 

    • Form opens at 9:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, 10 February 2024
    • Form closes at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, 16 February 2024

Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT.  You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat.

READ THE F.A.Q. FIRST 

Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET during a live session, viewable by all, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).

Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2024 we will be drawing 35 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, plus (b) the number of 2023 scholarship winners or sponsored students selected Gen-Fed as their institute of choice. Twenty additional names, above and beyond the remaining available seats, will be drawn for waitlist status.

Q: How many times can I enter?
A: Once, please. Duplicates will not be included in the drawing.

Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if/when seats become open.

Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment ($650) will be due, in full, upon email notification that you’ve won a seat and are officially registered.

Q: What if I’m attending on a scholarship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, other sponsorship, etc.)?
A: No need to fill out the form–your seat has already been reserved.

Q: What about hotel and transportation?
A: Each student is responsible for their own transportation and board.  Gen-Fed has contracted with a local hotel for a lower group rate.  Go to the Registration FYI page for more.

Q: What else should I know?
A: Students must all agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct to be allowed to register.  Additionally, the National Archives has COVID regulations in place, and the Gen-Fed Institute has also amended it to include their own recommendations.  Read them before you fill in your entry form.

Q: Am I ready for Gen-Fed?
A: This is an important question. Gen-Fed is a week of advanced-level courses on federal records in a complex facility.  It is best to have at least intermediate to higher-intermediate level skills and education going into this week.  Try this self-evaluation test here.

Good luck and we hope to see you this year!

Rebecca and Mary

 

Welcome Mary O’Brien Vidlak, CG—Gen-Fed’s New Assistant Director

December 9, 2023

We regret to announce that Cinda Baxter, CG, has stepped away as the Gen-Fed Assistant Director. She has given this program so much with her talents in organization, dedication, and enthusiasm.  She will be missed.  We now ask all to welcome our new colleague.

Mary O’Brien Vidlak, CG®

holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Fairfield University and attended the MBA program at Rutgers University. Prior to a move to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2006, she was the Director of Benefits for a Fortune 500 company. Like many newcomers to the Historic Triangle region, Mary immersed herself in the unique opportunities available in the area to learn more about the people who once lived there. That information led to the discovery of the deep roots of her own family in Virginia. As a result, what had been a vague interest in family history became a passion.

A relative latecomer to genealogy, Mary has benefited greatly from the numerous offerings for genealogical education. She started with the National Genealogical Society home study course in American Genealogy, followed by the ProGen Study Group, while simultaneously attending local, state, and national conferences. In addition, since 2012 she regularly attends courses at the various institutes. In 2014 she attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR)—renamed the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) the following year. This  concentrated genealogical education helped Mary meet her goal of becoming a board-certified genealogist. She attained the designation of Certified Genealogist®  in March 2016. The research report from her portfolio is one of the sample reports on the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) website.

Members of the Virginia Genealogical Society (VGS) elected Mary to their board in 2014. During her years with VGS, she served in multiple roles including two terms as president and one as treasurer before stepping down in July 2023. She was the local society host co-chair for the 2021 and 2023 National Genealogical Society conferences. For two years beginning in July 2016, she was the co-editor of BCG’s Springboard. Mary served as a trustee for BCG from 2020–2023. She is currently the BCG ACTION list administrator.

Gen-Fed 2021

February 9, 2021

 

The Genealogical Institute of Federal Records 2020 session was cancelled due to travel restrictions and the closing of the National Archives (NARA) in Washington, D.C., last year.  This year, unfortunately, in the wake of continuing travel restrictions and repository shutdowns, it is unlikely that NARA will be open, or not open to full capacity.  We sincerely appreciate the concerns and precautions that the Archives has to make in these difficult circumstances.

We now announce that the 2021 Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held virtually this year.  We are grateful to have the full support of the instructors and NARA staff. Because we will take less time in travelling to other repositories, we are taking the opportunity to add lectures and new topics to the program this year.  Gen-Fed will take a total of 50 students this year.

However, it is unlikely that formal registration will be held for this event. The students originally registered for 2020 have first priority.  They have the option to defer to 2022. Gen-Fed waitlists do not carry over from year-to-year, but there is a already a waitlist that is still part of the 2020 registration cycle, which will be given next priority until the session fills.  If there is capacity after that, an announcement will be made at least 10 days prior to the opening of registration.

Thank you – stay safe and well,

 

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGLSM, Director                                                                              Darcie Hind Posz, CG®, Assistant Director

Photo credit R. Koford

Innovation Hub will host Institute in 2016

November 18, 2015

The 2016 institute will be held in the Innovation Hub, new flexible meeting space dedicated to collaboration among NARA staff and between staff and members of the public. The Hub, located on the first floor in space formerly occupied by the library, is next door to the Consultation/Finding Aids Room and adjacent to the public access computers. This new home will offer easier access to records and staff, allowing participants to make the best use possible of non-classroom time.  more “Innovation Hub will host Institute in 2016” …

Alumni Dinner 2015

July 18, 2015

Despite the fact that the National Institute on Genealogical Research was not held this year, the Alumni Association maintained its annual Friday evening dinner tradition. Lynn C. McMillion, longtime institute director, presented on its history, which dates to 1950, more “Alumni Dinner 2015” …

New Director Named

February 7, 2015

The Board of the National Institute on Genealogical Research announced the appointment of Malissa Ruffner, J.D., CG℠,  as director of the institute, succeeding Patricia O’Brien Shawker. She will assume responsibility for the July 2016 program and future years. The National Archives, through its representative on the board of directors, has expressed strong support for the continuation of the institute and will work with the new director to assure success in coming years. more “New Director Named” …