Summit of Excellence Speaker Highlight: Katherine Willson

In celebration of UGA's 50th anniversary, the "Getting Started with Genealogy Research" track is FREE and open to the public. We invite you to join us, as our instructors: Crista Cowan (a.k.a. The Barefoot Genealogist), Jana Greenhalgh, Cheri Hudson Passey, and Katherine R. Willson provide foundational instruction to get you off to a great start!

Turn contemplation into action! Katherine R Willson's passion for teaching will give you tools and practical advice for an engaging genealogical journey. 

Katherine will present the following at the Summit of Excellence held virtually, September 15-18, 2021:

Beginning Your Genealogical Journey

Build your family tree as you discover how to gather basic information, fill in common charts, locate public records, and navigate Internet resources. Overcome obstacles and avoid common pitfalls with these resources that will guide you towards excellence in your research. Full session description here.

Records, Rules, and Repositories

Learn where to locate genealogical documents for your ancestors and his/her family members, as well as the methods for analyzing those records. Our discussion will include records such as birth, marriage, and death records; census forms; military draft registration forms; and passenger lists. Full session description here.

Learn more about Katherine Willson and all of our amazing speakers here.

View the full schedule for the UGA Summit of Excellence here.

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Summit of Excellence Speaker Highlight: David McDonald

Do you need to find a birth, marriage, or death date? Are you unable to locate a civil registration record? Discover how Christian denominational church records can help fill the gap.

David will present the following at the Summit of Excellence held virtually, September 15-18, 2021:

Church Records for Genealogical Researchers

Genealogists use records to supply the data on which our family research is built. Church records, across denominational lines, often provide extensive direct and indirect information on the families we research. We'll examine the records researchers should pursue. Full session description here.

Learn more about David McDonald and all of our amazing speakers here.

View the full schedule for the UGA Summit of Excellence here.

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Celebrate UGA's 50th Anniversary at the Summit of Excellence

The Summit of Excellence, UGA's annual virtual conference, will look different this year, and for good reason. In September 2021, the Utah Genealogical Association is set to turn 50 and this year's conference is aimed at celebrating all those years of providing premier genealogical education. As we engage in this event, participants should look forward to a number of new and exciting event features.

Getting Started Day

UGA will host a free single-track day on September 15. The opening day, called our "Getting Started Day" will feature a full day of renowned speakers addressing topics for the introductory genealogist. Topics will include gathering family information, introductions to record types, beginning research methods, locality surveys, and tools for online research.

Multiple Tracks and Distinguished Speakers

Attendees to the 2021 Summit will enjoy a full conference experience of 57 presentations on a wide range of topics given over the four-day event from September 15-18, 2021. Featured tracks each day will help participants find topics of interest to them.

Thursday, September 16th - Methodology, General Records, and Focus Areas (Irish, Scottish, British, Italian)

Friday, September 17th - DNA, Legal Records, Professional Topics, and Focus Areas (Eastern European, Jewish, German, Nordic)

Saturday, September 18th - Technology, Military Records, and Focus Areas (Canadian, Native American, African American, and Hispanic)

Presenters at the conference will be some of genealogy's best speakers, including; Crista Cowan, Angela Packer McGhie, Rev. David McDonald, Judy G. Russell, Richard G. Sayre, LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, Rebecca Koford, Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, Kelvin L. Meyers, Gena Philibert-Ortega, Paul Woodbury, and many more. To see the full conference schedule please click here.

Recordings

One of the great advantages of hosting a virtual conference is the ability to still attend sessions you miss, all thanks to the digital recordings. Attendees will have access to session recordings until December 31, 2021 to continue to learn and watch as frequently as desired. 

Keynote and Commemorative Event

The conference also features an engaging keynote about the past and future of genealogy, "Looking Back in the Future," given by D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, former board member and historian of the Utah Genealogical Association and current president of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.

The final event of the conference will commemorate 50 years of the Utah Genealogical Association, with opportunities to celebrate our shared memories, experiences, and paths in garnering premier genealogical education.