BCG Education Fund

The BCG Education Fund, founded in 2000 as a charitable trust, advances the educational aims of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® by funding learning programs consistent with standards promulgated by the Board and by providing incentives for study and scholarly research in accordance with the Board's standards.

Current activities are the Helen F. M. Leary Distinguished Lecture Series presented semi-annually, Putting Skills To Work presented annually, and the annual competition for the Donald Mosher Memorial Award. The Education Fund is always considering avenues for extending its educational offerings, and suggestions are heartily welcomed.

The Education Fund relies upon the generosity of contributors to support its educational outreach to current and future genealogists. The programs exist only because of that on-going generosity. Contributions are tax-deductible, and may be mailed to:

BCG Education Fund
P. O. Box 14291
Washington, DC 20044

Helen F. M. Leary Distinguished Lecture Series

The series, initiated in 2007, honors Helen F. M. Leary of North Carolina, Certified Genealogist Emeritus and a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, known for her richly informative and entertaining lectures on methodology, law, writing, and the art of lecturing. Throughout her distinguished career, Helen F. M. Leary has worked to educate all serious genealogists. Helen embodies personal and professional work standards that the BCG Education Fund seeks to emulate and to instill in those practicing the art and science of genealogy.

 Helen served twenty-three years as a Trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She served as President from October 1989 to October 1994 and again from October 1998 to October 1999. She designed the certification logos used today by Board-certified associates. With Thomas Jones, Helen edited the BCG Genealogical Standards Manual. She developed and coordinated the Professional Genealogy Track at Samford University Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. She was editor and contributing author of North Carolina Research, a unique publication existing only for the state of North Carolina, which provides genealogical research guidance transcending geographical boundaries. Helen wrote several chapters of Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians including the chapter on lecturing. Her extensive scholarly publications include the seminal National Genealogical Society Quarterly study “Sally Hemming’s children: A Genealogical Analysis of the Evidence.” Interviews with Helen are featured in the National Genealogical Society’s popular video series “Paths To Your Past” at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/.

2012 Leary Distinguished Lecturers

Barbara Vines Little, CG, FVGS, FNGS, will present “Locating and Understanding the Law: An Essential Part of Good Research” at the National Genealogical Society Conference in May at Cincinnati, Ohio. Accurate evidence evaluations and valid conclusions rest upon a firm grasp of laws in effect at the time of events. Legal requirements impact a wide range of life events including marriage and dower, ownership and conveyance of land, testate and intestate distributions. Barbara will share how to locate and apply the law to resolve complex genealogical puzzles.

Barbara has extensive lecturing and teaching experience, and is well-known for the quality, depth, and originality of her presentations. She is a Fellow of the National Genealogical Society and a Fellow of the Virginia Genealogical Society. She is past president of the National Genealogical Society and the Virginia Genealogical Society. Barbara currently is the Virginia coordinator and instructor at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University, editor of the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, and editor of the National Genealogical Society Research in the States series. In 2001, she received the National Genealogical Society Quarterly Award for Excellence for her article, “Teasing the Silent Woman from the Shadows of History: Mary Fitzhugh (Stuart) Fitzhugh of Virginia.” Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, the NGS Magazine, the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and the Board for Certification of Genealogists publication OnBoard.

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA, will present "Is There a Professional in the House?" at the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in convening August in Birmingham, Alabama. Paula is a popular lecturer and teacher whose lively presentations motivate and inspire her audiences. She will share her substantial insight about what is professionalism, how it is achieved and perceived, and offer useful and humorous advice on what to do and what not to do.

Paula works internationally in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. Her specialties include unusual records, problem solving, major repositories, and American Indian research. She is a Fellow, Utah Genealogical Association and a Fellow, Minnesota Genealogical Society. Paula currently is Course Coordinator and instructor for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Course Coordinator for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, and a Board member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. She is a former officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and a former Board member of the Minnesota Genealogical Society.

The roster of Helen F. M. Leary Distinguished Lecturers is:

• Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, “Why Is ‘Reasonably Exhaustive Research’ so Important to the Genealogical Proof Standard?”; 2010 FGS Conference.
• Donn Devine, JD, CG, CGL, “Case Studies on Applying DNA to Family History Research”; 2008 FGS Conference.
• Ruth Ann Hager, CG, CGL, “Speaking of Genealogy”; 2008, NGS Conference.
• Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, “Honesty, Courtesy, and Confidentiality: Ethics for Family Historians”; 2007 NGS Conference.
• Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, ”The Genealogical Proof Standard: What It Is and What It Is Not.” 2011 NGS and FGS Conferences.
• Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, “Okay, I ‘Got the Neighbors’—Now What Do I Do with Them?!!”; 2009 NGS Conference.
• David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA, “Proven Research Strategies that Transcend Geo-Political Boundaries”; 2009 FGS Conference.
• Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL, “Expanding Your Genealogical Skills Through Education!”; 2010 NGS Conference.

Putting Skills To Work

Putting Skills To Work is a unique full-day, hands-on workshop limited to sixty participants. The focus is genealogical skills needed by anyone practicing serious genealogical research whether as a family historian, librarian, dedicated hobbyist, or writer. The sessions are geared to intermediate and advanced practitioners and advocate professional standards.

Putting Skills To Work sessions occur the day prior to the opening of the National Genealogical Society Conference. It is not necessary to register for the entire NGS Conference to participate. The $110 registration fee includes two in-depth presentations, hands-on exercises, syllabus, handouts, and lunch. Sessions typically book to capacity before the NGS Conference registration deadline.

Previous Putting Skills To Work topics include transcribing and abstracting records, deciphering early handwriting, planning efficient research, writing reports, citing and documenting research, composing genealogical narratives, preparing proof summaries, compiling and publishing a family history, evaluating evidence, synchronizing research with reporting, and applying the law to genealogical evidence. Proposals and suggestions from any interested party for future Putting Skills To Work are always welcome.

2012 Putting Skills To Work is scheduled for Tuesday, 8 May at Cincinnati, Ohio, preceding the National Genealogical Society Conference. A full-day session on “Compiling, Writing, and Publishing Your Genealogical Work” will be led by Thomas W. Jones and Melinde Lutz Byrne, co-editors of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. The workshop will focus on advancing writing skills when preparing proof summaries, compiled genealogies, reports, scholarly articles, and books, and will include hands-on exercises. Participants will learn about the writing, editing, and publishing processes and what to expect when submitting written work for publication.

Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG, is a cultural anthropologist and archivist formerly associated with Harvard University’s Tozzer Anthropological Library (the world's largest anthropology library). She is a Fellow and President of the American Society of Genealogists. In addition to co-editing the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Melinde is editor of the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, and Vice President of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council. She is Director of the Genealogical Research Program at Boston University, and instructor for the Forensic Genealogy module. She has published extensively in law, historical, and genealogical journals, and is the 1993 recipient of the prestigious Donald Lines Jacobus Award from the American Society of Genealogists.

Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, has co-edited the National Genealogical Society Quarterly since 2002, and has been writing and publishing scholarly genealogical essays since 1990. Retired from a thirty-year career in higher education, he works full time as a genealogical researcher, writer, editor, and educator. He coordinates courses at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and Samford University’s Institute on Genealogical and Historical Research, and he teaches in Boston University's Genealogical Certificate Program.

Donald Mosher Memorial Award for Colonial Virginia Research

This competitive $500 Award was established in 2001 by Merrill Hill Mosher, CG, of Oregon, honoring her late husband. The Award funds scholarly research on colonial Virginia topics in the following categories: family genealogy, immigrant place or family origin, and publication of obscure or difficult Virginia resources. The annual deadline is 31 December. Award criteria is available here.

The roster of Mosher Award recipients is:

• 2010 Nathan W. Murphy, MA, AG, “The Devon Seafaring Origins of William Byrd’s Mother’s Family: Grace (Stegge) Byrd of London, England, Thomas Stegge of Westover Parish, Charles City County, Virginia, and Captain Abraham Reed of Charles City County, Virginia; Including Additional Details about His Father John Byrd’s Career as a London Goldsmith,” The American Genealogist, Vol. 84, No. 4 (October 2010): 241-256.
• 2009 Selena Mayes DuLac, Henrico County, Virginia, Land Patent Abstracts with Some Plat Maps, vol. III.
• 2006 James Lively of England for his study identifying the 16th and 17th century English origins of the Underwood family of Virginia.
• 2005 James Winter Petty, CGRS, AG, for his work extracting headrights from Virginia county records.
• 2002 Selena Mayes DuLac, Henrico County, Virginia, Land Patent Abstracts with Some Plat Maps, vol. I.
  

Trustees and Supporting Associates

Stefani Evans, CG, Trustee
Barbara J. Mathews, CG, Trustee
Patricia O’Brien Shawker, CG, Trustee
Kathy Gunter Sullivan, CG, Trustee
Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, Trustee
Beverly Rice, CG, Donald Mosher Memorial Award Administrator
Donn Devine, JD, CG, CGL, Counsel

The BCG Education Fund has always been led by talented Board-certified associates. The roster of former Trustees and supporting Associates is:

Mary McCampbell Bell, CG
Bettie Cummings Cook, CG
Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL
Marty Hiatt, CG
Kay Germain Ingalls, CG
Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA
Joy Reisinger, CG
Beth A. Stahr, CG
George B. Handran, JD, CG, Counsel