Category: Scholarship

Accepting Applications for Gen-Fed Registration 2026

February 14, 2026

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 30th through Saturday, September 5th, 2026.

Gen-Fed is now accepting entries for the registration drawing between February 14 – 20th. 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. The application form closes at 9:00 pm ET on Friday, 20 February 2026.

    1. Read the Registration F.A.Q. below
    2. Fill out the Attendee Seat entry form link
    3. If you win a seat in our random drawing on February 21st, you’ll be registered.
    4. If you are selected, you must be prepared to pay the fee, agree to policies, and attend the week of Gen-Fed.

Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 20 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 21 February at 12:00 pm ET / 11:00 am CT / 10:00 am MT / 9:00 am PT.  You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat.

To enter your name in the drawing click here after reading the FAQ below:

[APPLICATIONS CLOSED]

 

READ ME FIRST: REGISTRATION F.A.Q. 

Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 21 February 2026 at the times above. It is viewable by all applicants, via Zoom, but you don’t need to be present to win.

Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2026 we will be drawing 32 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, and (b) the number of 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.  Note: The room available for our classes is on the small side, so students will be sat closely together to accomodate as many as possible. The chairs available to us are not office-style, they are of the folding “wedding chair” variety.  Be prepared to bring a pillow if you need more comfort.

Q: How many times can I enter my name this year?
A: Once, if this is your first time or second unsuccessful attempt.

Q: What if I have tried year after year and not been picked in the drawing yet?
A: Gen-Fed staff keep a list of applicants who have applied multiple times since 2021. Our policy is that those who have applied multiple years since 2021 will be allowed an extra entry into the drawing for every third, fourth, or more yearly attempts to register. In other words, their name will go in multiple times for the current drawing based on the number of past attempts.

Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if and when seats become open. Most waitlisters will be notified by the end of July.

Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment of $750 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 or sponsorship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, FamilySearch, 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.  Information about this and more will be sent in the orientation packet for successful applicants.

Q: What else should I know?
A: All applicants are required to read the FYI “What to Know” page at https://www.gen-fed.org/home/what-to-know/. Students must also 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 intermediate to higher-intermediate level research skills and education going into this week.  Try the self-evaluation test here.

Good luck and we hope to see you this year!

Rebecca and Mary

 

2026 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship: Open for Applications

December 31, 2025

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association sponsors the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship. The Gen-Fed Alumni Association’s purpose is to promote, conduct, and foster education, research, study, and analysis related to genealogy and to disseminate information and support other similar undertakings.

Richard Stephen Lackey (1941–1983) of Mississippi was a leader in the drive to improve the professionalization of the genealogical community. In addition to lecturing and teaching, he was an author/compiler of standards for genealogical writing, and of Mississippi source material. His work exemplified the highest standards of competent research and scholarly citation of sources. At the time of his death, Richard was President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

The Lackey Scholarship is awarded annually to an experienced researcher active in a paid or volunteer position which directly benefits the genealogical community. This year the scholarship will award $1,000, which covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), and partly defrays hotel and/or meal costs. Provided the public health situation allows the event, the Gen-Fed Alumni Association will also provide dinner at the Gen-Fed Alumni Banquet on Friday night, 15 August 2025, where a check for the amount less tuition will be presented to the recipient.

Brenda Leyndyke, the 2025 Lackey awardee, commented, “The opportunity to attend Gen-Fed was an honor and a highlight of my genealogical journey. Exceptional instructors covered a wide range of topics, sharing deep knowledge and real-world experience that made Gen-Fed a truly unique program. I gained skills and insights that I will continue to use in my research, and I have already applied what I learned in my volunteer work at a local military historical society. Working hands-on with original records at the National Archives was especially meaningful, and touching pieces of history was unlike anything I had experienced before. That experience made the past feel very real and reinforced why preservation matters so much. Thank you to the organizers of Gen-Fed and Lackey Scholarship committee for providing me with this opportunity, one you don’t want to miss.

The 2026 Application Form can be downloaded by clicking here.

Details:

  • All applications and additional attachments must be submitted in PDF format, combined in a single file.
  • The completed application form and attachments should be emailed to Jonathan Deiss at jdeiss@soldiersource.com with “Lackey Scholarship 2026” in the subject line.
  • The PDF file name should include your last name and first initial, such as “DoeJ Lackey Scholarship 2026 Application.”
  • A completed application must be received no later than midnight, January 15, 2026 (EST).

The winner will be notified by 1 March 2026. Other applicants will be notified shortly after that date. The scholarship winner will automatically be accepted for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from August 30 to September 5, 2026.

Announcing Dates for Gen-Fed 2026

December 31, 2025

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 30th through Saturday, September 5th, 2026.

Gen-Fed will begin accepting entries for the registration drawing from February 14-20 with the live drawing on Saturday, February 21st.  Look for announcements.

There have been some changes to our registration information and fees, please check the Registration FYI for details.  The Lackey Scholarship information will be announced later today, look for that as well.

Come join some of your favorite genealogy nerds this summer!

Rebecca and Mary

 

Lackey Award Winner for 2025 – Brenda R. Leyndyke

March 3, 2025

The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Brenda R. Leyndyke as the winner of the 2025 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship.

Brenda Leyndyke is a genealogist, historian, and author of Fort Custer in the World Wars, a pictorial history of the military training site. Her passion for genealogy began over fifteen years ago when assisting her father with his autobiography, leading to the discovery of deep Michigan roots dating back to pre-statehood and colonial America. Brenda served as a past president and current director of the Michigan Genealogical Council and a board member of the Fort Custer Historical Society. She has held numerous roles with the Calhoun County Genealogical Society and is a charter member of the Michigan Germanic Genealogical Society. An experienced researcher and writer, Brenda updated Research in Michigan guide for the National Genealogical Society. For over fifteen years, she has chronicled her genealogical journey at Journey to the Past, an award-winning blog recognized twice by Family Tree Magazine as one of the 40 Best Genealogy Blogs.

Welcome, Brenda, to the class of 2025!

Accepting Applications for Gen-Fed Registration 2025

February 8, 2025

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 10th through Saturday, August 16th, 2025.

Gen-Fed is now accepting entries for the registration drawing the weeks of February 8th through February 21st, 2025. 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.
    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/appdGvKXC81nsmRAZ/shrCky6QV1C6Dw0K9 

    • Form opens at 9:00 am ET on Saturday, 8 February 2025
    • Form closes at 9:00 pm ET on Friday, 21 February 2025

Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 21 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 22 February at 1:00 pm ET / 12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT / 10:00 am 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, 22 February 2025 at the times above. It is viewable by all applicants, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).

Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2025 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 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, if this is your first time or second unsuccessful attempt. The new policy is that those who have applied multiple times since 2021 will be allowed an extra entry into the drawing for every third, fourth, or more attempts to register. In other words, their name will go in multiple times for the current drawing.  See the announcement here for details: https://www.gen-fed.org/mark-your-calendars-for-gen-fed-registration-2025/.

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 of $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 the self-evaluation test here.

Good luck and we hope to see you this year!

Rebecca and Mary

 

2025 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship: Open for applications

December 31, 2024

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association sponsors the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship. The Gen-Fed Alumni Association’s purpose is to promote, conduct, and foster education, research, study, and analysis related to genealogy and to disseminate information and support other similar undertakings.

Richard S. Lackey (1941–1983) of Mississippi was a leader in the drive to improve the professionalization of the genealogical community. In addition to lecturing and teaching, he was an author/compiler of standards for genealogical writing, and of Mississippi source material. His work exemplified the highest standards of competent research and scholarly citation of sources. At the time of his death, Richard was President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

The Lackey Scholarship is awarded annually to an experienced researcher active in a paid or volunteer position which directly benefits the genealogical community. This year the scholarship will award $1,000, which covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), and partly defrays hotel and/or meal costs. Provided the public health situation allows the event, the Gen-Fed Alumni Association will also provide dinner at the Gen-Fed Alumni Banquet on Friday night, 15 August 2025, where a check for the amount less tuition will be presented to the recipient.

Julie Huffman, the 2024 Lackey winner, says:

“I was over the moon when I received the email that I had been selected to be the Lackey Scholarship recipient! The scholarship allowed me to reap the unbelievable benefits of a week-long, intensive dive into National Archives records important for genealogical research. As a public-library librarian, I can now take the information I learned and share it with our patrons who may have been intimidated or shy about approaching our National Archives. Also, the week was chock-a-block with presentations by superstars from the world of research and I learned so much! I highly recommend this opportunity to any of you out there interested in history and genealogy, and am very thankful for the opportunity this scholarship gave me.”

The 2025 Application Form can be downloaded by clicking here.

Details:

  • All applications and additional attachments must be submitted in PDF format, combined in one file.
  • The completed application form and attachments should be emailed to Jonathan Deiss at jdeiss@soldiersource.com with “Lackey Scholarship 2025” in the subject line.
  • The PDF file name should include your last name and first initial, such as “DoeJ Lackey Scholarship 2025 Application.”
  • A complete application must be received no later than midnight (Eastern Time) January 31, 2025.

The winner will be notified by 1 March 2025. Other applicants will be notified shortly after that date. The scholarship winner will automatically be accepted for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from August 10–16, 2025.

Lackey Award Winner for 2024 – Julie Huffman

April 19, 2024

The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Julie Huffman as the winner of the 2024 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship. 

Julie Huffman has been the genealogy librarian at the Central Library of Los Angeles Public Library for 10 years and—over the course of 23 years at LAPL—a young adult, children’s, and adult reference librarian.

Her Master of Library and Information Science is from UCLA and she has a Bachelor’s of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Welcome, Julie, to the class of 2024!

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

 

Lackey Award Winner for 2023 – Aungelic Nelson

March 15, 2023

The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Aungelic “Gigi” Nelson as the winner of the 2023 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship. 

Gigi is an accomplished speaker, genealogist, and historian. Born in Los Angeles and raised in an Army family, she spent her school years living all over the country and overseas.  She holds both a BA (Columbus State University, Columbus, GA,) and a master’s degree (University of Alabama, Birmingham) in American History, and taught college-level history courses and other related subjects.  After years of teaching, she became a military historian with the Air Force and completed two deployments downrange as a combat historian.  In 2017, she finally settled down in Washington, DC, where her passion for genealogy became a mission.

That passion led her to create the Majani Project, a nonprofit online genealogical club for Black youth (www.majani.org).  When she realized there were no books specifically to introduce Black young adults to genealogy, she wrote and published one herself.  For The Culture:  A Genealogy Handbook For The Cool Kids is a labor of love with lots of pictures and activities to get youth started on their genealogical journey of connecting to their ancestors and finding strength, resilience, and self-identity in their Black heritage.

Gigi has also developed a public speaking program on “Restorative Genealogy” directed to religious and social organizations where she speaks nationwide to groups about how genealogy can be more than just a hobby if more family historians are willing to put all family records (the great and the not-so-great) online.  Making records available and searchable is a gift that can have profound effects on those attempting to piece together their own family story. Her book on that will be published this year.

Gigi is a member of various local and national historical societies and genealogical associations.  A former elected commissioner for her neighborhood in Washington, DC, she enjoys researching genealogy for herself and others, skating, dancing, and cooking.