Application deadline announced
It’s no secret that the methodology for African American research has its own twists and turns on top of all the usual methodological complications of any genealogical research.
That’s part of the reason why the African American community is underrepresented in professional genealogy.
And that African Americans are underrepresented in the ranks of those with genealogical credentials.
It’s also no secret that a big part of the answer to all of these problems is education.
And that’s something the Board for Certification of Genealogists is trying to address, with the Paul Edward Sluby Sr. African American Scholarship, funding education and credentialing for African American genealogists.
Initiated in 2020, the scholarship is named after the first board-certified African American genealogist, Paul Edward Sluby Sr., and is awarded annually to up to three students who are African American, to cover up to $1,700 of the tuition, travel, and lodging expense of attending one of five premier national institutes. BCG will also waive its final application fee of $300 for scholarship recipients who submit portfolios of work to be considered for certification within three years of the announcement of an award.
The deadline for applications for use in 2023 has just been set — by 15 March 2022, candidates must submit an essay and a sample of their genealogical research. It is anticipated that scholarship recipients will be awarded in May 2022, so that recipients can take part in institutes scheduled for 2023. Those wishing to apply should fill out the required application form and submit with supporting materials to office@bcgcertification.org.
The institutes eligible for the scholarship program are:
• Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), held annually at the National Archives and other locations in Washington, DC, and College Park, Maryland in August.
• Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, holds two separate week-long sessions in June and July.
• Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research (IGHR), held in Athens, Georgia, in July, under the auspices of the Georgia Genealogical Society.
• Midwest African American Genealogical Institute (MAAGI), based at the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, currently offered for three days in early July.
• Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City held in January each year.
If registration for an institute has already closed by the time the scholarships are announced in 2022, BCG will work with the institute to secure a slot for the award winner if at all possible.
Candidates for the scholarship should be working at an intermediate or higher skill level, so they’re prepared for an advanced educational experience, but there’s no age or income limit.
In announcing the 15 March 2022 deadline, BCG President LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson JD, LLM, CG, CGL, FASG said “The Board for Certification of Genealogists is pleased to sponsor attendance at these high-quality educational offerings. This scholarship program is designed to increase the number of under-represented communities in the ranks of Certified Genealogists®, in line with BCG’s core missions.”
More information about the scholarships generally can be found on the BCG website here.
Cite/link to this post: Judy G. Russell, “Sluby Scholarship for 2023,” The Legal Genealogist (https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog : posted 6 Dec 2021).
