Tag: NextGen Genealogy Network
Education Hangout: All About RootsTech
February 29, 2016
Whether you made it to RootsTech 2016 or are thinking about making plans for next year, catch up on the experiences of Education Co-Coodinators Shannon Combs Bennett and Eric Wells in their latest Education Hangout:
Don’t forget to bookmark our YouTube Channel and listen in for fantastic, friendly advice on a variety of topics relevant to the young genealogist!
Faces of NextGen: Meet Melanie McComb
February 9, 2016
Melanie McComb, 31, New York
Why genealogy? In college I was assigned a project in my genetics class to research my family tree to review medical history. I started to hear more of the family stories and I was hooked, particularly about my paternal grandparents. They died when I was young so I don’t remember much about them. When I had the funds to purchase a subscription to Ancestry.com, I dug in and started finding out as much as I could. That was three years ago and now I do genealogy every chance I get! I feel a connection to my ancestors every time I find out more about their lives.
What’s the coolest discovery you’ve made? I found my great grandmother’s declaration of intention documentation which included the name of the city in Romania she lived as well as a picture of her! I had never seen a picture of her before. It also included her birth name as well as my great grandfather’s name.
What are you working on this week? I am helping several adoptees locate their family by reviewing their DNA matches and completing mirror trees. For my personal tree, I’m re-reviewing my oldest ancestors to see if I can find further records to keep going further back.
What’s the number one secret to your success in genealogy? Change up your approach when you can’t find a particular record or ancestor. Try another website, ask for assistance in a genealogy group, post on message boards, contact DNA matches, etc.
What are we most likely to find you doing when you’re not researching family history? I love to travel, spend time with friends, and binge-watch Netflix.
Anything else you’d like to share? I will be starting my blog showcasing the research I have completed on my family tree. I’ve learned so much since I started and I want to use that advice to help others. I’m also hoping it will serve as cousin bait to help my relatives learn more about our family history. Please follow me on Twitter to keep posted on when the first blog entry is ready!
The NextGen Genealogy Network is made up of young genealogists with diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences. Faces of NextGen showcases a different member of our community each month. If you would like to be considered for an upcoming feature, simply complete our questionnaire and submit a selfie.
Education Hangout: Self-Editing Your Work
January 25, 2016
It’s no secret that genealogists do a lot of writing—but do you know about the resources out there to help you self-edit your work to make it the best it can be? Shannon Combs Bennett and Eric Wells, the NextGen Genealogy Network’s Education Co-Coordinators, share their personal advice as well as several writing resources and workshops to help the genealogical writer in the January Education Hangout:
Don’t forget to bookmark our YouTube Channel and listen in for fantastic, friendly advice on a variety of topics relevant to the young genealogist!
Join Our Leadership Team
January 10, 2016
If any of your New Year’s resolutions include volunteering, developing your leadership skills, getting to know more people in the genealogy community, or challenging yourself in a new role, the NextGen Genealogy Network is here to help you check those resolutions off your list.
With a new year comes new leadership, and there are several vacancies on our growing Leadership Team:
SECRETARY: This organized individual serves as the point of contact for inquiries and sends monthly meeting reminders, prepares the meeting agendas, and records the meeting minutes on Google Drive. The Secretary also mails any physical correspondence, including promotional materials, to volunteers, keeping detailed records.
MARKETING COORDINATOR: This creative individual designs promotional materials, including flyers, conference swag, and merchandise for the Zazzle store. The Marketing Coordinator also creates shareable graphics for social media to accompany blog posts and more, adhering to established branding guidelines and utilizing the free online software Canva.
EDUCATION CO-COORDINATOR: This individual should have strong communication skills and a willingness to collaborate with Education Coordinator Shannon Combs-Bennett in order to produce educational videos utilizing Hangouts on Air, create additional educational materials, and work with conference organizers to develop young professional and youth-centered activities.
Email [email protected] to share your qualifications and why you are interested in the role no later than 15 January 2016.
Interested candidates should be willing to attend monthly team meetings on Google Hangouts, typically held on a Wednesday evening, and should be prepared to embrace new ideas, new friends, and fun! The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 January at 9:00 PM ET.