SLIG Scholarship Winners

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is pleased to announce the winners of several SLIG-related scholarships.

UGA Jimmy B. Parker Scholarship: Susan Plummer Hoffman

The UGA Jimmy B. Parker Scholarship is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated commitment to genealogical excellence and community involvement. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at either SLIG 2023 or SLIG Academy for Professionals 2023.

Susan Plummer Hoffman of Ringoes, New Jersey

After researching family casually for years, Susan discovered educational opportunities to expand her genealogy knowledge through webinars, RootsTech, and National Genealogical Society courses. She volunteers with her local genealogy group and her county's historical society, and she is looking at becoming a professional genealogist.

Holding a bachelor of science degree in nursing from The College of New Jersey, Susan is a retired registered nurse. She now oversees the financial and human resource aspects of the small manufacturing business she owns with her husband. Finding researching for others rewarding, she looks forward to more time in retirement for education, research, volunteering, and possibly attaining certification through the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Laura G. Prescott Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship: Edward Swierczewski

The Laura G. Prescott Scholarship is awarded to an individual who exhibits a passion for genealogy, appreciates the importance of education and standards in the field, and serves the community through volunteerism. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG Fall Virtual 2022, SLIG 2023, or SLIG Academy for Professionals 2023.

Edward Swierczewski of Flushing, New York

Edward has been a professional education for over thirty years, researching and lecturing in psychology and human services at several major universities and government agencies in New York City. He has attended many webinars and conferences, completed ProGen 53 and several institute courses, and is planning to earn the Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogy Lecturer credentials. He has researched his family history for over twenty-five years and is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others. Ed is the founder and chief genealogical officer of Integrative Genealogy, LLC, and is a member of the Utah Genealogical Association.

SLIG Scholarship for First-Time Attendees: Scott Allen Magoon

The SLIG Scholarship for First-Time Attendees is awarded to an individual who has never attended a national genealogical institute prior to SLIG 2023, has sought to improve their genealogical education through formal or informal means, has an intermediate or above level of research knowledge and skills, and is ready for an in-depth learning experience. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG 2023.

Scott Allen Magoon of Choctaw, Oklahoma

Scott has deep New England roots going back to 1650. Upon retiring after thirty years of service with the United States Air Force, Scott started exploring professional genealogy. He holds a master of public administration degree from Troy State University and a certificate from the Boston University Genealogical Research course, and will graduate from ProGen 58 later this year. He has been accepted into the ICAPGen study group this fall and will submit his level one project for ICAPGen accreditation in the New England region next spring.

MyHeritage Chris Darrington Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship: Michelle Gardner

The MyHeritage Chris Darrington Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship is awarded to an individual who is at an intermediate level or above and who has a genuine passion for family history, a strong desire to improve their research skills through quality education, and an enthusiasm for serving the genealogical community. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG 2023.

Michelle Gardner of Wellsville, Utah

Michelle works as a virtual assistant and is the director of operations for the Family Connections Experiment. She grew up in Arizona, where at age sixteen, she was part of a pilot program indexing ship records using an overhead projector and hard disk. She is always looking for a new and better way to improve her research and genealogy options. She notes that she is stuck on a tough line but figures that if she is helping someone else, then maybe in the future, someone else will provide a key for her line.

SLIG Intermediate Foundations Scholarship: Auriette Hahn Lindsey

The SLIG Intermediate Foundations Scholarship is awarded to an individual who has a strong working knowledge of basic genealogy principles, has had several years of experience applying those principles using a variety of record sources to identify ancestors and confirm relationships, has utilized a variety of formal and informal educational opportunities to obtain and strengthen knowledge, and is ready for an in-depth, curriculum-based learning experience. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to the Intermediate Foundations course offered at SLIG Fall Virtual 2022.

Auriette Hahn Lindsey of Pensacola, Florida

Auriette always liked to hear family stories but did not get seriously into genealogy research until 2015. Her most exciting discoveries include evidence that she is a seventh-generation Floridian: a college and a city park are named after different branches of her family. The brick walls she would most like to break relate to her 2nd great grandfather William F. Hahn from Germany and her "illegitimate" 2nd great grandfather John Cook of Marion County, Georgia. When she is not working on the family tree, Auriette is a TV news producer and amateur theatre aficionado. She is married with cats.