Announcement - Laura G. Prescott Scholarship Winners

The following announcement was provided to SLIG:

We are pleased to announce that Eileen Ó Dúill and Julie Parillo are the first recipients of the Laura G. Prescott SLIG Scholarship. Tuition to their course of choice at the 2020 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) or the 2020 SLIG Academy, plus hotel accommodations, will be paid out of scholarship funds generously donated by the genealogical community. Though designed to be awarded to one candidate annually, the scholarship is being doubled to celebrate its inaugural year.

The scholarship honors Laura G. Prescott, a genealogy professional who enriched the field with her talents as a teacher, writer, researcher, mentor, society leader and volunteer, and as director of Ancestry Academy—Ancestry’s collection of instructional webinars presented by leading genealogical educators. Laura was also especially known for her bright smile, positive attitude, and encouraging nature.

Scholarship winners are chosen by committee with Laura’s attributes in mind. Their short essay applications include information about what they hope to gain from attending SLIG, why they deserve the scholarship (not necessarily financial reasons), and how they intend to use what they learn. Those chosen embody Laura’s passion for and service to the genealogical community and thus will further her legacy.

Eileen Ó Dúill is known to many in the genealogy field, as she has been a professional Irish genealogist since 1990, specializing in legal and probate research. She is a founding member of the Irish Probate Genealogy Partners. As a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, Eileen served on the APG board as the International Trustee for Britain and Ireland from 2007 to 2012 and received the APG Professional Achievement Award in 2016. She has lectured nationally and internationally and presented the Ancestry Academy webinar on Beginning Irish Research. Eileen has faced personal adversity with positivity and displays a passion to return as an active member of the genealogical community.

Julie Parillo is secretary for the Rockdale-Newton County Genealogical Society in Georgia and volunteers at the Henry/Clayton County Genealogical Society’s Brown House. She is a member of the Georgia Genealogical Society, the National Genealogical Society, and the Association of Professional Genealogists, and says she frequents as many seminars and watches as many webinars as possible to expand her knowledge. Julie’s passion for genealogy is clear when she says, “Genealogy not only offers me a glimpse into the lives of past ancestors, but will connect me to generations of the future. My goal is to enrich my part of the genealogical world as effectively as possible.”

Congratulations to these two deserving candidates!