The Massachusetts Genealogical Council announces a call for lecture proposals for the Annual Seminar to be held at Brandeis University in Waltham Massachusetts.
MGC was founded in 1980 and has been dedicated to serving the state’s genealogical and historical community ever since. The Council’s stated purposes are: to act as advocates in monitoring legislation and administrative activities of government agencies that affect genealogists; to sponsor and present legislation and programs designed to expand the resources and accessibility to services; to develop and promote the growth, education and exchange of ideas among persons and organizations interested in the pursuit of genealogy; and to provide other activities to advance genealogy. The MGC Annual Seminar draws attendees of all experience levels.
The theme for this seminar will be “Ethnicity and Genealogy”. This will involve the migration and genealogical history of different ethnic groups in the United States. We encourage the submission of beginner to advanced level presentations.
Presentations are 60 minutes in length, including a 10-minute question-and-answer period.

Submissions to Include:
Title of Presentation
Brief (max 50 word) Topic Summary for the Program
Detailed (max 100 word) Topic Summary for website, press releases, and other marketing purposes
Audience Level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
Speaker Biography (30-50 words) for our newsletter and promotional purposes
Speaker’s full name, address, email, FAX and telephone numbers.

Expectations of Speakers
All conference materials, including signed contract, program brochure and website content, and syllabus inserts, must be submitted on or before stated deadlines.
Failure to meet conference deadlines is grounds for cancellation of the speaker contract.
Sessions will begin and end promptly as scheduled.
Lecture visuals will be in digital format and prepared on presentation software (e.g. PowerPoint).
Syllabus material is required for every lecture presentation. Content should summarize the content of the class and/or supplement the lecture material (e.g. bibliography). Syllabus material should be between 2 and 4 pages per lecture.
Acceptable formats are PDF (saved in high resolution), Word, PowerPoint and Publisher.
Speaker will provide website links, announcements, photos and other assistance in promoting MGC.
Should the speaker not be able to participate, the speaker will notify MGC at the earliest possible opportunity so that a replacement can be found.

All MGC speakers will receive:
Complimentary registration, with conference syllabus
$150 per lecture honorarium for individual presentations
Bonus for presenters who bring their own audio visual equipment
Free lunch

Distribution of Presentation Materials and Copyright Considerations
Speakers retain copyright to all content and syllabus material.
MGC will provide syllabus materials in printed form.

Submission of Proposals
Speakers interested in presenting lecture presentations at MGC should submit proposals via email to Program Co-Director Philip Hermann at program@massgencouncil.org with a copy to MGC President Polly Kimmitt at president@massgencouncil.org.

Key Dates
31 January 2012 - Call for Papers deadline for submission
15 February 2012- Selection and notification of selected speakers
15 May 2012 - Deadline for syllabus materials (2-4 pages per lecture)

Questions or inquiries may be emailed to Program Co-Chair Philip Hermann at program@massgencouncil.org or telephone 781.662.7249.