We Proudly Present
Come and learn with UGA at
Summit of Excellence.
UGA’s Summit of Excellence is an annual event to help genealogy enthusiasts improve their research skills and knowledge. The three-day virtual conference includes a variety of presentations and workshops for all experience levels. The conference begins with a “Getting Started Day,” with a focus on genealogy basics. In the following days, participants can explore more advanced topics through themed tracks like “Records” and “International,” with multiple expert-led sessions happening at the same time. This format lets attendees choose sessions that match their interests. And if participants are interested in more than one session during a time slot, recordings of the sessions will be available for later viewing.
The Summit of Excellence is dedicated to offering educational resources to help participants sharpen their genealogical research skills.
Summit of Excellence. 2026
September 10-12, 2026
Keynote Speaker
Forging a National Army: From the Colonial Era to the Early Republic, 1750-1800
Presented By: Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG, AGL on September 10, 2026 6:00 pm
Building a cohesive national army was one of the era’s defining challenges, and the solution took decades to emerge. Colonial militias, tested from King George’s War through the French and Indian War, remained localized, short-term forces without standardized training or command structure, ill-suited to sustained fighting. The Revolutionary War exposed those limits further: chronic shortages of supplies and money, a fragile transportation network, and reliance on short-term forces like the Flying Camp and Associators all strained the Continental Army even as it fought for survival. Peace brought little resolution: the new nation still needed a force it could trust in war and rely on in peace. The creation of the Levies Regiments answered that need, maintaining military readiness between wars and laying the groundwork for the formation of our regular standing army.
Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG, AGL, is a military historian and professional genealogist with over 30 years of experience. A United States Coast Guard veteran, he holds a BA in History (Civil War/19th Century) from Shepherd University and an MA in Military History from the University of Massachusetts Boston. As a forensic investigator, he is recognized as an expert witness in state courts across NY, NJ, PA, and VA. Michael is a national lecturer and published author specializing in military research, forensic methodology, and the American conflict experience.
