Ancestry

Ancestry Wins Scholarship America Irving Innovation Award This past week, I had the opportunity to represent Ancestry at Scholarship America’s Irving Innovation Awards and spend the evening with inspirational leaders from across the country who are breaking barriers in their efforts to foster inclusivity, educational accessibility, and community impact. Ancestry was among the honorees for our HistoryMakers Scholarship program, being selected from over 1,400 companies for our transformative impact on students and communities supporting STEM students through scholarships, internships, and mentorship. Our HistoryMakers College Tour connects with students from Historically Black Colleges & Universities, Hispanic-serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges, advancing equity and representation in education and the workforce. This award recognizes Ancestry's commitment to not just financial aid but holistic opportunities for student growth and leadership. The partnership reflects our mission to empower personal journeys and inspire students to see themselves as part of history. Together, we’re creating future leaders and changemakers. It was a jaw-dropping, inspirational evening to be a part of innovative contributions to students' success. A special shout-out to our dedicated Ancestry HistoryMakers team, Tennessee State University, Bowie State University, Florida International University, Sacramento State University, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, who made this achievement possible. Together, we are rewriting what it means to empower future generations. Thank you for this recognition, Scholarship America! #ScholarshipAmerica, ##HBCU, #HSI, #TCU, #Leadership, #DiversityandInclusion,  #WeAreTheCurious

Meet our Employees who are Making History  - Manasa Boriah, Senior Product Manager What I do at Ancestry: I am a Product Manager for #AncestryDNA. I work on the DNA Origins report that provides customers a breakdown of their ancestral regions. I work closely with our Science and Content teams to offer customers more granular and accurate insights on their origins and to diversify our product to better meet the needs of all our customers. Work I am excited about: I was the product lead for last month’s AncestryDNA ethnicity update, which was our largest update ever. The update matched our customers to more than 3,000 places and populations around the world and new ancestral regions across Europe, West Asia, South & South East Asia, and Africa, enhancing precision, granularity and our customer experience. Why Ancestry?: Definitely the people and how passionate they are about genealogy and our customers. I have a fantastic team that I work closely with who are smart, kind and passionate. That's what makes me look forward to working here every day. Curious about Ancestry? Learn more about us here: https://lnkd.in/gu4y-46n #WeAreAncestry #WeAreTheCurious   

Calling all #AfroTECH attendees! Join us!

This Wednesday, November 13 at 6pm PT, join Ancestry's Director of Research, Jennifer Utley and Duncan Ryūken Williams (Director, USC Ito Center/Irei Project) with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation for an educational webinar on “Researching Japanese American Incarceration Using Ancestry”.

At Ancestry, we're dedicated to helping you discover more about your family's story and we're thrilled to offer you additional resources to confidently embark on your family history journey. In response to the incredible interest in our Beginner Series, we're excited to announce two bonus Virtual Events for 2024! Join our Corporate Genealogist, Crista Cowan, for the final two virtual events of the year as we continue exploring the fascinating world of family history. These events are designed to take your Family Tree to new heights using Ancestry ProTools and and make the most out of your #AncestryDNA Match list to propel your discoveries forward. Space is limited for these live events, so be sure to register today! https://lnkd.in/gHVxjqkV

Today, Ancestry announced the first release of a broader collection of US Korean War Era draft cards from 1948-1959. This collection marks the first launch under Ancestry’s commitment to digitize, index, and publish tens of millions of U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records over the next 5 years. Digitized and indexed for the first time ever, this collection will include over 10 million records and 20 million images that feature crucial details about the men aged 18-25 who were eligible to be drafted for 21-24 months of military service during this period. Find more information about this collection, how it can be used to make meaningful family history discoveries, read more here: https://lnkd.in/g45KuG2A

At Ancestry, bringing family history to life is in our DNA. This #FamilyHistoryMonth, we asked our employees to share the discoveries they’ve made with Ancestry. What discoveries have you made? David North, Principal Software Developer at Ancestry shared - “Having been placed in a closed adoption in Louisiana, I spent years without knowing my biological family. That changed when DNA testing with AncestryDNA led to promising genetic matches. After months of correspondence, I met my biological mother in May 2020, and discovered I'm the oldest of several siblings on both sides, complete with some amazing nieces and nephews. I will always be grateful for Ancestry, which transformed my closed adoption story into one of expanded family connections." #FamilyHistory #WeAreAncestry #Wearethecurious

For years Ancestry has recognized the importance of investing in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We aim to help everyone—regardless of race, ethnicity, or heritage — discover, craft, and connect around their family story. Attracting and engaging a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce is integral to powering these discoveries. In a recent Business Insider article, our Chief People Officer, Shane Koller, shares more about our commitment to our DE&I programming and to creating an equitable employee experience. Thank you Rebecca M. Knight for letting us share our story.

On Wednesday, October 23 at 6pm MT, our Global Head of DE&I, Ashlee Davis (she/her) will join the National Genealogical Society (NGS) for a "Culture Conversation" webinar, where she and host, David Morrow, will discuss the power of storytelling to unite us, and the importance of fostering a culture of inclusion to drive innovation. We welcome you to join!

At Ancestry, bringing family history to life is in our DNA. This #FamilyHistoryMonth, we asked our employees to share the discoveries they’ve made with Ancestry. What discoveries have you made? Nicka Sewell-Smith, Senior Story Producer at Ancestry shared - “I scanned and uploaded a photo I had found of my great grandmother and my great aunt taken in 1908 to my tree. A year later, I was contacted by a cousin who had joined Ancestry in hopes of finding a photo of her great grandmother. It just so happened that the woman she was searching for was my great aunt, and she looked just like her. Through Ancestry, a century-old photo became a bridge across generations, reuniting family in ways we never imagined.” #FamilyHistory #WeAreAncestry #Wearethecurious