“Genealogies” — 2025 Conference Webpage

April 3-6, 2025, hosted by Purdue University Fort Wayne, IN.

“Darwin’s Finches,” or “Galapagos Finches” [colorized]. Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited during the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Round the World, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N., 2nd. ed., 1845.
Conference Highlights
  • Conference Seminars led by Lindsay Wells and Andrea Kaston Tange
  • Jane Stedman Lecture (keynote) by Alison Booth
  • Visit to Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center, 900 Library Plz, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
    • We have booked three tours, each accommodating a maximum of 18 visitors:
      • Thursday, April 3, at 3:00 P.M. (own transportation)
      • Friday, April 4, at 4:30 P.M. (organized transportation from Holiday Inn pending sufficient sign-ups)
      • Sunday, April 6, at noon (own transportation)
  • Fort Wayne Philharmonic concert April 5, 7:30-8:30pm, featuring Ralph Vaugh Williams’s Dona nobis pacem and Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” symphony.
Please see the draft program here (v. March 7, 2025).
  • Thursday: option for Allen County Public Library tour (other options later in the conference), welcome reception in the evening
  • Friday and Saturday: sessions all day
  • Sunday: Board meeting
Registration

The early-bird conference registration fee is $175 for tenure-track faculty and $125 for graduate students, non-tenure-track faculty, and independent scholars. The registration fee covers all conference events, including the banquet, two box lunches, and the opening reception. For purposes of local planning, we request that you register by March 5, 2025. Attendees are kindly asked to become MVSA members when registering ($40 for tenure-track faculty; $30 for graduate students, non-tenure-track faculty, and unaffiliated scholars). Please note: A late fee of $50 will be added to all registrations after March 5, 2025. After March 5, 2025, no refunds will be issued for cancellations of conference participation. For cancellations before March 5, 2025, registration fees can be refunded but membership dues cannot.

To register, please fill out this Registration Form, which includes places to enter information about dietary restrictions as well as any accommodations you might need during the conference. Then, use the “Pay now” button below to enter the registration and membership fees appropriate to your membership category, and complete the transaction securely online. Please note: it may take up to ten minutes for the system to process the payment and email your receipt. If you do not receive an emailed receipt, we can rectify that when you check in at the conference.

Some of our members make annual donations to MVSA, for which we are very grateful. If you would like to make a donation, that amount can be added to the same transaction as your registration payment.

MVSA 2024 Conference Registration

MVSA 2025 Conference Registration

Pay now
Accommodations

The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Purdue Fort Wayne which features conference space and a banquet hall. The Holiday Inn is across the street from the Alumni Center where the opening reception, lunches, and the banquet will take place. Both hotel and Alumni Center are situated at the edge of the campus of Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW).

  1. Holiday Inn Purdue Fort Wayne, 4111 Paul Shaffer Drive Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825. We have reserved room blocks at the Holiday Inn Purdue Fort Wayne for those attending the MVSA 2025 conference, with a rate of $139 per night in a single King or double Queen room available from Thursday night (April 3) through Sunday morning (April 6). The check-in time is 3:00 P.M.; check-out time is at 11:00 A.M. Breakfast is not included. Free parking for hotel guests is available.
    • Guests may use this link to secure reservations at the discounted rate. They may also call the front desk, at 260-482-3800, to make a reservation, referencing the MVSA group block. They may also email at shelley@focushotels.com. General information about the hotel can be found here.
  2. The Bradley Downtown Fort Wayne, 204 W Main St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. This is an overflow hotel without a dedicated room rate. Please visit the hotel’s website for more information. The Bradley is in downtown Fort Wayne, 3.9 miles, or 10 minutes by car, from the PFW campus.
  3. Hyatt Place Fort Wayne – Northwest, 111 W Washington Center Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. This is the second overflow hotel without a dedicated room rate. Please visit the hotel’s website for more information. Hyatt Place is 2.4 miles, or 8 minutes by car, from the PFW Campus.
Transportation
  • The closest airport is Fort Wayne International Airport.
  • Please see the following link to information regarding transportation options: https://fwairport.com/travelers/parking-transportation.
  • A typical Lyft or Uber ride from the airport to the hotel is between $20-30 each way, depending on the time of day and other factors that affect these services’ variable pricing.
  • Skycap/Shuttle Service: The Fort Wayne Airport Customer Service is available Monday-Friday 7am-12am and Saturday-Sunday 5am-12am. The airport strongly recommends scheduling a shuttle ride, wheelchair assistance, or luggage assistance 48 hours in advance to ensure that personnel are available. They cannot guarantee assistance with less than a 48-hour notice, but will try their best to accommodate. They accept requests over the phone at 260-458-4017 or by following the Shuttle Assistance request link on this webpage.

For information on past MVSA conferences, visit the Archives section of the website.