Awards Nominate a Colleague Emerging Leaders Award

The nomination submission period for the 2024 Emerging Leaders Award is now closed. Recipients are expected to be announced in mid-December.

Announced at the 2024 National Seminar, NSPRA's new Emerging Leaders Award will annually recognize up to seven individuals (one from each of NSPRA’s seven regions) who have no more than five years of professional experience working in school public relations, school communications or school marketing for demonstrating excellence and leadership in their work.

As NSPRA introduces the Emerging Leaders Award, the association is sunsetting the NSPRA Front-Runners and 35 Under 35 recognitions while still reflecting the best aspects of each honor in a new, more expansive and inclusive award. These changes were inspired by member insights gathered by the NSPRA Awards Task Force.

To be considered for the Emerging Leaders Award, nominees must:

• Have no more than five years of professional experience working in school public relations, school communications or school marketing;
• Have been a Professional or Professional Partner member of NSPRA for at least one year at the time of nomination; and
• Be active and involved in their state or regional SPRA chapter if one exists or in NSPRA.

Nominations may be submitted by members and non-members, on behalf of an individual or by the individual themselves. Nominators will be asked to provide the following as part of a nomination:

• A statement in 500 words or less about how the nominee demonstrates excellence and leadership.
• A statement in 500 words or less about how the nominee stays active and involved with NSPRA, their state/regional SPRA chapter and/or other professional organizations.
• A statement in 500 words or less about how the nominee demonstrates innovation, creativity and other forward-thinking skills in their work.
• A synopsis in 500 words or less of the nominee's achievements and accomplishments.

Supplementary materials and information are also permitted, but optional.

The nomination submission period for the 2024 Emerging Leaders Award is now closed. Nominations were due by Friday, October 11. 

Selected Emerging Leaders Award honorees will be recognized on the NSPRA website, in NSPRA e-newsletters and on NSPRA social media platforms. They also will receive special recognition at the annual NSPRA National Seminar.