Deadline extended for Rising Star nominations

When an agency or company hires a top executive, that gets plenty of press. Ditto for when those senior officials steer a key project to success, change roles, get their team out of trouble or decide to tackle a major problem.

Far less covered, however, is the next generation of leaders in the federal IT community -- those who are coming up through the ranks, doing the great work that doesn't come with a turn at the podium.

FCW's Rising Star awards are an opportunity to address that inequity and recognize early-career individuals who bring amazing energy and ideas to the table.  And to make sure that every worthy individual has a shot at such recognition, we're extending the deadline for nominations until July 15.

Nominees can come from government, the private sector, academia or the nonprofit world. The only restrictions are that they be actively involved in the community and in the first 10 years of their federal IT careers. That's not just millennials, mind you -- a 60-year-old who has embarked on a second career is every bit as eligible.

What makes for a winner? In many ways, it's the same criteria used for the Federal 100 awards: We're looking for people whose leadership, innovation and all-around extra effort are having a powerful and positive impact on federal IT.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Winners go above and beyond, whatever their level or rank. A fancy job title is not required, and doing one's job well is not enough.
• Impact matters. The judges need to know not only what a nominee did but also what all that work accomplished.
• The award is for work done in the past year.
• You can make multiple nominations. Do so early and often.

So gather your information and supporting nominators, and get those nominations in by July 15. Go to FCW.com/2016risingstars to learn more, then let us know where to find the leaders of tomorrow — and the rising stars of today.