Rising Star nominations: Time is running out!

The deadline for 2014 Rising Star nominations is rapidly approaching, and we need your input to be sure we find the best possible candidates for our judges to consider.

The Rising Star awards spotlight women and men who -- even in the early stages of their federal IT careers -- are having an impact far above their pay grade, and who show clear signs of being leaders in the community in the years to come. Nominees can come from government, the private sector, academia or the non-profit world -- the only restrictions are that they be actively involved in the community, and still in the first 10 years of their federal IT careers. (So while many nominees are in their 20s and 30s, age is not the issue -- a 50-year-old veteran who's embarked on a second career is every bit as eligible.)

And what makes for a winner? In many ways, it's the same criteria used for the Federal 100 -- women and men whose leadership, innovation and all-around extra effort go beyond their job description. Rising Star awards, however, recognize individuals who not only have done great things over the past year, but also are likely to play an even larger role in the years to come.

So gather your information and supporting nominators, and get those nominations in by July 15. Go to FCW.com/2014risingstars to learn more, and let us know where to find the leaders of tomorrow -- and the rising stars of today.