Emerging Leader Awards—Individual: Distinguished Young Professional
The Distinguished Young Professional Award recognizes and rewards exceptional performance in four areas: leadership and guidance for the Emerging Leader program; superior technical achievement in the professional arena; a record of going "above and beyond" at the local AFCEA chapter or region level; and mentoring provided for other Emerging Leaders. Nominees for this award are evaluated through September of the current year.
AFCEA's Regional Vice Presidents have the honor of personally selecting an individual from their region to receive the Regional Distinguished Young Professional Award. These honorees represent an elite group of individuals, and one of them is voted Distinguished Young Professional of the Year.
The Distinguished Young Professional nomination will be graded on the following:
- Specific ways the nominee provided leadership and guidance for the Emerging Leader program at the chapter or regional level
- Superior technical achievement in the professional arena
- The impact the nominee's other contributions have had on their chapter and the AFCEA community
- Mentoring that the nominee provided for others during the award year
Criteria
- Must be a current AFCEA member
- Must be 40 years of age or younger as of December 31 of the current year
- Must have been an active Emerging Leader at the chapter and/or HQ International level for at least one year
- Cannot have previously won the Distinguished Young AFCEAN or Distinguished Young Professional award
- Individuals cannot nominate themselves. Nominations must be endorsed by the nominee's AFCEA Regional Vice President
Emerging Leadership Award
The Emerging Leadership Award is given for exceptional service to AFCEA at the local chapter level and/or AFCEA International level. This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated continuous leadership in Emerging Leader activities since winning the Distinguished Young AFCEAN (DYA) or Distinguished Young Professional (DYP) Award. Nominees are evaluated through September of the current year.
The Emerging Leadership nomination will be graded on the following:
- How the nominee has grown in their development as a leader in the local Emerging Leader community
- Leadership roles the nominee has taken in the local AFCEAN community-at-large—outside of the Emerging Leader community
- Contributions the nominee made to the Emerging Leader community at the HQ International level
- Mentoring provided by the nominee during the award year
- How the nominee has distinguished themselves as a professional in their community
Criteria
- Must be a current AFCEA member
- Must be 40 years of age or younger as of December 31 of the current year
- Must be a previous Distinguished Young AFCEAN or Distinguished Young Professional winner—awarded a minimum of two years ago
- Cannot have previously won this Emerging Leadership Award
- Individuals cannot nominate themselves
- Must be actively mentoring and involved with the Emerging Leaders
- Must have demonstrated continuous leadership in Emerging Leader activities since winning the DYA/DYP award
- Nominations must be endorsed by the nominee's AFCEA Regional Vice President
Emerging Leader Awards—Chapters
The Emerging Leader Chapter of the Year Award is given to the top chapter in each size category that has most significantly contributed to the professional development of Emerging Leaders by providing a forum of programs and initiatives geared to their unique needs. Chapters of similar size compete with each other for this award.
Chapters can only be nominated for the Emerging Leader Chapter of the Year Award if they have received the Model Young AFCEAN or Model Emerging Leader Program in the same year.
Examples of qualifying programs:
- Career development events (e.g. seminars, panels, tours and job fairs)
- Recognition, award and scholarship programs for Emerging Leaders
- Opportunities for chapter committee participation by Emerging Leaders
- Sponsorship of subchapters at academic or military/government training centers