Skip to content

ATHENA Award 2023 Nominations Are Open!

ATHENA Awards 2023 PittsburghNominations are now open for the 2023 ATHENA Awards. Recipients and finalists will be honored on September 8, 2023.

The ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh distinguishes itself from other regional awards through its emphasis on women mentoring other women and girls.

NOMINATION FORM

ATHENA Award nominees must meet the following criteria:

  • Actively assist women and/or girls in reaching their full leadership potential
  • Provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in the community
  • Demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession

Top 10 Tips for Nominations

  1. Tell the nominee what you’re doing. This can’t be a surprise; you will need to interview her and people who know her.
  2. Ask for help reviewing the nomination. Even editors need editors.
  3. Share the load. The marketing, public relations, or human resources departments in the nominee’s organization may be available to help.
  4. Consider hiring a freelance writer, especially if you’re pressed for time.
  5. Skip the adjectives and focus on anecdotes and examples. One potent verb is worth three clichéd adjectives.
  6. In that same vein, focus on results – not superlatives.
  7. Don’t exceed three pages of text. (Each selection committee member will review 30+ nomination packages.)
  8. Don’t focus exclusively on the present. Try to establish a pattern of achievement over time. For example, what was the nominee doing in the 1980s? Leadership examples from her time in college just may give her the edge.
  9. Include direct quotes about the impact the nominee has had on individuals you interviewed.
  10. Remember: ATHENA Awards go to women who "actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential." Invest time to quantify that; it can make the difference when the selection committee is deciding among the top candidates. Note: Self-nominations are encouraged and accepted.

How to Write a Winning Nomination 

Pittsburgh Magazine Publisher Betsy Benson has shared this advice on writing nominations for the ATHENA Award and the ATHENA Young Professional Award.
Click here for a quick video tutorial on How to Write a Winning Nomination. 

NOMINATION FORM