Sally Webb
Rising Star Award

About the Award

Do you know someone at your institution who consistently exceeds expectations in academic event planning? Or maybe that person is you—always two steps ahead in your planning, going above and beyond to ensure success. Now’s your chance to shine!

AEP is proud to introduce the inaugural Sally Webb Rising Star Award, honoring an individual who stands out in the academic event planning community. This award celebrates a “rising star”—someone exceptionally hard-working, innovative, and integral to their events team. The recipient is not only a dynamic planner but also someone who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to attend the AEP Conference due to financial limitations.

In recognition of their excellence, the award winner will receive complimentary registration to the 2025 AEP Conference, held February 23-24, 2025 at Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay Campus, along with two-nights accommodations at the AEP host hotel and up to $500 to cover the cost of their flight to attend the conference (any expenses exceeding this amount will be the responsibility of the recipient).

Award Criteria

Must be a current staff member at an academic institution with at least two years of experience in academic event planning

Demonstrates exceptional performance in their role
Manager referral letter required as part of the submission
Cannot attend the AEP Conference without this financial support
Must be able to attend this year’s conference (February 23-24, 2025 in Florida)

Award Submissions will close on Wednesday, December 4, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. If a referral letter is not submitted by the required date, the nomination will be considered incomplete and will not be eligible for review.

The winner will be selected by members of the AEP Advisory Board and notified on Monday, January 6, 2025. If the chosen awardee is unable to attend this year’s conference, the runner-up will be awarded this opportunity.

About Sally Webb

This award is named in honor of Sally Webb, a visionary leader and the founder of The Special Event Company (TSEC). Sally saw a critical gap in the academic event space—there was no dedicated platform for professional development, education and networking for academic event planners. In 2006, she took action by creating AEP, a conference to provide access to the tools, resources, and community that academic event professionals needed to create outstanding events.

Sally’s passion for empowering others in the field drove her to ensure that event planners in academia had the support they needed to thrive. Her dedication to excellence and vow to foster this network set the foundation for AEP’s mission. Thanks to her leadership, academic event planners now have a space to learn, connect and grow.

We are profoundly grateful for Sally’s legacy and her unwavering commitment to this community. TSEC continues to uphold her vision, ensuring AEP remains a trailblazer in the field by fostering creativity, connection and professionalism in academic event planning.

Join us in celebrating the legacy of Sally Webb by nominating or applying for this prestigious award!

Rising Star Award Nomination Form

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Nominator Name (the person filling out this form)

First

Last

Nominator Phone

Nominator Email

Nominator Institution Name

Nominator Job Title

RISING STAR NOMINEE INFORMATION

Rising Star Name

First

Last

Rising Star Phone

Rising Star Email

Rising Star Institution Name

Rising Star Job Title

Rising Star Years of Professional Experience in Academic Event Planning

Please provide a brief introduction to your Rising Star nominee:

Why is this person deserving of the Rising Star Award? And how has the nominee demonstrated exceptional performance in their role? (Provide examples of their contributions to event planning, such as innovative solutions, leadership, or standout events they’ve managed.)

What impact has the nominee had on their institution’s event planning efforts or the academic community as a whole? (This could include elevating the institution’s reputation, building new collaborations, or enhancing attendee experiences.)

Why would the nominee be unable to attend the AEP Conference without this financial support? (Please explain financial constraints or institutional barriers that prevent their attendance.)

AWARD CRITERIA

Nominee is a current staff member at an academic institution with at least two years of experience in academic event planning

Only those with two or more years of experience in academic event planning will be considered.

Nominee demonstrates exceptional performance in their role

Nominee cannot attend the AEP Conference without this financial support

Nominee is able to attend this year's AEP Conference (February 23-24, 2025 in Florida)

Only those nominees who can attend this conference will be considered.

I will submit the required manager referral letter as part of the submission

If your nominee is selected, may we share your information with them?

File Upload: Manager Referral Letter

Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 3 files.

Please upload a word doc or PDF to this section. If you do not have the referral letter for upload at the time of this nomination submission, please email it to jim.hooker@specialeventco.com by Wednesday, December 4th at 11:59pm EST. If a referral letter is not submitted by the required date, the nomination will be considered incomplete and will not be eligible for review.