Special Achievement Awards
MAGC'S special achievement awards recognize individuals who have helped build public trust in government, whose work has gone well above and beyond the normal duties and responsibilities of their positions.
- The Communicator of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding effort made during the previous calendar year.
- The Scott Pengelly Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a remarkable body of work accomplished over the course of a career.
- The New Communications Professional Award (NEW in 2024) recognizes an outstanding effort made during the previous year by a new-to-the-field professional by demonstrating special creativity or admirable initiative and showing a promising future in the field of government communications.
Nominations are reviewed by a nominating committee (MAGC board members and/or other participants designated by the board). The committee may recommend zero, one, or multiple finalists for each award. The award recipient(s) will be selected from among these finalists.
The recipients are revealed at the Northern Lights Awards Ceremony, usually in May or June.
Nominate Someone!
- Use this form to nominate someone for this year's Communicator of the Year, Lifetime Achievement or New Communications Professional award.
- Deadline: Friday, May 16, 2025 at 5:00pm.
In the initial round, we ask only that you fill out the nomination form, providing the name of the person you are nominating, the award you are nominating them for and a short explanation about why the person should be considered. If the nominating committee selects your nominee for consideration as a finalist, MAGC will contact you for additional information that will be considered in making the final selection.
Eligibility Criteria
- Individuals receiving these awards must have performed communications work for (or on behalf of) a government entity during the preceding calendar year.
- Recipients need not work in a "communications" job. Communications professionals, organizational leaders, public safety personnel and leaders and people in other occupations are eligible for nomination if they meet all eligibility criteria.
- Recipients must have been in compliance with the MAGC Code of Ethics in performing government duties with truth, accuracy, fairness, responsibility and accountability to the public.
- Recipients need not be MAGC members.
- Currently serving MAGC board members are ineligible to receive these awards.
- Any current MAGC member in good standing may submit a nomination.
Previous Recipients