Parks & Recreation magazine’s 30 Under 30 honors the top stories of young park and recreation professionals who serve as everyday superheroes in their respective communities.
The 30 Under 30 winners will be announced in the February 2024 issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. Nominations are usually accepted in late summer and early fall each year. To nominate, please fill out the application and include your nominee’s résumé and a high-resolution photo (minimum 300 dpi in resolution or 1175 x 1500 pixels). Applicants are allowed to self-nominate.
Who should be nominated: A park and recreation professional who is making profound impacts in their communities and the field of parks and recreation. All nominees must be 30 years old or younger on the nomination deadline.
Award winners are selected based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Impact on the agency’s community and service population
- Contributions to the professional development of the field of parks and recreation
- Innovative ideas, programs or research in the field of parks and recreation
Requirements: The selected 30 Under 30 will be asked to participate in NRPA through one of the following:
- Submit an article for NRPA’s Parks & Recreation magazine
- Submit an NRPA Education Session for the NRPA Annual Conference
- Submit a blog post for Open Space Blog
- Participate in a podcast for Open Space Radio
- Participate on a panel, education session, webinar or committee for NRPA
- Join the leadership team of one of the NRPA Networks
The 30 Under 30 winners are recognized in a feature in the February issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.
View the 2023 30 Under 30 Winners
View the 2022 30 Under 30 Winners
View the 2021 30 Under 30 Winners
