NextGen Superstar Nominations

VISTA Today and presenting sponsor Penn State Great Valley are searching for 40 of Chester County’s most dynamic leaders under 40.

“Do you know a Chester County professional who is breaking down walls, shattering expectations, and doing remarkable work in their profession or community?”

Nominate an employee, colleague, client, friend, or yourself to join the 2025 class of VISTA NextGen Superstars. Score bragging rights by promoting your people and their great work, while highlighting your organization.

In addition to honoring 40 NextGen Superstars, we are celebrating The Arc of Chester County, a Chester County nonprofit that advocates, educates and provides services to empower individuals with disabilities and their families to enhance the quality of their lives.

Key Dates:

January 31^st – Nomination submission by midnight
Week of February 17th – Announce the 2025 class
May 8^th – Awards Reception & Celebration
Penn State Great Valley, Malvern

VISTA NextGen Superstars are featured in VISTA Today’s daily emails leading up to the event.

VISTA NextGen Superstars Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor

Why Nominate Your People?

People & Culture

Employee Recognition
Retention
Recruiting

Executive Leadership

Organizational Recognition
Social Responsibility
Local Bragging Rights

Marketing & Communications

Brand Recognition
Industry & Media Exposure
Networking & Sponsorship

Past Honorees:

Jessica Annas

Meridian Bank

PJ Gallo

MacElree Harvey

Brigid Gallagher

West Chester University

Vincent Miles Jr.

The City of Coatesville

Josh Maxwell

Chester County Commissioner

Amber Little Turner

Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance

Shawn Welsh

Welsh Automotive

Dina Alongi Caggiula

Vanguard

Drew Boardman

The Colonial Theatre

Kate Sheehan

Qurate Retail Group

Josh Stehle

Deep Three Design

Jillian Simmons

The Arc of Chester County

Emma Patragnoni

RKL Virtual Management Solutions

Javonna Wylie

Chester County OIC

Darren Girardeau

Chester County Hospital

Maria Van Schaijik

Andiario Restaurant

Justin Gildea

S&T Bank

Heather Grayberg

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center

Nidhin Davis

CTDI

Samantha Jackson

EZ Pizzi Cleaning

Your Superstar needs to:

Live or work in Chester County or be enrolled in a Chester County based university
Be 39 years old or younger as of April 30, 2025
Have achieved notable success in their chosen profession or trade
Actively engaged in efforts to improve Chester County’s quality of place
Be an awesome person!

Nominee's Information
(All Fields Required, Except Birthdate)
Name*
First Last
Job Position*
Company Name*
Email*
Work or Cell Number*
Birthdate
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Describe in detail the nominee's leadership qualities, career achievements and any other information that makes them a Superstar.*
Describe in detail the nominee's community activities outside of their day job and how they make a positive impact and bring people together in the community and/or county.*
Your Information
(All Fields Required)
- I am nominating myself
Name*
First Last
Job Position*
Company Name*
Email*
Work or Cell Number*
How do you know the nominee?*

About
The Arc of Chester County

Our mission is to advocate, educate and provide services to empower individuals with disabilities and their families to enhance the quality of their lives.

Creating a community that embraces and values people with disabilities.

VISTA NextGen SuperStars Initiative is Sponsored by:

Presenting Sponsor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is VISTA NextGen Superstars?

VISTA NextGen Superstars is a recognition program, highlighted by an Awards Celebration on May 8^th, 2025 at Penn State Great Valley in Malvern, that recognizes 40 young professionals (18 to 40 years old) who are breaking down walls and reshaping Chester County through their talent, persistence, and determination.

When will VISTA Today publish this class of VISTA NextGen Superstars?

The 2025 class of VISTA NextGen Superstars will be announced the week of February 17^th, 2025.

When do nominations begin?

The nominations open on November 11^th and close on January 31^st . When nominations are open, the link can be found on the VISTA NextGen Superstars home page.

What are the qualifications for VISTA NextGen Superstars?

Aside from achieving notable success in their chosen profession or trade, recipients must be 39-years-old or younger (as of April 30, 2025), work, live, or study in Chester County, and be actively engaged, either professionally or through their volunteer work, in efforts to improve Chester County’s quality of place.

How will nominees be evaluated?

A committee will evaluate and select 40 award recipients from the nearly 300 expected submissions based on:
• Live or work in Chester County or be enrolled in a Chester County based university
• Be 39 years old or younger as of April 30, 2025
• Have achieved notable success in their chosen profession or trade
• Be actively engaged in efforts to improve Chester County's quality of place
• Be an awesome person!

How can I nominate someone for VISTA NextGen Superstars?

Nominations must be submitted online.

Can I nominate myself

Yes. Fill out the nominee form and submit it for consideration.

Can I nominate multiple Individuals?

Yes. If nominating multiple individuals, a separate form should be completed for each nomination.

Who decides who will be VISTA NextGen Superstars?

A panel of Chester County business and civic leaders made up of VISTA Today’s publisher, event sponsors, and VISTA NextGen Superstars Alumni.

When will winners be notified?

VISTA NextGen Superstars will be notified of the status of their nomination during the third week of February.

Will I be informed if my nominee was not selected?

No. Only selected nominees will be informed in advance of publication of the VISTA NextGen Superstars award recipients.

If I have not heard from VISTA Today by February 18^th, does that mean my nominee was not selected?

That would be a fair assumption, but please refer to the previous question.

Can I just call you or send you an email with the name of the person I'd like to nominate?

No. We need to have the form filled out, including contact information for the person you are nominating.

I want to nominate someone, but can I remain anonymous?

No. We need to know who you are, though we do not share nominator information with any third parties.

Can I nominate a family member?

You can nominate anyone: a family member, your boss, a client, an employee or yourself. The most important thing is that you state a clear & detailed business-oriented reason for the nomination.

Will more than one nominee from the same company be accepted?

You can nominate multiple individuals from one company, but only one will be chosen. However, multiple candidates from separate divisions of large companies could be chosen.

I would like to nominate someone, but they will turn 40 before April 30, 2025. Can I still nominate that person?

No. Nominations for anyone who does not meet the age requirement will be discarded. We verify birthdates of finalists.

How does the process work?

After we receive a nomination, VISTA Today’s publisher vets the candidates and submits lists to the VISTA NextGen Superstar Selection Committee. The Selection Committee then determines which nominees will be chosen. The selection committee will strive to come up with a diverse list of award recipients that represents a broad spectrum of Chester County companies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and civic organizations.

What is required of those who are selected?

Selected nominees must make themselves available for an interview with a VISTA Today editor. They are also required to participate in a photoshoot with a VISTA Today photographer. Declining either of these requests will disqualify the candidate.

Can I contact you to see how my nominee is doing in the judging process?

No. We don't give status reports. If we need any further information, we will contact you. Please be patient.

I was not picked for VISTA NextGen Superstars. Can you tell me why?

With hundreds of candidates and only 40 slots, the majority of hopefuls will not be chosen. We cannot explain why a specific candidate wasn’t picked because it won't be for any one reason and may be for reasons that have to do with presenting a diverse range of individuals, professions and industries.