Every year, without fail, someone stops me and says, "I need to get my Inspire nominations in."
Yep ... you do.
Then there are the people who tell me, "I'm going to nominate someone next year."
The time is now.
The deadline for nominations for the 2026 Inspire: Celebrating Women's Leadership Awards, presented by UBT is Friday, July 17, at 11:59 p.m. And if history tells us anything, we’ll end up with a flood of nominations in the final days. Don't let your inspiring woman become the one you meant to nominate.
For the past 12 years, Inspire has celebrated the women who make Lincoln stronger. They lead businesses, classrooms, hospitals, nonprofits, government agencies, athletic programs, volunteer organizations and neighborhoods. Some lead from the front. Others quietly change lives behind the scenes. They’re not doing it for recognition.
People are also reading…
Those are exactly the women we're looking for.
One thing many people don't realize is just how competitive this process has become. Every year, our Inspire Advisory Board reads hundreds (and hundreds!) of nominations before selecting just 60 finalists. It's an incredibly difficult job because there are so many deserving women in our community.
So here's my advice.
Don't just tell us she's amazing.
Tell us why.
Tell us about the challenge she overcame. The people she lifted up. The lives she changed. Share the story that only you can tell. The strongest nominations aren't necessarily about the woman with the biggest title or the longest résumé. They're the ones that paint a picture of her impact. Those are the nominations that stay with our panel long after they've finished reading.
Your words matter.
They may be the reason someone receives the recognition they've quietly earned for years.
This year's Inspire luncheon will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. We made one exciting change this year that I absolutely love. We're opening the doors an hour earlier, at 10:30 a.m., because every year we hear the same thing: "There just isn't enough time to catch up with everyone!" This community loves to connect, celebrate, and cheer each other on, and of course — the photos, we’ve got to get those pictures! We're giving everyone more time to do exactly that before the program begins.
If you've been waiting to submit your nomination, consider this your sign.
Don't wait until next year.
Don't assume someone else will do it.
Visit InspireLincoln.com today and tell us about the women who inspire you.
We'll take care of the rest.
Watch for a special section in the Sunday, July 26, edition of the Lincoln Journal Star featuring all 2026 Inspire nominees. To keep up to date on all things Inspire, give us a follow on Instagram at InspireLincoln and Facebook at Inspire: Celebrating Woman's Leadership.
A heartfelt thank you to our 2026 Inspire sponsors: Union Bank & Trust, Assurity, Nelnet, Hausmann, Talent+, Filament Essential Services, Lincoln Community Foundation, Ameritas, Hudl, United Way, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Level Ten Creative Marketing Firm, and Of The Earth Florals. Your support allows us to continue celebrating the incredible women who make our community better every day.We'd love to add your organization's name to this list. For info on how your brand can become part of Inspire, contact us at Inspire@JournalStar.com.
