International Summit Awards

General Information
STC offers competitions to evaluate professional technical communication in different media.
Competitions are open to technical communication professionals. You do not have to be a member of STC to participate. Competitions have two tiers:
- Local or regional (community)
- International (Society-wide)
In the following categories:
- Informational Materials
- Instructional Materials
- Promotional Materials
- User Support Materials
An entry must win an award of Distinguished Technical Communication or Award of Excellence at the local level to qualify for submission to STC's International Summit Award competition. Many, but not all, chapters hold professional competitions in the fall.
Interested in entering a local (community) competition? View a list of chapters holding competitions. Contact that chapter for information on submitting an entry to the STC competitions for professionals.
Want to see the 2012 International Summit Award Results? View the full list of 2012 International Summit Award Winners.
For more information, contact:
Nathaniel Lim, STC Associate Fellow
General Manager, 2012–2013 STC International Competitions
email: nathaniel.lim@elekta.com
phone: +1 (408) 830-8025
Lloyd Tucker, Deputy Executive Director
Society For Technical Communication
email: lloyd.tucker@stc.org
phone: +1 (571) 366-1904
Forms and Files
Chapters and submitters can send qualifying entries to the STC International Summit Awards Competition to:
STC International Summit Awards
c/o Herr
5292 Kathy Way
Livermore, CA 94550
Each submission must include:
- Four (4) copies of each entry
- Completed online submission form for each entry (with a printed copy of the completed submission form attached to each of the four copies of the entry)
- Payment: Check(s) made payable to STC or online credit card payment. Fee per entry in US dollars only (nonrefundable):
- $50 Students
- $125 Members
- $200 Non-Members
- If sending a check, please mail the check with a printed copy of the online Entry Submission form to:
Lloyd Tucker, Deputy Executive Director
Society for Technical Communication
9401 Lee Highway
Suite 300
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Entries must be received no later than 8 February 2013. No late entries will be accepted.
Questions? Lloyd Tucker or Nathaniel Lim.
International Forms and Files
- STC ISA General Information and Rules
- STC ISA Entry Submission Form
- STC ISA Handbook for Competition Managers (PDF) (also contains information for local competition managers)
- STC ISA Judge Application Form
- STC ISA Handbook for Judges
- STC ISA Entry Assessment Overview
- STC ISA Entry Assessment Form
Chapter/Regional Forms and Files
Competition managers may customize these forms for chapter/regional use.
- Chapter/Regional Submission Form (PDF) or (Word)
- Competition Entry Assessment Form
- Judge Application Form (Word)
- Call for Entries Template (Word)
Competition Award Winner Emblems
Winners of the STC International Summit Awards and chapter/regional-level awards of STC-sponsored competitions may freely duplicate the STC award emblems in resumes or company publications and on websites or copies of the winning piece. For chapter/regional-level awards, winners may add the name of the chapter/region or competition as shown in the example.
We suggest including a tag line (or similar text) with the logo based on this example:
"Distinguished Winner of STC's International Summit Awards Competition, 2013"


High Resolution Graphics (TIF format)
- Best of Show (international)
- Best of Show (chapter/regional)
- Winner (international)
- Winner (chapter/regional)
Low Resolution Graphics (PNG format)
- Best of Show (international)
- Best of Show (chapter/regional)
- Winner (international)
- Winner (chapter/regional)
For EPS format, please email stc@stc.org and request the file.
Award Winners and Judges
Award Winners
STC and the International Summit Awards committee recognize these STC International Summit Awards recipients for their achievement and contributions to the technical communication profession.
To be eligible for international consideration, entries must first receive an award of Excellence or Distinguished in a chapter competition. Each entry is then judged against criteria that measure the degree of technical content, achievement of purpose, and technical execution whether online or in printed deliverable. Entries exemplify the talent, creativity, and understanding that is unique to those who successfully communicate technical, scientific, and business information.
Judges and Competition Volunteers
STC and the International Summit Awards committee recognize these judges and others for their contributions to the STC International Summit Awards.
2010-2011 Traveling Exhibits of Award-Winning Entries
Your chapter may request traveling exhibits of the top winning entries to display at a chapter meeting, seminar, conference or other event. The exhibits inspire attendees to enter competitions and provide them with examples of high-quality technical communications.
To request an exhibit, please contact:
Lloyd Tucker, Deputy Executive Director
Society For Technical Communication
9401 Lee Highway, Suite #300
Fairfax, VA, 22031
email: lloyd.tucker@stc.org
phone: +1 (571) 366.1904
Judging Exchange Service
Each year, the Society for Technical Communication (STC) sponsors international competitions through which technical communicators have the opportunity to receive recognition for their work. STC chapters hold preliminary competitions from which Excellence and Distinguished winners advance to the international level.
Some chapters exchange entries with other chapters for judging. There are both advantages and challenges with this system. Weigh the factors as you decide whether to exchange entries. STC supports judging exchanges whenever they will improve the quality of judging or help avoid the appearance of conflict of interest.
If your chapter is interested in a judging exchange, we encourage you to contact chapters with which you currently have a relationship.
- Guidelines for Competition Exchanges
