WAVIT Announces Mary Cook Empowerment Award

	Mary Cook

WAVIT (Women in AV/IT) has established the Mary Cook Empowerment Award: Designing the Future. This annual scholarship honors the late Mary Cook, a trailblazer in supporting women in AV/IT and a passionate advocate for advancing inclusion and mentorship within the industry.

Cook's AV co-founded local AVIXA Women's Council groups in Atlanta and Michigan. Her commitment to empowering women and championing their professional growth earned her a place in the SCN Hall of Fame at InfoComm in 2017. WAVIT's scholarship initiative is a tribute to her enduring impact and dedication to helping women thrive in the field, the company says.

To support the scholarship program, AVIXA has created a full InfoComm experience, which will bring recipients to the US trade show to explore pro AV solutions, education, and networking opportunities.

"Mary was devoted to making tangible and lasting contributions to the AV industry and supporting women to develop their careers. She brought her technical expertise to her service on AVIXA's Standards Steering Committee and was a very early driver of the AVIXA Women's Council, where she was a strong supporter and advocate for women to pursue their CTS certifications," says Sarah Joyce, chief global officer, AVIXA. "We're honored to collaborate with WAVIT and NV5 to create this scholarship in Mary's name to help women continue to be supported and excel in our industry."

As a founding sponsor, the technical engineering and consulting firm NV5 plays a vital role in establishing the scholarship. Its contribution will directly support the recipient's development and provide mentorship opportunities.

"Mary Cook's contributions to the AV/IT industry continue to inspire us," says Kelly Stumpf, PMP and principal consultant of NV5. "By supporting this scholarship, NV5 is honored to uphold Mary's legacy and foster the next generation of women leaders in AV/IT. We believe this program will help propel careers and promote the spirit that Mary championed."

The scholarship will provide numerous benefits, the company says, including a comprehensive InfoComm trade show package, AVIX and AVIT membership; and access to WAVIT's mentorship program candidates will be women in their early career stages (two years or less of experience), show a commitment to AV system design and AEC fields, be US or Canada-based, and aspire to create innovative audio/visual environments.

Applications are open now, and close April 18. The recipient will be announced on May 2, with the scholarship culminating in a trip to InfoComm 2025 in Orlando June 7-13.

"Mary Cook exemplified what it means to uplift and inspire others," says WAVIT founder, Brandy Alvarado-Miranda. "Through this scholarship, we aim to continue her mission of empowering women and advancing the AV/IT industry."

For more information or to submit your application form, go to womeninavit.org.