The NAMM Foundation is pleased to present 94 exceptional college music students with the President’s Innovation Award. The annual award provides students exploring a career in music education, business and/or music products with a travel stipend to attend and advance their careers at The 2018 NAMM Show, January 25-28 in Anaheim, California.
Award recipients were chosen from across the nation through a robust application process from a pool of over 100 applicants. To be considered for the award, students must be enrolled in a university-based music business/education/technology program; have earned a 3.0 or higher grade point average; and must be enrolled full time in college at the time of The 2018 NAMM Show.
Once at the Show, the recipients will have the opportunity to network with established industry professionals in the areas of music and music products, pro audio and event technologies and services, as well as participate in The NAMM Foundation’s GenNext initiative: a professional development program for college students to help jump-start their careers. Held during each day of the show, and presented in conjunction with the College Music Society (CMS), NAMM’s GenNext is open to all college and university students and provides dedicated educational sessions to help the emerging professional advance in their career.
For award recipient Shante Simpson, a student at SAE Institute in Los Angeles, the chance to participate in the program will advance her career: “The opportunity to meet and network with industry leaders and see the latest in new gear means everything to a producer/engineer like me. There’s no doubt that being a part of this program will help me gain insight on new and innovative technology, and be a step ahead once I’m ready to fully immerse myself into the music industry.”
Jeremy McCool, a graduate student from Western Illinois University and past award recipient says that the experience was “Life changing. NAMM is filled with professionals in the music industry, which creates endless networking opportunities. I left NAMM more motivated than ever to further my career within the music industry."
Along with the great peer-to-peer networking and development opportunities, recipients will have access to 2,000 exhibits and 7,000 brands on display and networking opportunities with established industry personnel to further their careers. A suite of professional development opportunities also await participants including NAMM U, TEC Tracks, A3E’s The Future of Audio program; Audinate’s Dante Certification Training; AES@NAMM: Pro Sound Symposium Live and Studio curated by the Audio Engineering Society; and event technology sessions, curated by ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association), The Pro Production Sessions presented by Front of House and Projection Lights & Staging News magazines; and Lighting&Sound America/PLASA.
Of the award recipients, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond shares, “We welcome the next generation of innovators and leaders, and its important for our members and the industry to know that they will be with us at The NAMM Show. While still completing their education, NAMM is investing in their future and we warmly welcome them as if our future depended on it, I imagine in many ways it does.”
See below the complete list of 2018 President’s Innovation Award winners: