In this Steph Takeover episode of Rants & rAVes, I sat down with Brandy Alvarado-Miranda, founder/director of WAVIT, to talk about a scholarship that really means something. The Mary Cook Empowerment Award: Designing the Future honors the legacy of a true trailblazer in our industry. Mary wasn’t just a force in AV — she was a mentor, an advocate and someone who made space for women to grow and lead. This scholarship, backed by WAVIT, AVIXA and founding sponsor NV5, gives early-career women in AV system design a chance to experience InfoComm, gain mentorship and build real momentum in their careers. Brandy and I dug into Mary’s impact, what this award represents and how to apply, which you can do here.