Ann Kelly, associate director of technology support at Daemen University, has been selected as part of the inaugural class of Prism Scholarship awardees.
Ann Kelly
The Prism initiative seeks to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the higher education and audio visual technology workforces across the country.
The Prism Scholarship will provide funding for Kelly to prepare and take the Certified Technology Specialists (CTS) certification exam.
“Being CTS certified is an industry benchmark,” Kelly explained. “Vendors and others then know they are working with someone who understands the process.”
She added, “It will help me stay in front of technology changes, purchase the most beneficial equipment for the institution and use it to support our students.”
Sponsored by Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA), with support from the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA), the Prism Scholarship aims to encourage members of underrepresented communities within the field to assume leadership and managerial roles. These communities include women, LGBTQIA+, Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous, and disabled persons, among others.
“Both HETMA and AVIXA set the standards for Certified Technology Specialists,” explained Kelly, who has worked at Daemen for 15 years. “HETMA is a community of professionals who work in higher education and who are passionate about supporting each other in the field.”
Kelly added, “The Prism Scholarship provides encouragement and motivates people to go after what they are passionate about. This is anyone’s field.”
HETMA describes recipients of the scholarship as those who are “determined to leave their mark as an AV professional” and demonstrate commitment to continued education – in addition to being passionate for “higher education and the experiences that audiovisual technology creates.”
Kelly learned about HETMA and the Prism Scholarship at the annual conference by AVIXA, InfoComm, which is designed for professionals in the field looking to learn the latest in technology and trends.
Representatives at the conference encouraged her to submit an application that included five different essay topics.
As a scholarship recipient, she will have access to a mentorship program, online catalog of education resources, online prep course, course materials and coverage of exam fees.
“Technology is always changing and evolving. I work to find ways to implement new technology in Daemen classrooms, teach faculty how to utilize it to then share with students to enhance their learning experience,” said Kelly. “Working towards this certification will expand my knowledge in corporate technology and scale it for the spaces at Daemen.”
Kelly will attend the InfoComm 2023 in Orlando, Florida as part of her scholarship.