Congratulations to the outstanding theatre design students who are the recipients of the 2025 Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships, awarded annually since 2019 in partnership with TSDCA (Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association), Live Design Magazine and USITT. The scholarships are worth up to $5,000 for each student and are funded by LDI and Live Design to support talent from underrepresented backgrounds in the field of entertainment design.
The Diversity In Design Scholarships are part of LDI’s Foster the Future Program, which comprises the Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship, the LDI and DSE Production Assistant Program, and the Young Career Professionals Program, which includes access to both show expo halls, an LDInnovation Conference badge and special events for those ages 18-25. Find more info on Foster The Future here and register for LDI 2024 here.
This year’s Diversity In Design Scholarships attracted a record number of applications which were whittled down to five by our team of judges: Katherine Gonzalez, Becca Stoll, Brad Berridge, Carolyn Slothour, Germán Martínez, Ien DeNio, Melanie Chen Cole, Nina Field, Sun Hee Kil, Willow James, and Lindsay Jones.
And the recipients are…
Bianca Akao
Bianca Akao is a rising Sophomore at Boston University majoring in theatrical lighting design. She has a can-do attitude and a high standard of excellence. Lighting design is a very important passion of hers and she is looking forward to learning as much as she can about lighting at BU and beyond. She is very grateful to have been awarded the Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship as this will allow her to continue to study at BU with less financial worry. Bianca is very excited to collaborate and meet with other lighting designers and is hopeful that this scholarship will help her reach that goal. She is excited to see where a career in lighting design will take her and is thrilled at the possibilities.
Audrey Allen
Audrey Allen is a projections/video designer, scenic designer and scenic artist. She is currently studying for a BFA in scenic design, with additional emphases in scenic painting and projections/video design, at Utah State University and is going into her junior year. She recently won “Heart of the Arts for Scenic Arts” at KCACTF’s region 8 festival for her scenic painting. Audrey is drawn towards telling a story in all of her projects, and finds it vital in every aspect of design. Currently, one of those outlets is through the medium of projections and the flexibility of the artform. Eventually, she would like to find herself designing for playhouses and stages across the globe, and exploring the world of designing projection-based experiences and exhibits.
Elena Hewett
Elena Hewett (they/them/theirs) is a lighting designer and scenic painter currently pursuing both a BFA in technical production and a BA with an focus in comparative genocide studies at Western Michigan University. They’re passionate about creating art that is collaborative and community-centered, communicating complex messages with subtlety and refinement. One of Hewett’s main motivations is to emphasize and uplift the voices of fellow trans and gender-nonconforming individuals within theatrical spaces. They are thrilled to be recognized by this scholarship and hope to continue to develop as a designer and artist.
Ashley Nava
Ashley Nava is a sound designer and audio technician from Fullerton, California. She will start her first year at The Theatre School at DePaul University in the fall of 2025, where she’ll be studying sound design. Her goal is to work in the world of entertainment through audio—whether it’s in theater, film, concerts, or any live event, and to learn every aspect of sound and continue growing as a well-rounded audio artist. As a Mexican American and first-generation college student, she also hopes to open doors for others from communities like hers and show that there’s a place for them in this industry.
Tait Truong
Tait Truong (he/him) is a lighting technician from Oklahoma City that is currently working towards becoming a lighting designer. As a second-year student at Oklahoma City University who is pursuing a B.F.A. in design and production with a lighting design focus, Tait heavily believes in the potential that lighting has in uplifting a story and strives to create breathtaking visuals in all avenues. Inspired by the vast array of artists and collaborators that theatre brings together, Tait is constantly on the lookout for the next organization to be involved with. Around the city, he has had the pleasure of being involved with Toucan Productions, Oklahoma City Repertory Theater, OCCC’s Theater Department, and many others. Looking towards the future, Tait aims to create designs that he can be proud of as well as inspire others to pursue theatre arts.
About the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships
The scholarships are named for Pat MacKay, former publisher of Theatre Crafts International (TCI) and Lighting Dimensions and founder of the LDI trade show. She is a USITT Fellow and has mentored multiple generations of industry professionals. The Diversity In Design Scholarships were introduced in 2019 to support the diverse and unique voices in the field of entertainment design and are presented to undergraduate students.