The Michael Vergauwen Scholarship opens doors to audiovisual careers.

This scholarship honors the legacy of Michael Vergauwen, late COO of AVI Systems (FORTÉ) and long-time AVIXA board member. Michael believed firmly that education opens doors and unlocks potential to achieve our dreams. This scholarship helps Michael’s legacy endure by supporting students in pursuit of technical or advanced degrees toward audiovisual and creative careers.

Ten (10) scholarships of $2500 will be awarded in 2026 as a one-time contribution towards tuition for studies.

• Applicants must be at least 16 years of age. If under 18, parental or guardian consent may be required based on local regulations.

• Enrollment in vocational, undergraduate, or graduate program related to the audiovisual, creative, and integrated experience industry.

• Applicants working full-time in the audiovisual industry are ineligible; part-time, contract, internship, or apprenticeship roles permitted.

• Evidence of interest in an AV career through coursework, work experiences, volunteer activities, or related extracurricular involvement.

• Previous AVIXA Foundation scholarship recipients ineligible

• Applicants may only apply for one AVIXA Foundation scholarship

Applications are reviewed by a panel of industry leaders and volunteers using a structured, holistic approach. Achievements and academic performance are assessed relative to available resources and opportunities.

To ensure fairness and consistency, the following criteria are applied: 

1. Application Quality and Completeness (15%)Clarity, organization, and adherence to submission guidelines.

2. Academic Performance (15%)
   School grades or equivalent indicators of academic achievement, evaluated in the context of available resources and opportunities.

3. Community Involvement and Contributions (15%)Examples include volunteer work, leadership roles, or positive engagement in academic or professional settings. Consideration given to applicants balancing work, family, or other responsibilities.

4. Relevant Interests and Experiences (20%)Coursework, internships, volunteer activities, or extracurricular involvement related to audiovisual careers.

5. Personal Essay (20%)Originality, content and ideas, alignment with scholarship mission. Reviewers focus on substance and intent, not language proficiency.

6. Recommendation Letter (15%)Strength of endorsement from an academic or professional reference.

Bias Mitigation and Compliance 

• Reviewers receive guidance on unconscious bias and apply consistent scoring rubrics.

• Essays and recommendation letters are evaluated based on content, not personal identifiers.

• Achievements are considered relative to available resources and opportunities.

Transparency

• All decisions by the selection panel are final. While individual scores are not shared, applicants may request general feedback to improve future submissions.