As recipients of ETC's annual LDI Student Sponsorship, the students will enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to the LDI tradeshow, a full conference pass to experience the newest technology and benefit from LDI seminars and trainings, and the chance to network with professionals throughout the industry at special events.
ETC will match the Student Sponsorship recipients with industry luminaries who serve as mentors - giving advice, inspiration and support to the students as they embark on their careers. The 2016 ETC LDI students are:
Ben Clark - Currently a graduate student studying technical design and production at the Yale School of Drama, Ben Clark has worked professionally for 10 years. This summer, he held an equipment designer position at Theatre Projects. Prior to grad school, Ben served as associate technical director at ArtsEmerson for three years.
Wylder Cooper - Finishing up his last year of undergraduate studies at Clemson University, Wylder Cooper is earning a bachelor of arts in production studies in performing arts, with a theatre concentration and lighting emphasis. He worked as an apprentice electrician at the Santa Fe Opera, and as an overhire programmer at StageTech.
Jessica Ann Drayton - Jessica Ann Drayton is a senior at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, working toward a bachelor of fine arts in design and technology, with a concentration in lighting design. She has summer internship experience as an assistant lighting designer at the Cincinnati Opera, an apprentice electrician for the Santa Fe Opera, and an electrician for the Connecticut Repertory Theatre.
Alyssa Glenn - A master of arts candidate, Alyssa Glenn is studying theatre arts at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She earned a bachelor of arts at UCSC in 2016, with a major in theatre and a minor in education. Alyssa is currently serving as production manager for the student-run Barn Theater at her university.
Alex Stevens - Alex Stevens is pursuing a master of fine arts in lighting design at Carnegie Mellon University after completing a bachelor of fine arts in lighting design and production from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. He was an assistant lighting designer, lighting design fellow, and lighting design intern at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Nils Voerste - Originally from Germany, Nils Voerste is in his final year of the University of South Wales BSc Lighting Design and Technology course. He is taking courses on lighting for event, theatre and architecture. During his third year, he worked with consulting engineering company Arup in London, designing lighting concepts for architectural projects and working on installations for local design festivals.
(Jim Evans)
