PAMA names 2026 scholarship recipients

The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure have announced the four recipients of the 2026 Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship, supporting students pursuing professional audio education.

Now in its sixth year, the annual scholarship honours Mark Brunner, the former Shure executive and PAMA president who died in 2020. Brunner was a long-time advocate for education and mentorship within the professional audio industry.

“We are immensely proud to continue our support of the PAMA Mark Brunner Scholarship,” commented Chris Schyvinck, president and CEO of Shure. “It represents our ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of audio professionals and ensuring the legacy of Mark Brunner, whose contributions have profoundly impacted our industry. We believe that empowering talent through education is key to driving future advancements, and we are honoured to play a part in this important initiative.”

The 2026 recipients are Tamanpreet Kaur of American University, Andrew Padfield of Western Michigan University, Nate Dickson of Belmont University and Salon Khatri of Texas State University. Kaur and Padfield receive the scholarship for the second consecutive year, while Dickson and Khatri are first time recipients.

Kaur is studying for a Master of Arts in Audio Technology at American University in Washington, DC. She is exploring career paths in audio following graduation and said the scholarship would support her studies while providing recognition as a woman entering the audio industry.

Padfield is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Arts Technology and Communications at Western Michigan University. With interests in live sound, artist relations and brand representation, he plans to work in live entertainment and music production.

Dickson is a senior at Belmont University, studying Audio Engineering Technology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He works as a freelance audio engineer specialising in studio recording and mixing, and intends to develop his business full-time after graduation.

Khatri is in his first semester at Texas State University, where he is studying Audio Engineering. He aims to develop his technical and creative skills before pursuing a career in music and audio. Originally from Nepal, he hopes to apply his experience to the country’s growing music and audio community.

“Over the past six years, the Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship has become a meaningful way for PAMA to invest in the future of our industry while keeping Mark’s spirit of mentorship very much alive,” said Yvonne Ho, president of the PAMA board of directors. “Each year, we are inspired by the talent, ambition and commitment of the students who apply, particularly their desire to share what they learn with others. That spirit of giving back was so important to Mark and we are grateful to Shure for its continued partnership in helping us carry it forward.”