ICESI announces Sara María de los Rios as the winner of the 2024 WSDG Excellence Scholarship
WSDG recognizes academic excellence and supports the next generation of industry leaders
Cali, Colombia, December 13, 2024 – Marking four years of collaboration between ICESI University, one of Colombia’s leading private educational institutions, and WSDG, a global leader in architectural acoustic consulting and media systems engineering, both organizations are proud to announce this year’s recipient of the WSDG Excellence Scholarship: Sara María de los Rios. As a final-year student in Music Production, de los Rios has been recognized for her outstanding academic achievements.
This prestigious scholarship, awarded in recognition of excellence, is made possible through this ongoing institutional partnership. The recipient, chosen by an academic committee, is awarded funds without restrictions regarding its usage.
On Monday, 25 November, ICESI University held a symbolic presentation ceremony to celebrate this accomplishment, including the handover of a ceremonial giant cheque by the faculty’s dean, Adolfo Jerónimo Botero. The presentation took place during the final concert of ensembles, an event that brings together students, families, and the ICESI community. As part of the celebration, a congratulatory video message from Sergio Molho, Partner & Director of Business Development at WSDG, was also shown to honor the winner.
“This annual recognition celebrates the incredible effort and dedication of our outstanding students, and this year, we couldn’t be prouder of Sara María for being selected,” says Carlos Andrés Bonilla, Director, Creative Production Centre 312, ICESI University. “Her achievement fills us with joy and is a true inspiration to everyone in our community.”
“The news came as a surprise, and I’m absolutely thrilled to have been selected for this year’s WSDG Excellence Scholarship,” says de los Rios. “This support will be invaluable for my final project, where I’ll be collaborating with musicians to create some amazing recordings. I’m deeply grateful for this honor and want to wish the very best to all the other students receiving this scholarship - it’s such an exciting journey for us all!”
“As an organization, we firmly believe in the transformative power of education and the importance of nurturing young talent,” concludes Molho. “Collaborations like these with ICESI and other institutions allow us to give back and inspire future professionals in music production, media arts, and acoustics. We are honored to play a part in these students’ journeys and look forward to seeing the incredible impact they will have on the industry.”
WSDG’s commitment to supporting education and fostering talent extends far beyond the WSDG Excellence Scholarship at ICESI. Through a range of prestigious scholarships, the organization nurtures aspiring leaders in music, media, and design, providing invaluable support to students on their educational journeys. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, the Storyk/Molho Family Scholarship recognizes outstanding achievement in music production. In New York City, the Harlem School of the Arts benefits from the WSDG Scholarship Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Media Arts. Similarly, Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, PA, features another iteration of the WSDG Excellence Scholarship, while the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY, offers the Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) Award. These initiatives reflect WSDG’s unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation of creative professionals and advancing innovation in these dynamic fields.
For more information about WSDG, visit www.wsdg.com
Hi res image is available for download from HERE
From left to right: Adolfo Jerónimo Botero, Music Production faculty’s dean, ICESI, and Sara María de los Rios, this year’s recipient of the WSDG Excellence Scholarship at ICESI
ABOUT WSDG, LLC
WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group) is an 13-time TEC award-winning international firm specializing in architectural acoustic consulting and media systems engineering. Pioneering architect/acoustician, John Storyk (AIA), founded the company in 1969 with the creation of Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios in New York City’s Greenwich Village. WSDG provides a wide portfolio of design and consulting services that support architectural projects throughout all phases of project development. Our international team of consultants have provided timely, detailed and cost-effective advice on highly sensitive and complex architectural construction and renovation projects, from small but critical retrofits to challenging ground up construction projects. WSDG has extensive experience with sensitive architectural issues including historical renovations, additions and new construction projects in media production, corporate, government, transportation, education, broadcasting and cultural / entertainment sectors.
Past clients include Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, J Cole, and Jack Antonoff; corporate entities such as Spotify, Sony, CBS, Novartis, and IBM; global governmental AV installations as well as educational institutions, including Berklee College of Music, UCLA, NYU, Drexel, and USC
