Essay & Label Design Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Sttark
Sttark is pleased to offer a $3,000 scholarship to a U.S. high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who can demonstrate the idea that products may be labeled, but people should not. We recognize the damage that comes from mislabeling and believe the most innovative work starts from a blank slate—free of preconceived notions and biases. For this reason, set aside any academic or talent labels you've been given in the past and use your originality and creative skills in both writing and design.
Essay topic
“You can’t label people, but you can label products.”
You may use the prompts below to jump-start your thinking, though you are not required to answer all of them:
- Has consumer culture changed the way we perceive other people?
- Do individuals try to “brand” themselves to gain approval?
- How do labels affect creativity, and does their impact differ when applied to products versus people?
- Are there positive and negative labels, and can labeling yourself or someone else ever be advantageous?
Who may apply
This scholarship welcomes aspiring designers, manufacturers, engineers, artists, architects, and other innovators. Applicants must be current U.S. high school seniors, undergraduates, or graduate students. Because of restrictions related to international funding, only submissions from U.S. citizens will be accepted.
If you are chosen as the recipient
- High school seniors selected must provide proof of college acceptance or a current high school transcript.
- Undergraduate and graduate students chosen must submit proof of current enrollment from their college or university.
- Include a short personal biography (no more than 250 words) describing your intended field of study and your current grade or degree level. This bio is for our context and will not be used in scoring your entry.
Required materials
Your entry will be disqualified unless it contains all of the following:
- A brief bio (≤ 250 words) stating your intended study area and education level
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship (valid U.S. postal address)
- A 1,000-word essay responding to the prompt
- An original label design
We look forward to seeing how you explore the tension between labeling products and respecting people’s individuality.