Essay & Label Design Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Sttark
Sttark is pleased to offer a $4,000 scholarship to a U.S. high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who can explore the idea that products can wear labels, but people should not. We recognize the damage that comes from mislabeling and believe the most powerful ideas begin unburdened by assumptions or bias. Put aside any labels you’ve been given about grades, skills, or identity, and use original thinking and design to respond.
Essay prompt
"You can’t label people, but you can label products."
Write a creative essay of 1,000 words that explains how this statement resonates with you and why it matters. Along with your essay, create an original label design tied to your topic — a label you would put on a product but never on a person.
The following questions may help spark ideas; you do not have to answer them directly:
- Has consumer culture changed the way we judge people?
- Do individuals try to brand themselves in order to gain acceptance?
- How do labels affect creativity, and does that impact differ when applied to objects versus people?
- Are there meaningful differences between positive and negative labels? Can labeling yourself or someone else ever be useful?
Who may apply
This scholarship is aimed at aspiring designers, manufacturers, engineers, artists, architects, and other innovators. Applicants must be one of the following at the time of submission:
- Current U.S. high school seniors, or
- Current undergraduate students, or
- Current graduate students
Because of constraints with international funding, only applicants who are U.S. citizens will be considered.
Required materials
Submissions must include all of the following or they will not be reviewed:
- A 1,000-word creative essay responding to the prompt above
- An original product label design related to your essay topic
- A short biography (250 words maximum) stating your intended field of study and your current grade or degree level — this bio will not be scored as part of the essay evaluation but helps us learn about your goals
- Proof of education:
- High school seniors: proof of college acceptance or a current high school transcript
- Undergraduate and graduate students: proof of current enrollment at your college or university
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship (a valid U.S. address)
Submission notes
- The $4,000 scholarship will be awarded to one recipient who meets the eligibility and submission requirements.
- Make sure every required item is included; incomplete applications will be disqualified.
We look forward to seeing how you reinterpret labels through writing and design, using creativity to challenge assumptions and highlight the difference between objects we tag and people we should not.