Unboxing Your Life Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Sttark
Overview
Sttark is offering a $3,000 scholarship to one U.S. high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who can creatively “unbox” their life in a short video. Packaging often draws the eye, but what’s inside is what truly matters. We believe there’s more to you than initial impressions — your presentation is only a fragment of your story. If you were a box, what would the exterior say about you? How would you market yourself? Most importantly, what would be revealed when someone opens you up? Tell us what’s inside your life that defines who you are.
Video Prompt
Title: “This Is Who I Am: Unboxing My Life”
Think of a carton or folding box on a shelf: the wrapper gets attention, but the unboxing reveals character. The same applies to people — outward “packaging” may hint at personality, while the contents expose values, history, and depth. Create a brief unboxing-style video that shows the elements of your life that shape who you are.
Suggested questions to inspire your video (optional)
- Our outward presentation can be shaped by experience. Have any events or experiences changed the way you present yourself? How and why did that change happen?
- Some people keep things in the package — never opened — out of fear of loss or damage. Have you ever stayed “boxed in”? Was there a turning point when you chose to open up? What prompted that decision and what did you learn?
- Steve Jobs said, “Packaging can be theatre; it can create a story.” What does your personal packaging communicate? Is that message important, and can packaging ever be misleading?
- Have you ever been stereotyped or misjudged? Were you able to change someone’s first impression? What did that experience feel like, and why do people sometimes rush to put others in a box?
Who may apply
This contest is open to U.S. high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students. Because of international funding limitations, only submissions from U.S. citizens will be accepted.
Submission requirements
To be considered, your entry must include:
- A short biography (250 words maximum) that states your intended field of study and your current grade or degree level.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (a valid U.S. postal address).
- A unboxing video of your life that is approximately 5 minutes in length — no shorter than 4 minutes and no longer than 6 minutes.
Notes about the bio: We will not factor this biography into the scoring of submissions. It is requested to help us better understand your goals and why you believe you deserve the scholarship.
If selected as the winner
Before funds are disbursed, the winner must provide documentation verifying their educational status. Examples include:
- For high school seniors: proof of college acceptance or a current high school transcript.
- For current undergraduate and graduate students: proof of enrollment/attendance from their college or university (transcript, current student ID showing year, acceptance letter, or similar).
How entries are judged
Your video will be evaluated using four criteria:
1. Originality — how unique your concept and approach are.
2. Creativity — the strength and inventiveness of your ideas.
3. Quality — the level of execution and production value.
4. Competency — clear composition and engaging communication.
Original work and citations
Submit only your own work. Plagiarism or submissions that appropriate another person’s creative work will be disqualified. This contest is about your story — no one can tell it better than you. If you incorporate or reference someone else’s work, include an appropriate citation.
Questions about the process or what to submit? Reach out to Sttark for clarification before you submit. We look forward to seeing what you choose to reveal.