Win $1000 with the “WHY UW?” Scholarship Video Campaign

Post a video about why your UW is great!

The “WHY UW?” Scholarship Video Campaign is your chance to share what makes your campus experience special and earn the opportunity to potentially win a $1,000 scholarship.

Why do you love your UW? Tell us!

Whether it’s your favorite professor, your closest friends, game-day traditions, hands-on learning experiences, or the opportunities helping you prepare for your future, we want to hear your story. Grab your phone and record a short video telling us why your UW is the place for you.

This fall, our campaign will be featuring UW-Parkside, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater.

*Important Note* Submissions with higher engagement will receive stronger consideration.

Who Can Enter?

To be eligible for the “Why UW?” Scholarship Video Campaign, you must:

Be a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student at one of the four participating Universities of Wisconsin at the time you submit your video and remain enrolled through Spring 2027.
Create and submit an original video specifically for the “WHY UW?” Scholarship Video Campaign.
Complete the scholarship video campaign registration form, including the required releases.
Not submit content created as part of a paid university communications, marketing, or social media position.
Submit only one entry. Make it count!

We can’t wait to see what makes your UW experience uniquely yours.

Campaign Timeline

Submission Window: September 5 – December 5
Review & Selection: December 2026
Winners Announced: TBD

Scholarship and Campaign Details

Three scholarship winners will be chosen at each of the four participating UW universities.
- Three scholarships per university will be awarded based on submission quality and audience engagement. Engagement may include reactions, comments, shares, and other indicators of audience interaction.
- Submissions with higher engagement will receive stronger consideration.
  - Engagements will be reviewed by the UWs post submission deadline.
- Final scholarship selections will be made at the sole discretion of the Universities of Wisconsin.
Each winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Universities of Wisconsin for the spring 2027 semester.
Scholarships are applied directly to your financial aid package – Please be aware that any scholarship funding will be included in your financial aid and may have an affect on other aid previously received.
Scholarships are non-transferable and hold no cash value.
Video submissions—regardless of whether they are chosen as scholarship winners—may be selected for resharing through campus and administration social media platforms and for adaptation for use in other University marketing efforts.
Winners will be contacted via email by UniversityRelations@wisconsin.edu and by phone call if necessary.

How to Enter

To qualify, students must complete both steps below:

1. Create and Post a Video

Video length must be no longer than 60 seconds.
Videos must answer the question:
“What makes UW-[Campus Name] great?”
Accepted platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), or Instagram.
Post must be public.
Required tagging:
- Hashtag: #WhyUW
- Tag the Universities of Wisconsin and your specific UW university account.

Handles/Links

@UniversitiesWI
@UWParkside
@UWStevensPoint
@UW_Superior
@UWWhitewater

Facebook

Instagram

@UniversitiesWI
@UWParkside
@UWStevensPoint
@UW_Superior
@UWWhitewater

2. Submit the Scholarship Registration Form

Students must submit the official form, which collects:
- Student information and verification details
- Link to their public social media post
- Consent and media release
Only submissions with both the public post and completed form will be considered for the scholarship.

“Why UW?” Scholarship Contest Registration Form

Official entry form for the “Why UW?” Scholarship Contest

Name(Required)

First Last

University(Required)

School Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Phone(Required)

Public Video Social Post Link(Required)

Competition Terms and Conditions(Required)

I understand that the University of Wisconsin System may modify, pause, or cancel the “WHY UW?” Scholarship Campaign at its discretion, and that its decisions in carrying out the Campaign, including the selection of scholarship award winners, are within its sole discretion and final.

NON-EXCLUSIVE COPYRIGHT AND NAME, IMAGE, VOICE, AND LIKENESS LICENSE

I represent that I am the sole creator of the submitted video and that I possess all necessary rights and permissions required to submit the video and grant the rights described in this form.

Regardless of whether I am awarded a “WHY UW?” Scholarship, I grant to the University of Wisconsin System a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, display, publish, distribute, repost, archive, and publicly communicate my video submission and my name, image, photograph, likeness, voice, biographical information, and statements as contained in or associated with my video submission.

This license includes the right to create and use excerpts, still images, screenshots, quotations, captions, or edited portions of submitted materials, provided that the University does not materially alter the substance of my submission in a misleading manner.

This license authorizes the University to use such materials for educational, informational, recruitment, outreach, public relations, fundraising, archival, and promotional purposes.

This license is non-exclusive. I retain ownership of my submission and my name, image, voice, likeness, and publicity rights, and I remain free to use or license them to others.

FERPA CONSENT TO DISCLOSURE

I understand that my video submission, identifying information, scholarship status, and related records maintained by the University in connection with the “WHY UW?” Scholarship Video program may constitute education records.

Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), I authorize the University of Wisconsin System, its constituent institutions, officers, employees, agents, affiliated foundations, and authorized service providers to disclose and publish the following information:

• My submitted video and all content contained therein; and
• My name, hometown, school or college affiliation, academic program, class standing, and scholarship recipient status.

The information may be disclosed and used for scholarship administration, recognition of program participants, educational programming, recruitment, public relations, and promotion of University programs and activities.

The information may be disclosed to the general public and may be published through University websites, social media channels, print publications, news media, promotional materials, University-affiliated foundations, and contracted vendors acting on behalf of the University.

I understand that information disclosed pursuant to this consent may be further accessed, copied, shared, or redistributed by members of the public and may no longer be protected by FERPA after disclosure.

I agree to the competition terms and conditions.

Content Requirements

Videos must follow Universities of Wisconsin community guidelines:
- No personal attacks; no discrimination; no doxxing; no medical/financial advice – in post or comments; no campus disparagement.
Videos must not contain inappropriate, offensive, or misleading content.

Helpful Suggestions:

Use full program names vs. acronyms
Avoid technical jargon
Use affordable vs. cheap
Avoid defensive or negative framing
Use specific examples vs. vague comments when possible
No copyrighted music, videos, or other copyrighted material.
Audio and visuals must be clear.
By entering, students grant the Universities of Wisconsin permission to share, promote, and request original video files for campaign use

Scholarship Selection Process

1. Eligibility & Compliance Review

Staff members review each submission to ensure:

Student enrollment is verified.
Content meets stated guidelines.
Required tagging and hashtag usage are correct.
Registration form is complete.

2. Winner Selection

Three scholarships per university will be awarded based on submission quality and audience engagement. Engagement may include reactions, comments, shares, and other indicators of audience interaction.
Submissions with higher engagement will receive stronger consideration.
- Engagements will be reviewed by the UWs post submission deadline.
Final scholarship selections will be made at the sole discretion of the Universities of Wisconsin.

General Terms

The Universities of Wisconsin may modify, pause, or cancel the campaign if needed.
All decisions are final.
Participation constitutes acceptance of these official rules.

Contact Us

If you have questions regarding you or your content’s eligibility, please email UniversityRelations@wisconsin.edu