University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono is once again challenging students to design their best UC-inspired bowtie and scarf for a chance to win big.
The second annual Bowties for Scholarships Design Contest, which asks UC students to create UC-themed bowtie or scarf designs to raise money for student scholarships, opens Monday, Feb. 16. Design entries will be accepted through Monday, March 2 and can be submitted online at uc.edu/bowties or dropped off at the UC Foundation located in University Hall.
President Ono and a team of advisors will select the winner, who will be announced in early April. The winner will receive a $500 gift card to the UC Bookstore, an invitation to a special luncheon and will have their winning design professionally produced as the official 2015 UC bowtie and scarf.
“Last year’s design submissions were exceptional and displayed a wide range of the talent that exists here at the #HottestCollegeinAmerica,” said President Ono. “This is a fun way to raise awareness about a serious subject – the pressing need for scholarships to help students achieve their dream of a college education.”
Olivia Hiles, a student in UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), won last year’s contest, with her bowtie design that resembled the exterior of the Richard E. Lindner Athletic Center. Hiles’ design was professionally produced by Bow Tie Cause and then offered at $57 with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Bowties for Scholarships Fund.
“The intention is to raise awareness for the need for scholarship support and to date, more than 500 donors have contributed more than $52,000 to the Bowties for Scholarships Fund,” said Rodney Grabowski, president of the UC Foundation. “The success of this awareness initiative is a testament to not only the generosity of UC donors, but also to the dedication of UC students who submitted nearly 100 designs in last year’s contest.”
The 2015 winning bowtie and scarf design will be available to donors next fall. For more information, please visit uc.edu/bowties.