The new Logo Maker Scholarship, established by global online marketplace Fiverr, is open to current high school seniors, trade school students, undergraduate and graduate students who identify as female and reside in the United States.
“The inspiration behind it was to give college-aged women with a talent and passion for design the opportunity to try their hand at creating a logo for a small business, an opportunity to join Logo Maker and earn passive income, and/or the chance to win a scholarship,” said Fiverr Social Impact Manager, Michelle Baltrusitis.
According to the 2021 Deeper in Debt report by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), student debt for women is 9.6% higher than men on average, and they take about two years longer to pay off these loans compared to men.
The scholarship is named after the Fiverr Logo Maker, an advanced automated logo maker tool, which launched two years ago. It makes it easier for small businesses to get premium, customized logos. Each template is created by a professional designer and business owners are able to easily customize the templates to fit their brand’s needs. The technology allows businesses to get quality logos quickly and at a fraction of the cost.
According to Baltrusitis, the company wants “as many women who excel in the arts to have the opportunity to pursue a design education and embark on a successful career.”
“Driven by their commitment to create unique, high-quality designs, our logo designers find inspiration and support from their fellow designers through a dedicated active community. All the finalists will receive mentoring to help them design the kind of logos that Fiverr’s customers are looking for,” Baltrusitis continued.
The contest consists of three rounds, with each round featuring two different women-owned businesses in need of logos. They are all working with the Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship (WCEC), in New Jersey.
To apply for the scholarship, interested students must choose one of the two women-owned businesses featured for the specific round, create three different logo designs that depict its name and purpose, and explain how each of their logo designs represents their chosen business.
In the first round, the first two businesses are My Desi Tattva and NV Creations.
Anne Valenta, founder of NV Creations
My Desi Tattva sells home decor, accessories, and celebration items such as party favors and decor. All handicrafts and handmade articles are sourced from women artists who come from underprivileged backgrounds in India. NV Creations creates unique bandanas and tote bags made in the United States. Their designs are hand-drawn and based on plants from different areas of the country.
Anne Valenta started NV Creations in early summer of this year, but the idea began last year on a camping trip to Colorado. “I could not bring myself to purchase souvenirs of the Rockies that were not made in America,” she said.
She began to sketch and photograph the flora on her trip and designed bandanas and other merchandise that she hoped to offer to travelers as a memento of the area they visit. Upon returning home, she added plants from her herb garden as well as other items she illustrated and offered for sale.
She was introduced to Fiverr’s Logo Maker Scholarship through WCEC’s Women’s Business Center. As a woman entrepreneur, she turned to the WCEC to help with starting a small business in New Jersey.
“I would like my logo to capture the beauty of the outdoors and the hand illustrated quality of the merchandise I design. As customers, I hope they can be inspired by my logo to appreciate and notice the natural beauty around them and of course purchase my designs!,” she continued.
Valenta believes women are the backbone of our society and are often overlooked and underappreciated.
“By embracing a woman designed logo, I will, in a small way, help to empower women designers and create a sense of accomplishment that increases their self confidence. Every time I use the logo it will represent a success for the designer and my small company,” she stated.
Fiverr will select five finalists from each round. The top two finalists will win $5,000 in scholarship funds. This will give them the opportunity to earn passive income by uploading their logo designs. Additionally, the 15 finalists will win an invitation to join Fiverr’s exclusive Logo Maker platform, which can be found here: https://www.fiverr.com/logo-maker.
Students may apply to any one, or all, of the three rounds. The deadlines for the three rounds are next year on Jan. 31, April 30, and June 30. Interested female students can apply here: https://www.fiverr.com/logo-maker/scholarship
