2022 Diversity in Design Scholarship: Creative Submission Inspiration

We’ve just launched our exciting 2022 Diversity in Design scholarship opportunities—open to aspiring designers from underrepresented groups. 

Read on below for some scholarship application inspiration—check out the backstories of some of the winning creative submissions from 2021!

Hannah Conroy, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

Job prior to Shillington?

Content Manager.

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

I was (and still am) working full time for a business doing content creation and management (blogs, social media, email marketing, video editing, graphic design etc).

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

In my current job, I get to do bits and pieces of design and branding and I love it. I realised I loved it way more than anything else in my job when I found myself prioritising the design tasks over my other responsibilities. I decided I’d like to move to a role where graphic design was the focus of my job, not just a small element of it. I didn’t really know what I was doing though and realised that I needed some guidance and training to upskill so that I could turn my interest into a career.

Tell us about your creative scholarship submission.

For the last few years I had seen the half-scholarship announcements come and go and I always put it in the too-hard-basket. But last year during one of Melbourne’s lockdowns, I saw the email and I thought, “I don’t have much else on, what do I have to lose?”

I enjoy playing with video editing in my work and for fun so I thought I’d do something in video format. I made a short video about how I came to love graphic design and why I wanted to study it and why I wanted to study at Shillington specifically.

There was a green screen lying around the house so I made use of that to give myself a plain background where I could keep things nice and minimal and draw focus to the text I displayed on the video.

How did it feel when you won?

Surprised and totally over the moon! It was so affirming to hear that my submission was well received. I was also trying to manage my expectations and prepare myself in case I didn’t get in, so when I found out I had won it was such a delight.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

If you’re serious about learning graphic design, Shillington is a great way to do it. The teachers have so much knowledge to share and the course content is designed so that you are repeatedly pushed out of your comfort zone (in a good way). Plus, the people are great, all my classmates have such different reasons for doing the course and are all so engaged. I love seeing the variety of work that everyone produces.

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

Without a doubt. I’m in a great position where I’m already getting the opportunity to test out my knowledge in my job and the feedback so far has been great. I’m also starting to dabble in a little freelance work and I feel much more confident in what I’m capable of delivering even though I’ve still got a ways to go before completing the course.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Practice and experiment outside of class. The software you will learn to use is capable of sooo much and although you’ll learn all the important bits in class there’s a real treasure trove to discover and you’ll build confidence faster if you figure out how to achieve specific techniques on your own.

What inspires your design aesthetic?

I’m not sure I have a specific aesthetic yet, I’m still very much exploring. But I’m definitely inspired by designers and artists on Instagram. I especially love when illustration and design combine to create a really unique brand or campaign.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Plan it out. I spent a few days coming up with a bunch of different ideas and I completely scrapped and rewrote my video script twice before I actually filmed. Don’t be afraid to try something new and ditch ideas that aren’t working – you’ll do a lot of that in the course anyway so you may as well get used to it now.

Anything else you would like to add?

Shillington is the only learning environment I’ve been in where I’ve really enjoyed group projects. In school and uni (at least in my experience) everyone does the bare minimum you need to pass (myself included) and it really drags on. But the group briefs I’ve done so far in this course have been so fun and collaborative!

Adrienne Janes, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

Job prior to Shillington?

Photographer’s Assistant

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

I worked in advertising in a past life, then pursued photography, working as an assistant for a studio here in Manila. I started to design social media materials and collaterals for the studio over the lockdowns so I could work from home.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

As I was designing more, I realized that my self-taught skills weren’t up to par with the kind of work I wanted to do. I tried to learn independently, but I wanted professional feedback to determine if I was on the right track.

Going to Shillington had been on my to-do list for years; I had always loved the student work I’ve seen. I had to hold off because of the cost of moving to a different country for a few months. I got very excited when I saw that the Graphic Design course was being offered online and it’s great that there are multiple time zones to choose from.

Tell us about your creative scholarship submission.

I wanted to make a video that reflected who I was for my submission. Knowing that there would be a large number of applicants, I wanted to make sure the video was lively but also straight to the point. I listed down what the scholarship would mean to me and sprinkled in details of who I am and how design plays a big part in my life.

When I was storyboarding the video, I kept thinking about how I wanted to make it simple. Putting it together, I realized my idea wasn’t simple at all! I spent a whole weekend cutting paper, drawing on Procreate, running around the house looking for props to use, and editing all the elements together. I even roped in my boyfriend to help—the thumbs up hands are his!

It was hard work but enjoyable to make, and I’m glad it paid off.

How did it feel when you won?

It completely caught me off guard; I didn’t think I would be told right at the end of the interview! I got very excited when it finally sank in that I would be starting classes with Shillington.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

Applying to Shillington has been one of my best decisions, and I would encourage anyone who is still on the fence just to go and do it! It’s a big investment, but the experience is priceless! The critiques and advice from the teachers, being challenged creatively in every session, and being around people with the same goals make going to Shillington invaluable.

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

Definitely! The way I approach a brief and work on a design had progressed from before I started the course to now that we’re on the last leg. It’s helped a lot, especially with my day job, and helped me get over being overwhelmed by a blank page. The critiques and advice from our teachers have also helped me become a more confident designer.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Give each project your best and sketch or write down every single idea. In the end, it’s going to be material for your portfolio! Also, check for inspiration outside of Pinterest and beyond the internet.

What inspires your design aesthetic?

Research is the easiest part, and I enjoy learning more about the brief. I try to reference the history and stories of the subjects in my designs. During one of the reviews, it also came up that my work tends to be quite playful – it was cool that that came through! I tend to be quiet at first, and I realized that I let my designs show that side of me.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Don’t overthink it. Make what you can with the skills and materials you have. Just make sure it reflects who you are and answers the brief concisely. Don’t stress too much about creating a masterpiece. Watching my video now, I can see it could have been more polished, but it helped me land the scholarship!

Anything else you would like to add?

We’re on our last semester of the course, and honestly, I’m not ready for it to end! But at the same time, I’m super excited to use the skills I’ve learned and build on them. We’re so lucky to have met teachers like Emily, Frankie, Chris, Spencer, and Nathan!

Nicole Barth, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

Job prior to Shillington?

Digital Marketing Specialist

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

I worked in Digital Marketing for a security software company.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

I knew I wanted to study at Shillington the first time I found their website. The program checked all of the boxes for me – part-time, remote, portfolio focused (no wasting time!), and designed for people with no prior design experience. I was extremely interested from day one, but what pushed me over the edge was when I reached out to Shillington grads on LinkedIn and heard all of their rave reviews about the teachers and quality of lectures. Ultimately, I had confidence that this course would make becoming a designer more streamlined and efficient, but no shortcuts would be taken when it came to the quality of lectures, project prompts, and feedback, which is clearly evident when you look at graduate’s portfolios.

Tell us about your creative scholarship submission.

After I first found Shillington it was nearly impossible for me to stop thinking about the course and how much it could change my career trajectory. As the deadline to apply for the scholarship approached I found myself getting increasingly lost in daydreams about how amazing it would be if I won and was able to enroll.

Finally, the lightbulb hit me to make my submission about the daydreams I was having. My submission is created to look like a newspaper featuring my life in the future after graduating from Shillington. The process of creating it was really fun and actually helped me “vision board” what I wanted to accomplish after this course and put into words how it would impact my life, both personally and professionally.

How did it feel when you won?

The relief that swept over me was surreal. I had spent months researching Shillington and waiting for the scholarship to open, so the build up of anticipation was intense. When I saw that email I knew that new doors were opening and I couldn’t wait to walk (really, run) through them.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

I spent countless evenings taking free design courses and piecing together video tutorials. No matter how much time I invested, I always had an unsettling feeling that I was circling on the peripheral but never quite “getting it”. I can’t begin to explain how much deeper and holistic my knowledge is after Shillington compared to trying to self-teach. If you want to enter the industry with confidence, Shillington is your answer. The course structure, resources, teachers, and real-world project briefs will take your learning so much further than you can imagine.

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

Absolutely. I know that I am learning industry standards, best practices, and of course, tangible skills that will allow me to seamlessly enter the design industry. Shillington doesn’t miss a detail in getting you prepared.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Always do your reading! Shillington has created The Guide, which is essentially your course textbook and a valuable resource you don’t want to miss out on. Given that it is virtual it’s able to include helpful video tutorials, as well as links to external references and inspiration. The Guide has been one of the most surprising benefits of Shillington since it covers everything you need to know in a clear, concise, and visual way. If you ever feel overwhelmed, rest easy knowing that you can always look back at the Guide as a reference. Oh, and trust the process!

What inspires your design aesthetic?

One designer that has been particularly inspirational to me is Ben Grandgenett, whose work I was introduced to through Shillington. Right away, I fell in love with his bold, unabashed approach to design. His work always evokes emotion in me – it’s gritty, unexpected, and raw. I am inspired by the way he uses typography, scale, and unexpected image treatments to call-out to the onlooker. It’s almost as if his work is saying, “Hey, look at this. It’s important!”.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Be honest. It can be vulnerable to share how badly you want something since there is always the possibility of not getting it, but don’t let that fear hold you back from sharing authentically. If you really let yourself ruminate one how much this scholarship and course will mean to you, you’ll unlock a level of passion that will be evident in your submission. Rather than focusing your mental effort on making the perfect thing to submit, focus on your why behind creating it. The idea for your creative submission will become so much more clear after you have gotten clear on your why.

Barclay Rabbidge, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

Job prior to Shillington?

Digital Account Manager @ GHO Sydney

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

I run a digital design and development team—we work on a range of large and small digital projects ranging from strategy, user testing, design and build.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

It can be difficult briefing a team sometimes and not being able to articulate exactly what is required for the brief – kind of like trying to speak / intemperate different languages. Shillington was an easy decision to help bridge that gap, learn the language and expand what we as are team are capable of producing.

Tell us about your creative scholarship submission.

I knew I wanted to create something different—something that wasn’t just down the camera interview style. I had the idea of scrapbooking together who I am and why I want to join. Using that as inspiration I began screen recording my notes and figured that was a really effective way of storytelling.

Fun fact: The crash 1/2 way through is real. The night before submission I lost everything as my files corrupted. Luckily I had sent an 1/2 finished export to a friend for review. I ended up dropping that into the timeline and running from there to get it across the line. I’m really happy with how it ended up.

How did it feel when you won?

Shocked—It was like I was now welcomed into the secret club. I’ve not done anything like this before and applying was already a sense of accomplishment. The fact I was offered the scholarship was incredible.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

I would say you’re going to enjoy it! I was very picky where I wanted to study. Mostly because you only get to study design school once – meaning the principles you learn and briefs you are giving are very unique and enjoyable. They’re enjoyable and Shillington provides a safe environment to push your creativity. Making mistakes that somehow turn into designs you’re really happy with

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

Absolutely—Drilling in the design principles has let me see things completely differently. Even in everyday life I have a new appreciation for typefaces and layouts.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

You only learn design principles once so it’s important to do it in the right environment with the right people. Make sure you take advantage of everything Shillington has to offer!

What inspires your design aesthetic?

Storytelling—I love a good story and do try to have a journey contained within my creative.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Brainstorm and find an interesting, digestible and sharable way to introduce yourself

DEADLINE: 28 June, 5pm. Find out more and apply today!

Looking for more inspiration? Why not check out the creative submissions from past winners like Christina, Brian, Samantha and Darsh.