2022 Unigo Sweet and Simple Scholarship Winner

At Unigo, we believe that the simple things in life are often the sweetest. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the winner of our Sweet and Simple Scholarship. We received an incredible 1,222 applications this year and we are truly humbled by all of the amazing students who applied. We read each and every entry and had so much fun learning about you all. So thank you all for participating and we can’t wait to do it again next year!

The essay asked “Not every gift has to be expensive or extravagant. In fact, sometimes it’s the sweet and simple things that make a real difference in our lives. Think back and tell us about something you received as a gift and why it meant so much to you.”

Scarlett Chaves from Joliet, IL and a student at University of Illinois at Urbana had the winning answer. She joins our list of Unigo scholarship winners and we couldn’t be prouder.

Read Scarlett’s winning essay below.

Winning scholarship entry

‘You have a sister’ Those four words woke me up in a flash. I had just gotten out of bed and stumbled into the shower, preparing for a fieldtrip to the local museum. For many years, my parents and I had wanted another sibling but were unsuccessful. Next, we tried adoption, and years went by where no one would give us a call. I had accepted that I would be an only child long before that fateful call. A woman in Joplin, Missouri, still suffering financially from the tornado that had ripped through recently,  gave up her soon to be born daughter to the adoption organization that my family was a part of. As the mother did not pick one of the families, and we were waiting the longest, we got her! Weeks later my mom and dad came home with baby Rachel! She wasn’t much to look at back then, just a little crying ball of innocence that liked to make spit bubbles. But she grew into someone I am so proud to call my sister. We love each other very much and do many things together. Though we have an almost 10-year age gap, we like to watch movies together, do projects, and read to each other. It was truly the best gift, and one that will continue to be with me for the rest of my life.

Scholarship tips from our winner

1. Highlight the most special aspects about yourself and search based on that. Don’t give up!
2. Make a schedule to apply for scholarships and whenever you have free time. Be sure to bookmark scholarships becayse you never know what you can win.