Competition for scholarships can be fierce. From grade-point-average and class rank to extra curricular activities and level of financial need, college-bound high school students must sift through an avalanche of options, not to mention a sea of paperwork. And when the scholarship is a year of free tuition – valued at more than $18,000 – you can bet the competition is especially intense. But for Lindsey Shehan of Canyon, TX, it all came down to creativity. Shehan, a junior at the top of her class at Canyon High School, is the winner of the St. Edward’s University “Learn to Think” student ad contest. This is the second year of the contest.

"The ad cleverly captures the spirit of the campaign and reveals the unique, thoughtful nature of St. Edward’s educational philosophy," said Robyn Ross, associate director of admission. "The ad truly provokes thought about the luxuries in the American way of life as a dilemma."

St. Edward's announced the first contest in the fall of 2004. The "Learn to Think" Student Ad Contest challenged high school students to design an original ad in the style of the university's award-winning advertising campaign that playfully contrasts dynamic, real-world situations against actual university course titles.

This year's contest generated more than 13,000 visitors to the contest webpage. Shehan's winning entry, "American Dilemmas" was chosen from more than 150 entries.

Willem Stockton, of Rockdale, TX, the second-place winner, will receive a Dell™ Inspiron™ Notebook with DVD/CD burner for his entry, "Genetics."

Marcos Lopez of El Paso, TX, earned third place and a Sony DVD/CD player & DVD collection for his entry, "Human Anatomy and Physiology."

Honorable mentions were awarded to Lauren Chavez, Elizabeth Chen and Gibson Hall of Houston, TX; Bailey Perkins of Spicewood, TX; and Amanda Fuentes of San Antonio, TX.

Originally launched in September 2001, the St. Edward’s image ads have produced significant positive results in terms of awareness and reputation. In addition, the campaign has garnered several awards, including a Gold Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the national awards for advertising in higher education circles; Best In Show for the overall campaign from the Admissions Marketing Report.