Scholarship in Chalk

Illustrative example of a researcher designing a chalk art display from the University of Colorado - Boulder.

March 27, 2026

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Centennial Walkways
(between Purdue Bell Tower and WALC)

Purpose

Scholarship in Chalk invites undergraduates to display their research and creative projects with chalk on campus walkways. This event highlights student projects while promoting creative and visual storytelling.

Who can enter?

Scholarship in Chalk is open to any currently enrolled Purdue University undergraduate at the West Lafayette or Indianapolis locations involved in a research or creative endeavor in any major and discipline. Your work can be an independent project or one working with a research mentor.

How do I enter?

Submit a brief (200-250-word) project summary.
- Project summaries can be an abstract or an artist's statement. If you are unsure how to summarize your work, please contact the OUR.
The project summary should be submitted via this Qualtrics form by March 13 at noon.

Scholarship in Chalk Pre-work

Event staff recommends participating students to:

Plan ahead by sketching your ideas
Recruit friends and mentors to help
Keep your design simple if you have limited time

Day-of Scholarship in Chalk Logistics

Event staff will be available from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; participants can choose when to create their chalk art during those times. Participants are encouraged to:

Start early and allow time to talk with visitors
Consider breaking up your time to work around class schedules
Bring water, sunscreen, and other protective gear (such as appropriate clothing and something to sit on).

Supplies

You may bring your own chalk, but event staff will provide supplies. Though we cannot guarantee we will have enough of the color(s) you intend for your design, we will provide a wide range of soft pastels and sponges. We will provide gloves and hand wipes.

Purdue Chalking Policy

Participants are expected to only use materials that align with the Purdue chalking policy:

Posting of information on sidewalks is limited to washable (water soluble) chalk. The use of oil-based and aerosol (spray) chalk/paint is strictly prohibited. Chalking is limited to sidewalk areas (no chalking on brick pavers) that are exposed daily to the elements and prohibited from all vertical surfaces. Chalk messages must comply with all applicable University regulations for posted materials.

Awards

$100 each will be provided to the top 3 chalk art displays

Top presentations are determined by a panel of judges
The artists on the submission will share the $100

$100 for the audience favorite

Audience favorite is determined via social media engagement following the event

Awards will be distributed to the student's account through the Division of Financial Aid

Inspiration

Get creative and consider including:

questions your project seeks to answer or raise
thought-provoking or troubling facts, statistics, etc.
interesting or surprising outcomes, conclusions, etc.
diagrams of methods, relevant processes, etc.
illustrations of biological or chemical structures
drawings of mechanical components and designs
titles of creative or performance pieces
graphs, charts or tables of significant data
mathematical formulas, relevant theorems, etc.

*inspiration list from the University of Colorado - Boulder's UROP Sidewalk Symposium

Resources

This event is sponsored by the Student Organization Research Allocation (SOGA) Grant.