Purdue Libraries Student Video Contest 2025–26

“The Most Important Things Incoming Students Need to Know About Purdue Libraries”

Overview

Do you have a favorite study spot or go-to Libraries resource? What’s helped you the most as a seasoned student? Create a short video answering: What are the most important things that you think incoming students need to know about Purdue Libraries to succeed? Share your perspective, and you could win up to $1,000. This is your chance to help incoming Boilermakers and win a cash prize while you’re at it.

The contest is back after a brief hiatus, so if you’ve been waiting for a chance to share your Libraries wisdom—and maybe earn some extra cash—now’s the time!

Who Can Enter

Current undergraduate students enrolled at Purdue University (West Lafayette and Indianapolis) during the 2025–26 academic year.

Video Requirements

Must be original content created by you.
No copyrighted music, images, or footage unless you have permission to use them.
Content must be appropriate for a university audience.

Prizes

First Place: $1,000
Second Place: $750
Third Place: $500

Note: Prizes will be awarded based on the quality of submissions. If a submission does not meet the expected standards of creativity, clarity, and helpfulness for incoming students, Purdue Libraries reserves the right to withhold awards.

How to Enter

Submission deadline: Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM (ET)

Create an original video (1–3 minutes long) that answers the question: What are the most important things incoming students should know about Purdue Libraries to help them succeed?
If your video includes any AI-generated content (text, video, audio, visuals), you must clearly disclose this in the “comments” section of the submission form.
Enter by completing the registration form below. You will need to upload your video to Box (a cloud-based collaboration application) and include the shareable link in the form to complete your submission. Videos must be uploaded through Box; submissions via social media will not be accepted.

visit box and upload your video

We look forward to seeing your creativity and insights—good luck, and thank you for helping future Purdue students thrive with Libraries!

Contact Mandi Gramelspacher at mandig@purdue.edu with questions.

Previous Winners

First Place

Second Place

third place

2018-19 Winners

Five Purdue University undergraduate students were selected as the winners of the 2019 Why I Love Purdue Libraries Video Contest. Contest judges included Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies and Purdue Federal Credit Union regular and student staff members. Purdue Federal Credit Union (PFCU) sponsors the contest.

On April 25, 2019, Account Vice President at PFCU Jeff Love (second from left) met with the student winners in the PFCU branch in the Purdue Memorial Union to congratulate them. Winners are Miteum Yoo (far left), first place; Tae Hyung Kwon (third from left), second place; and Bharat Kesari, Christian Viktrup, and Dane Brear, third place.

First Place

Second Place

third place

2017-18 Winners

The winners of the Fall 2017 Why I Love Purdue Libraries’ WALC Video Contest joined Dean of Libraries Jim Mullins and Purdue Federal Credit Union (PFCU) Vice President Jeff Love for a special presentation of their awards in the Wilmeth Active Learning Center, Library of Engineering and Science. The Why I Love Purdue Libraries’ WALC Video Contest was supported by Purdue Federal Credit Union. The winners and Dean Mullins and Vice President Love are pictured standing on the third floor of the WALC, in front of the window overlooking the Mullins Reading Room. Pictured, L to R, are: Anna Magner, Cole Griffin, Jeff Love, Jim Mullins, Jake Heidecker, Jason Kelly, and Matt Schnelker.

First Place

Second Place

third place

2016-17 Winners

Pictured (L to R): Jing Yao, Xiaoping (Mary) Zhu, Jim Mullins, Jeff Love, Jacob Russell, and Tré Bennett. (Not pictured: Preeya Sharma.) Photo by Teresa Brown. (See http://blogs.lib.purdue.edu/news/2017/03/10/video-winners-17/ for more information about the winners of the 2016-17 contest.)