Student wins big with Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway

Imagine if you could win a substantial college scholarship—by making a video and throwing some great football passes.

That’s exactly what happened to Jacob Desatoff, of Costa Mesa, California. Desatoff, a 22-year-old transfer student who will be enrolling in Fort Lewis College’s Adventure Education program this fall, won second place in the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway and was awarded a $23,000 tuition scholarship.

Desatoff entered the competition with a self-made one-minute video, titled “I’m a future educator,” that was chosen as a top-ten finalist. In his video, he talks about his passion for helping others and his strong belief in the power of the outdoors.

"The goal for my career is to impact others in an intentional way, that they may learn to willfully and positively influence the world around them," says Desatoff.

He mentions that his road to higher education has been a rocky one, with the tragic death of his mother in 2010 and his father’s unemployment. Financial limitations prevented him from pursuing his ultimate educational goals -- until the possibility of this scholarship arose.

Viewers voted on their five favorite of the chosen videos and the finalists were sent to the PAC-12 Championship Game (UCLA vs. Stanford) on November 30. At the game, the finalists took turns throwing a football into a giant Dr Pepper can. Desatoff’s impressive finish secured him the award he sought.

Desatoff, who also received an Academic Achievement Scholarship from FLC, recently attended a Skyhawk Saturday event and is “beyond excited” to begin his education in Durango.  Watch his winning video above.