Bishop's Exceptional Talent Project Fund (B.E.S.T)

What is B.E.S.T?

In 2010, an anonymous Bishop’s alumnus donated to the University in order to create a fund with the goal of assisting students in determining their career paths and achieving their potential. Student’s can propose projects to the B.E.S.T committee that they wish to have funded; project proposals should: assist the student in defining and/or achieving their career objectives; emphasize a significant interaction with a mentor; articulate how the project relates to the student’s area of academic interests or links to future studies or career directions; describe how this learning experience will be shared with the Bishop’s community upon the student’s return to campus in the fall. In the past, projects have included internships, attending conferences, volunteer opportunities, etc. Applicants may receive up to $7000 in funding for their project, with multiple applicants chosen every year to receive funding.

Am I eligible to apply?

Applicants for B.E.S.T. Project funding must be full-time students at Bishop’s and be endorsed by a Bishop’s faculty member or senior administrator as a sponsor/mentor for the project. The student must not receive Bishop’s academic credit for the project. Students must have completed at least one year of full-time studies at Bishop’s prior to starting the project. The project may take place during the academic year, the spring or the summer, and must be completed while the student is a full-time student at Bishop’s. (Students not returning to Bishop’s University will not normally be considered except under exceptional circumstances.) The student must have a minimum 70% cumulative average in courses taken at Bishop’s. The cumulative average for last year’s recipients was 86.22%.

How do I apply?

Applications can be found on the Bishop’s website (https://www.ubishops.ca/future-current-students/money-matters/scholarships-awards-bursaries/b-e-s-t-project-fund/). Applications are to be submitted to Denise Lauziere (denise.lauziere@ubishops.ca) typically by mid-January. Applications must include:

Explanation of the project and how it fulfills the objectives of the Fund.
Intended outcome or goal of the project.
Timeline for the project.
Detailed budget and specific request for financial support from the Fund.
A reference letter from the sponsor/mentor which states why the candidate should be considered and why the project will help the student achieve their goals. The sponsor/mentor letter should also include how they will provide active support to the student before and during the project.
Biography of the student.
If there is participation in a program, include specifications of the program, as well as what makes it exceptional.