B.E.S.T. Project Fund

Bishop’s Exceptional Student Talent

In 2010 a Bishop’s graduate (who wishes to remain anonymous), with a strong belief in our University and a desire to help our most promising students achieve their full potential, made a gift commitment to establish the B.E.S.T. Project Fund.

The B.E.S.T. Project Fund is the premiere experiential learning opportunity at Bishop’s.

This unique fund is intended to assist students to determine their career paths and realize their ambitions.

The funds are awarded to students whom the Selection Committee believes have the potential for significant achievement and impact once they graduate from Bishop’s.

All 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 interest 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.

Here are the successful applications for project funding in 2022:

• Luciano Ayala Valani, a Biology student from Sherbrooke, undertook a summer internship at the University of Calgary’s Libin Cardiovascular Institute, researching the causes and effects of vasovagal syncope (common fainting).

• Manu Bissonnette, a Hispanic Studies student from Trois-Rivières with a double Minor in English and Teaching English as a Second Language, travelled to Central America to work alongside a teacher in an English-language classroom.

• Annabelle Chamberland-Dostie, a Neuroscience student from Trois-Rivières, participated in a summer research internship at Brock University focused on high-performing undergraduate students with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis.

• Simon Daley, a Sociology student from Sherbrooke, worked on publishing his first book of fiction and used his experience to encourage other students in self-improvement of their skills.

• David Fortin, an English Literature student from Sherbrooke, worked on an Abenaki language revitalization project through the transcription of Abenaki resources using an artificial intelligence software program.

• Emily Long, a Classical Studies student from Waterdown, Ontario, travelled to Athens to study Modern Greek and participate in an archaeological research project.

• Natalia Muñoz Gomez, a Neuroscience student from Bogotá, Colombia, participated in a research internship in a psychology and faily medicine laboratory at Université de Sherbrooke, with a focus on self-care programs for patients suffering from anxiety disorders.

• Elisa Philibert, an Elementary Education student from Ginasservis, France, created a toolbox of resources to assist teachers in implementing Quebec’s new sexuality education curriculum.

• Marie-Michèle Robitaille, a Fine Arts student from Sherbrooke, participated in the New York Academy of Art’s intensive summer undergraduate residency program.

• Renée Rosteius, an Environmental Studies student from Ottawa with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, participated in the Green Program at the Iceland School of Energy, which focuses on sustainability, hydro power, geology, bio-fuels and geothermal energy.

• Leea Rebeca Ruta, a Liberal Arts and History student from Sherbrooke, researched and developed a proposal for a new course in Liberal Arts aimed at helping students identify and develop constructive approaches to solving the climate crisis.

• Gabrielle Tétreault, an Applied Psychology student from Sherbrooke, undertook a research internship at Université du Québec à Montréal to assess the validity of a clinical tool in treating individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Complete details on past B.E.S.T. projects:

• 2021 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2020 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2019 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2018 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2017 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2016 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2015 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2014 B.E.S.T. projects
• 2013 B.E.S.T. projects

Range of Funding

Applicants may request up to a maximum of $7,000 in support. These funds may be used to fund:

• Travel or accommodations if the project takes place outside of Lennoxville/Sherbrooke.
• Purchase of necessary equipment (which would remain property of Bishop’s upon completion of the project), supplies or related fees.
• Workshop fees.
• Conference fees.
  • Conferences will be accepted for review by the committee, but there must be strong reasoning as to why it would be an exceptional experience for the B.E.S.T. Project Fund to accommodate; for example, presenting a paper or a poster at a conference.
• As a general rule, compensation is not provided for lost earnings; however, this may be considered under exceptional circumstances.
• The range of funding requested last year was from $1,500 to $7,000. The average funding requested was $4,900.
• The range of funding awarded last year was from $2,000 to $6,600. The average funding awarded was $4,600.

Eligibility

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.

A student may apply for one project per year.

The student must have a minimum 70% cumulative average in courses taken at Bishop’s. The cumulative average for last year’s recipients was 86.5%.

Application Process

The details of the B.E.S.T. Project Fund will appear on the Bishop’s website, and in the academic calendar.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Haddon, Special Projects Officer, Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, at shaddon@ubishops.ca or 819-822-9600, ext. 2424. Completed applications must be received by Monday, January 23, 2023. Applications must be submitted electronically by completing the online form.

Application for B.E.S.T. Project Fund

The B.E.S.T. Project Selection Committee will review applications with a goal of advising students and their sponsors of the Committee’s decisions before the end of February.

The Committee may wish to interview students prior to making a final decision.

Each application 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.

Additional Information

The B.E.S.T. Project Fund is not a travel fund. Consequently, if travel is proposed, the applicant must demonstrate why a similar experience could not be attained without such travel.

If you are participating in an internship or a program and have not yet received notice of acceptance, you may still submit your project for review. If you receive the B.E.S.T., your remittance will be conditional until you receive official acceptance to the internship or program.

Frequently Asked Questions