Overview

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 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.
  • Include 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 2023:

  • Loïc Arguin-Mercier, an Applied Psychology student with a minor in Mindfulness & Contemplative Studies from Sherbrooke, pursued a leadership opportunity with the Mae Sot Education Project supporting refugee and migrant youth from Myanmar in Thailand.
  • Félix Gabriel Ayala Valani, a Biology student from Sherbrooke, participated in a research internship at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute in Calgary to study vasovagal syncope (common fainting).
  • Joe Bardwell, a Physics student from Belleville, Ontario, attended the 2023 Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics workshop in Budapest, Hungary.
  • Anne-Julie Bergeron, an Applied Psychology student from Lac Etchemin, Quebec, completed an internship in psychology in San Jose, Costa Rica.
  • Sonoma Brawley, a Music student in the Musical Theatre concentration from Squamish, British Columbia, travelled to the Globe Theatre in London and Stratford-upon-Avon, England, to study Shakespeare.
  • Emily Crunican, an Environmental Studies student from Denfield, Ontario, travelled to Peru to participate in the UN Green Program’s Water Management and Sustainable Practices Program.
  • Pierre-Olivier Désiliets, a Jazz Music Performance student from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, attended the Alternative Guitar Summit Camp, an advanced educational workshop for jazz musicians.
  • Sébastien Élie, a Finance student from Sherbrooke, participated in a finance internship in debt management with a firm in Paris.
  • Drew Henkel, a graduate student in Brewing Science from Southampton, Ontario, completed a summer internship with the aim of expanding pedagogical and research activities in Brewing Science to include distilling.
  • Virginie Lévesque, a Biology and Sports Studies student from Victoriaville, Quebec, participated in a community hockey coaching program for underprivileged youth in Argentina.
  • Lexie MacKenzie, a Neuroscience student from Halifax, participated in an internship at IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax, with a focus on ADHD research and analysis.
  • Jill Mathers, a Sports Studies student with a minor in Psychology from Newark, Vermont, completed the Internal Family Systems self-therapy training program.
  • Jasmine Piché, an Applied Psychology student from Sherbrooke, undertook a certified yoga-therapy course, which included theoretical and practice modules, a yoga retreat, a research project and a final exam.
  • Camilla Rizzi, a Biology Health Science student with a minor in Indigenous Studies from Iqaluit, Nunavut, undertook a land-based learning and language revitalization project in Greenland.

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.
  • Purchasing necessary equipment (which would remain property of Bishop’s upon completion of the project), supplies or related fees.
  • Workshop fees.
  • Conference fees.
    • Participation in a conference will be considered 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 support; 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 in 2023 was from $2,600 to $7,000. The average funding requested was $5,900.
  • The range of funding awarded in 2023 was from $2,600 to $7,000. The average funding awarded was $4,400.

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.

Students must have completed at least one year of full-time studies at Bishop’s prior to starting the project. The student must not receive Bishop’s academic credit for 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. Preference is given to applicants who have not previously received funding.

The student must have a minimum 70% cumulative average in courses taken at Bishop’s. The cumulative average for last year’s recipients was 88.8%.

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 Trish Wood, Development Officer, Alumni Relations and Philanthropy, at pwood@ubishops.ca or 819-822-9600, ext. 2390. Completed applications must be received by Monday, February 5, 2024. Applications must be submitted electronically by completing the online form.

Applications are 2024 are now closed!

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 in late February/early March.

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

Each application must include:

  • An explanation of the project and how it fulfills the objectives of the Fund.
  • The intended outcome or goal of the project.
  • The timeline for the project.
  • A detailed budget and the amount of financial support requested 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/supervision to the student before and during the project.
  • A biography of the student.
  • If the proposal includes 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

What is the role of the sponsor/mentor?

The sponsor/mentor must:

  • write a reference letter for the student;
  • provide him/her with assistance throughout the application process and during the project;
  • be responsible for ensuring that the project is being completed.
Should my sponsor/mentor submit their reference letter directly to the selection committee, or can I upload it along with the rest of my application?

Either is fine. Your sponsor/mentor is welcome to send their reference letter directly to the selection committee via Ms. Trish Wood (pwood@ubishops.ca) or they can send it to you and you can include it when you upload your application and supporting documents.

How long should my biography be and what should it include?

There is no set format for the biography, but usually students write approximately one page. Below are some points that should be addressed in your biography:

  • year of study;
  • program;
  • hometown;
  • what led you to Bishop’s;
  • personal interests;
  • extra-curricular activities/involvements at Bishop’s and in the community;
  • goals for the future; and
  • any other pertinent information that would be useful for the committee to know.
Can I submit a group project?

Two or more students wishing to participate on a common project may submit an application, but each applicant will be assessed on their own merit. As such, all applicants must meet B.E.S.T. requirements individually.

How long should my application be?

Applications average between three and five pages.