Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Judith Lee Stronach Baccalaureate Prize

Applying

The 2024 Stronach Baccalaureate Prize is open to Berkeley graduates in any area of study who are awarded an undergraduate degree in Fall 2023, Spring 2024, or Summer 2024. To apply, please submit an application by March 1, 2024.  A complete application includes a project proposal, project budget, transcripts, sample of work, and resume. Your application file should also contain two required letters of recommendation (one of which is from a project mentor) and up to three optional letters of support (at least 2 letters, no more than 5 total).

If you have any questions or would like to sign up for an appointment with the program advisor, please email stronachbaccprize@berkeley.edu.

Complete application consists of the following five sections:

  1. Project Proposal
  2. Budget 
  3. Transcripts
  4. Work Samples
  5. Letters of Recommendation

Project Proposal

In five – six double-spaced pages (12-point font, reasonable margins) please provide the following:

Project statement (~1.5-2pp)

A clear description of and background for your project.  Provide context for your project that includes a discussion of the significance of the project in terms of what it will contribute to the public good or how it will have an impact on a social issue.  Though there is not room for a lengthy literature review, if you do include citations, please use in-text citations and include a Works Cited page at the end of your proposal (not included in page count). 

Project plan (~1.5-2pp)

A concise step-by-step outline and timeline of your proposed activities that allows the committee to understand how you will structure the work of your project.  Include a brief discussion of the outcomes or results you hope to achieve.

Continuity and preparation (~1.5-2pp)

A personal narrative of the ways in which your project continues the coursework, research, extracurricular activities, or other work in which you have been engaged at Berkeley, and/or which grows out of your life experience.  Provide an explanation of why you feel prepared and motivated to undertake your proposed project.  All applicants are encouraged to pursue an issue for which they feel passion and commitment.  Why is this project important to you? 

Note: If you are considering a project that involves travel to a country with a State Department Travel Warning in effect, please talk to the program coordinator before starting your proposal.

You are highly encouraged to meet with the program advisor to go over your proposal draft before submitting. 

Budget

The maximum award is $25,000. In 1-2 pages, itemize all the major expenses that you expect to incur as you carry out your project, including: living expenses, travel costs, project expenses such as equipment, services (translations, honorariums, copying), communication, materials, etc.  Health insurance is required. To research options, review the information provided by the the University Health Service.  Prize money cannot be used for enrolling in credit-bearing courses.   Figures should be based on best estimates, ones that are reasonable, accurate, and truthful.  Substantial expenses should be researched.  

All items on the budget are subject to approval by the Selection Committee. If costs are not self-explanatory, consider including a budget narrative or budget notes.If budget exceeds $25,000 explain how you will meet the additional expenses. Please keep in mind that the award will be disbursed in 3-5 installments over the course of the project.  Once selected, recipients will work with the program coordinator to finalize a schedule of disbursements for the award.

Transcripts

Provide transcripts from the colleges and universities that you have attended since graduating from high school. For UC Berkeley, please use a PDF of your Academic Summary from CalCentral. You do not have to submit an official transcript.

Note: If you have more than two non-UCB transcripts, please choose the two showing coursework most relevant to your project.

Work Samples

You should submit a sample of your work that is relevant to the project you propose or to the preparation you need to carry it out. Please observe the following guidelines: in the medium of narrative, creative, or research writing, no more than 10 pages; in the medium of sound recording or video, no longer than 15 minutes; in the medium of visual display, no more than 10 images.

If you are submitting a sample of work that is a media file (video, image, sound), please upload your file to a file-sharing site and provide the URL where your file can be viewed. 

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required. One letter must come from someone who has agreed to be your mentor for your project. Although all Prize winners are expected to show independence in carrying out their projects, the mentor should be someone who can advise you as you work on your project. Your mentor may be a faculty member, but need not be.  At least one of your required letters must come from someone who taught you at Berkeley.

In addition, you may supply up to three additional letters of support from people or organizations whose cooperation will contribute to your project’s success, or from someone who can comment directly on the significance of your project. 

Letters can be submitted online at https://forms.gle/F3pnbrJmT6L1QUAf8

or emailed directly to stronachbaccprize@berkeley.edu by March 1, 2024.

Submitting

Friday, March 1, 2024 is the deadline for receipt of all application materials, including proposal, budget, transcripts, sample of work, and letters of recommendation. 

You can submit your application online at: https://forms.gle/eA4W8ELAZ6ZCzTSW6

To complete the online application, you will need a combined PDF of your project proposal, project budget, transcript(s), sample of work, and resume.  To create a combined PDF, you can use Adobe Acrobat Pro.  

Letters of recommendation and support can be submitted online at:  https://forms.gle/F3pnbrJmT6L1QUAf8

or emailed directly to stronachbaccprize@berkeley