Student Events

Blanchard Sustainability Leadership Prize

The goal of the Blanchard Sustainability Leadership (BSL) Prize is to inspire and develop the next generation of sustainability leaders who will address the existential threats facing humanity and our planet.

Each prize winner will propose, lead, and complete a unique sustainability project of their own design and present their project at a professional sustainability conference of their choice. There will be two winners each fall and spring semester.

BSL Prize Benefits

  • Up to $5,000 to fund your sustainability project and conference attendance costs. Expenses may include but are not limited to project materials, research expenses for the project, event costs related to the project, project marketing expenses, and conference expenses (fees, travel, lodging, etc.).
  • Earn two experiential learning credits – one credit for each full spring and fall semester during the prize period.

How to Apply

Each applicant who would like to be considered for the BSL Prize will create a short application video, fill out the application form, and submit the form during the application window. Details about the video, form, and timeline are presented below.  

BSL Prize Requirements

Eligibility

There are no academic major requirements – any Honors student with a good idea can apply.

Applicant Requirements

  • Judy Genshaft Honors College student in good standing
  • Completed Acquisition of Knowledge course (IDH 2010)
  • Completed or enrolled in a sustainability course (Honors or non-Honors)
  • Minimum 3.35 GPA at the time of application
  • At least one year remaining before graduation

Project Requirements

  • Project must be completed within the 13-month BSL Prize period
  • Applicant must have a project mentor who is a full-time USF faculty member
  • Project must address one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Project Evaluation

  • Projects will be evaluated based on their merit, impact, and viability

Conference Requirements

  • Conference must be primarily focused on sustainability.
  • BSL Prize Winner must present their project at the conference via a poster session, presentation, etc.
  • Any costs over the $5,000 limit of the BSL Prize are the winner’s responsibility.
    Conference attendance can occur after the BSL Prize period if requested.
    BSL Prize winner must still be an undergraduate student for BSL Prize conference funding.

BSL Prize Timeline

2026 Blanchard Sustainability Leadership Prize Timeline
Semester Applications Open Applications Close 13-month BSL Prize Period
Spring 2026 Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 Sunday, March 1, 2026 April 1, 2026 - May 1, 2027
Fall 2026 Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026 Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 Nov. 1, 2026 - Dec. 1, 2027

Application Form

The application to compete for the BSL Prize consists of an electronic form used to collect applicant information and provide a space to submit a link to your video. Before applying, please review the application form questions to ensure you have all the information you’ll need to fill out the application form.

Application Form Questions

Applicant Information: Questions 1-13
Project Information: Questions 14-22
Application Video Information: Questions 23 and 24

  1. First name
  2. Last name
  3. UID number. (ex U12345678)
  4. USF email address
  5. Expected graduation date. (month and year)
  6. Current college GPA
  7. What is your major (or majors)?
  8. If applicable, what is your minor (or minors)?
  9. Who is your Honors advisor? (first and last name)
  10. Which USF campus are you primarily associated with?
  11. What sustainability course(s) have you taken previously? (provide course name, CRN, semester/year, and your final grade)
  12. What sustainability course(s), if any, are you currently taking? (provide the course name and CRN or "none" if not taking any sustainability courses)
  13. Please list any college-level projects you are working on or have worked on. (for each project include title of project, when you worked on the project, if the project was focused on sustainability, and any funds you received or will receive for working on the project)
  14. What is the title of your proposed Blanchard Sustainability Leadership Prize project
  15. What sustainable development goal (or goals) does your project address? (list the           number and name of each sustainable development goal)
  16. Who is your mentor for your project? (provide first and last name and USF department - mentor must be USF full-time faculty)
  17. Has your mentor already agreed to support your project?
  18. List any other individuals or organizations you believe would help with your project.
  19. What is your desired sustainability conference? (provide name, date, location, and estimated cost including travel, lodging, conference fees, etc.)
  20. State the estimated number of months to complete your project.
  21. State the estimated total cost of your project alone. (don't include conference costs)
  22. How much of the $5,000 BSL Prize do you estimate you'll use? (include both project costs and conference costs)
  23. How long is your video essay? (list minutes and seconds)
  24. Post a link to your video essay. (ensure your video essay can be downloaded)

Apply for the BSL Prize

Application Video

In your application video, you will make the case for why you should receive the BSL Prize. Your video should include the following elements:

  • Video length of 4–6 minutes
  • Begin by facing the camera and introducing yourself, including your name, major, GPA, expected graduation date, prior and/or current sustainability-related coursework, any previous sustainability experience, and any additional background you wish to share
  • Describe your proposed sustainability project, including a clear “elevator pitch,” and identify the Sustainable Development Goal(s) your project addresses
  • Include a graphic of your project schedule and explain how you will complete the project within the 13-month BSL Prize period
  • Include a table outlining your project budget and explain anticipated costs
  • Include a photo or short video clip of your project mentor and describe their role (name, USF position, research interests, etc.). Note that your mentor must agree to support your project before you submit your application
  • Identify two sustainability conferences you are considering (a primary and a backup), including dates, locations and estimated costs (conference fees, travel, lodging, meals, etc.)
  • State how much of the $5,000 BSL Prize you estimate will remain after project and conference expenses. Any remaining funds will be allocated to future BSL Prizes
  • Conclude by explaining what winning the BSL Prize would mean to you and how it would support your professional goals

Upload a link to your video in the application form and ensure the video can be downloaded.

Project Updates

BSL Prize winners are required to provide in-person project updates during regularly scheduled meetings with the BSL Prize team.

There will be two meetings in the spring, typically held during the first week of February and the first week of April. In the fall, meetings are typically held during the first week of September and the first week of November.

During these meetings, winners will present project updates — including cost, performance and schedule — using a PowerPoint presentation. Winners are encouraged to also share short, relevant videos documenting their project progress.

BSL Prize Experience Video

Upon completing their BSL project and after participating in a sustainability conference, each BSL Prize winner will create and submit a video (at least 10 minutes long) documenting their project and conference experience to the BSL Prize team. The video will be submitted no later than one month after participating in a sustainability conference. The video should minimally cover the following topics and include many images and video clips captured during the prize period:

  • Introduce yourself and state some of your background.
  • State the title of your project, the goal of your project, and your mentor.
  • Describe the final results of your project, whether it achieved its goal, and the impact it had.
  • Go over your budget – show what you planned to spend and how much you actually did.
  • Describe each expenditure and provide the total amount spent on the project and the conference.
  • Go over your project schedule – show when you had planned to accomplish each task and when each task was actually completed. Describe the cause of schedule deviations.
  • Talk about any challenges you had in completing your project.
  • Describe your overall experience related to your project and what your project meant to you.
  • State the conference you attended and provide some data on it (title, date, location, etc.).
  • State how you participated in the conference (poster session, presentation, etc.).
  • Describe your overall conference experience and what it meant to you.
  • Describe what participating in the BSL Prize has meant to you and what impact you think it will have on your future.
  • State any other observations you think will help future BSL Prize winners.
  • Add any other comments you’d like.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the BSL Prize, please contact your Honors advisor.