Professional Development Fund

2024–25

The Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development has established a Professional Development Fund to support both undergraduate and graduate Binghamton University students to pursue career- and academic-related professional development opportunities. Funds may cover expenses such as preparation for standardized tests, learning resources, professional attire, conferences/presentations and other professional development needs. Students who demonstrate financial need may receive partial to full funding, which will reimburse the costs of eligible expenses associated with the professional development opportunity. 

*Please Note: You need to sign in to careertools to view the application form. Sign in on the top right corner of this page.

Awards Available:

Due to limited funding (the Professional Development Fund is supported by donation and fundraising efforts), the following funding amounts are available:

  • Funds will cover up to $500 in expenses.  Please note, this does not guarantee an award of $500. If accepted, you will be notified of the specific amount available to you. 
  • Due to the large amount of conference funding requests, preference will be given to students who are presenting at a conference.
    • Awards of up to $100 may be available for conference attendance without a presentation

Who is Eligible:

Currently matriculated  Binghamton University undergraduate and graduate students who will make a professional development purchase.

Please note:

  • This is a competitive application process and not all requests will receive funding. Preference will be given to students with the highest financial need. Please indicate your financial need in your personal statement.
  • Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and are likely to run out before the end of each academic year.
  • There will be monetary limits for purchases/reimbursements and you may not receive the full funding amount requested.
  • Funding quantity is limited, and the fund is likely to run out before the end of the academic year.

Supported experiences may include, but are not limited to:

  • Travel or lodging expenses for professional networking events or training that takes place off-campus .
  • Travel or lodging costs to attend Binghamton University Employer Treks.
  • Graduate or professional school application fees.
  • Graduate or professional school admissions test fees and test preparation courses.
  • Travel to Accepted Student Days for graduate or professional school.
  • Purchase of professional clothing for interviews, networking, etc.
  • Limited funding available for registration, travel, material, or lodging expenses for career or research related conferences or competitions. Please note that prioritization will be given to those students presenting at conferences as opposed to those simply attending.

Restrictions:

  • Funds will not be awarded for tuition, fees, or expenses related to course enrollments or education abroad.
  • Funds will not be awarded for any travel to experiences outside of the United States.
  • Students who are traveling to or whose permanent address is within a 100-mile radius of the destination are not eligible for overnight expenses. Transportation may be reimbursed.
  • Funds will not be awarded for political activity.
  • Funds will not be used to purchase technical equipment (laptops/computers/3D printers) or softwares.
  • Funds can not be used for lunch or snacks. Only breakfast and dinner costs may be covered.
  • Students may not request financial support for any retroactive activity.
  • Students will only be awarded up to one request per academic year.

Application Process:

Required to apply

  • Resume
  • Personal statement of interest that includes information about the professional development opportunity and how it relates to future career goals; also indicate your financial need if applicable  (500 words maximum, check application form below)
  • Expenses Budget Worksheet (Note: You will need to download and complete the Expenses Budget Worksheet here and upload to the online application below.)

Deadline:

  • Application opens September 1, 2024 and will be reviewed every month until the new semester starts in August of 2025.
  • You will be notified if your funds are approved within approximately 4 weeks of submitting your application. Please note that this is a competitive application process and not all applicants will receive funding.

Disclaimers/Restrictions:

  • Students may not request financial support for a retroactive activity.
  • Students will only be awarded up to one request per academic year.
  • These funds will be rewarded by reimbursement and in special cases can be rewarded upfront.
  • Money paid upfront requires a W9 form and may impact your tax status at the end of the year.  
  • Please note that this is a competitive application process and not all requests will receive funding. Preference will be given to students with the highest financial need. 
  • Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and are likely to run out before the end of each academic year. 
  • There will be monetary limits for purchases and you may not receive the full funding amount that you requested.
  • All awards must meet reimbursement criteria for the Binghamton University Foundation.
  • Receipts are due within 14 days of purchase/travel (or the award may be revoked).

Once funds are approved:

Students need to provide the original receipt of their purchase as well as a copy of a credit card or bank statement showing their purchase once they are approved to receive funding. For students who are requesting reimbursement for a conference, students need to include where the conference will be held, date of the conference and a confirmation that they have registered for the conference. 

IMPORTANT: 

  • Students need to provide the receipt of their purchase within 14 days from purchase/travel date (or funds may be revoked).
  • Travel expenses can only be reimbursed. 

For reimbursement:

  • Submit the original receipt of your purchase no later than 14 days from the event date. Any receipts submitted after 14 days may be ineligible for reimbursement. Receipts for physical purchases (e.g. food purchases, gas) require the original receipt.
  • Submit a copy of credit card or bank statement showing the purchase. Please redact account number (except for the last 4 digits) and other unrelated purchases.
  • Submit a copy of both sides of the credit card redacting all but the last four digits
  • If funds are used for a conference registration, submit the conference registration information including where the conference will be held and date of the conference.

Receiving your payment:

A check for the reimbursement amount will be mailed to students within two weeks of receiving the receipts of purchase.

*Please Note: You need to sign in to careertools to view the application form. Sign in using the link on the top right corner of this page. Please complete all required information below and click submit. Once you submit the application a message will appear indicating that your application has been received.

Additional funding sources:

Thank you to our donors!

Please be aware that funding for this program is limited, as it is solely dependent on the contributions of our dedicated supporters. If you believe in the importance of investing in the future of our talented students, we invite you to contribute to the fund and help shape their success. Your donations can be made by visiting our section of the EXCELERATE campaign site. Thank you for your commitment to helping our students succeed!

Professional Development Fund application

Please log in using your Binghamton credentials prior to submitting this form. You may do this using the button in the top right.