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WHAT is the BISCONTINI SCHOLARSHIP?
It’s like my answer to the “Make-A-Wish” foundation for fitness. It’s a Scholarship that gives the most deserving applicant each year (land or aquatic group fitness instructor, personal trainer, both) a chance to attend an internationally-acclaimed fitness convention with all expenses paid, including transportation, hotel, meals, and convention educational expenses. It’s a chance for a fitness professional who otherwise would not be able to attend to immerse himself or herself in current trends, techniques, and talents of the fitness world, at NO individual cost.
My mission is “wellness without walls,” and the Biscontini Scholarship takes this mission to a deserving applicant in the hopes to touch the lives of the applicant and his or her clients and classes.
I’m making it possible for 3 individuals a year to attend major, international conventions for continuing education: IDEA World Fitness, ECA in NYC, and SCW in Chicago (or other closer city to winner).
WHY start the BISCONTINI SCHOLARSHIPs?
When I began traveling for fitness on an international level over a dozen years ago, I met so many talented and promising instructors and personal trainers from various countries like Ankie Feenstra in Greece (who won the Biscontini IDEA Scholarship 2006), Doreen Rakowski in Pennsylvania (who won it for 2007), Bam Mogato in the Philippines, Fatih Senturk in Turkey, and others. I know that they would take full advantage of the opportunities for personal growth that fitness events offer us in the USA because they are hungry for knowledge without being able to afford visas and travel-related expenses, not to mention the hefty convention prices themselves. In many places?including cities in the USA and countries outside of the USA---it’s still not uncommon for facilities to pay under US $15.00 for a 90 minute yoga, Pilates, or core conditioning class, making attending a USA convention impossible. I think that many of us who attend events year after year have come to take for granted the amount of education at our disposal, so I just want to try to make a small difference by enabling individuals to attend my favorite conventions.
HOW do the BISCONTINI SCHOLARSHIPs run?
After I won IDEA Instructor of the Year, I decided that my next goal was not going to be a career goal for myself but to enable a career goal for someone else. I put my time, energy, and money into creating a special bank account that would generate funds to make the Biscontini Scholarship possible each year. The Biscontini Scholarship will continue to exist as long as this proves feasible, and we appreciate donations of cash from individuals & companies as well as donations-in-product from fitness-based product companies like Power Systems and Dynamix. The Biscontini Scholarship also is able to work because of the cooperative generosity of Carol and Gary Scott at ECA, Kathie and Peter Davis at IDEA, Sara Kooperman at SCW Fitness, and their respective teams.
Applicants always must apply online via 2 options (by applying right here on this page). 1. When I meet someone who I think should apply, I personally encourage that person to apply. 2. YOU can apply without me having even met you if you would not be able to attend one of these events without a scholarship. My peer team of FG2000 faculty (see the link on my site) review each application.
THE PROCESS DOES NOT WORK FOR ANY INCOMPLETE APPLICATION, AND WE RECEIVE A GREAT DEAL OF INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS THAT MISS A PHOTOGRAPH OR SPECIFIC ESSAY, FOR EXAMPLE. Applications that do not follow this application precisely are disqualified. 100 word maximum must be respected for essays. Only electronic submissions will be processed.
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