The 2017 BEST participants are:
- Alyssa Anderson, doctoral student in American Studies
- Sam Caldis, doctoral student in History (Ancient History)
- R. Terik Daly, doctoral student in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences
- Dalma Diaz, master's student in Urban Education Policy
- Aderonke Ilegbusi, master's student in Public Health
- Rachel Knecht, doctoral student in History
- Anni Pullagura, doctoral student in American Studies
- Michiel van Veldhuizen, doctoral student in Classics
- Inge Zwart, master's student in Public Humanities