Office of Nationally Competitive Awards

The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards supports UC undergraduates, graduate students, and recent alumni interested in applying for major external fellowships. NCA fosters the intellectual and personal development of UC’s student-scholars by facilitating a rewarding application process that encourages them to engage in rigorous self-reflection, cultivate strong writing practices, and define meaningful connections among their personal commitments, academic pursuits, and future goals.

This office administers UC’s nomination processes for awards like Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, and Goldwater; it also provides support for major awards that do not require endorsement. 

• Jenn Breiner, Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
• Rosie Davis, Public Health, Critical Language Scholarship (Swahili)
• Abby Fischbach, Clinical Psychology, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
• Sophie Glenn, English Literary and Cultural Studies, UK Summer Institutes Scholar
• Adonis Jones, Asian Studies, Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Recipient
• Clara Kelley, Medical Sciences, Critical Language Scholarship (Hindi)
• Perry Li, Medical Sciences; Economics; Liberal Arts, Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Recipient
• Jane Mahon, Criminal Justice, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
• Nicholas Oberdick, History, Boren Scholar
• Jay Patel, Medical Sciences, Critical Language Scholarship (Hindi)
• Harshman Sihra, Liberal Arts, Truman Scholar

• Yasmine Bougacha, Violin Performance, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Award (Semi-Finalist)
• Anna de la O, English Creative Writing and Professional Writing, Fulbright Study/Manchester Metropolitan University Award (Semi-Finalist)
• Adam Elzarka, Medical Sciences; Liberal Arts, Knight-Hennessy Scholarship (Finalist)
• Samuel Hall, Geosciences, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program (Honorable Mention)
• Blessing Johnson, Psychology; Brain, Mind, Behavior, Fulbright ETA Ghana (Semi-Finalist)
• Sunil Kollipara, Economics, Fulbright Binational Business Award Mexico (Semi-Finalist)
• Kevin Li, Commercial Music Production; Composition, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Poland (Semi-Finalist)
• Evan Lindenberg, Mechanical Engineering, Critical Language Scholarship Persian (Alternate)
• Jan Mazur, Medicine, Fulbright Fogarty Nepal (Semi-Finalist)
• Maya McGuire, Vocal Music, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Italy (Semi-Finalist)
• Mia Morales, Political Science; Social Justice, Marshall Scholarship (Finalist)
• Gabe Paynter, Physics; Astrophysics, Fulbright Study/University of York Award (Semi-Finalist)
• Faith Redwine, Psychology, Fulbright ETA Spain (Semi-Finalist)
• Erin Seccia, Communication Design, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Ecuador (Semi-Finalist)
• Anna Shepard, Medical Sciences, Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program (Finalist); Fulbright ETA Czech Republic (Semi-Finalist)
• Nika Umnov, Industrial Design, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Netherlands (Semi-Finalist)
• Bishal Upreti, International Affairs, Fulbright ETA Nepal (Semi-Finalist)