UC invests in the next generation of graduate leaders through fellowships focused on mentorship and research

The University of Cincinnati is making a new five-year investment of approximately $1 million through the Office of the President to strengthen the Next Lives Here Presidential Fellowship, supporting graduate recruitment, faculty mentorship and doctoral research. The Graduate College is also providing nearly $800,000 in fellowship stipends for the 2026–27 academic year across the Presidential Fellowship and NEXT Graduate Leaders Fellowship, supporting the next generation of researchers, scholars and leaders through financial support, professional development and opportunities to engage in research and scholarship.

The two fellowships serve different groups of graduate students and use distinct selection models. The Presidential Fellowship also serves as a strategic pathway for the university’s Next Lives Here initiative, reflecting UC President Neville Pinto’s vision of attracting exceptional talent and pairing it with the mentorship, resources and research opportunities needed to make an impact.

"They also give our outstanding faculty mentors another way to recruit talented doctoral students and provide them with the resources and experiences to thrive at UC," continues Dean White.

“The additional stipend of a Presidential Fellowship, along with the recognition that comes with being selected for a prestigious award, helps us recruit strong doctoral students to our program,” said Angela Potochnik, PhD, professor of philosophy and Presidential Fellowship mentor. “I felt recognized for my graduate advising strengths when I was selected as a mentor, and I hope our fellows feel recognized for their academic promise and supported throughout their time at UC.”

The fellowships advance the Graduate College’s priorities for research and creative excellence, professional development, student success and interdisciplinary collaboration while strengthening the support systems that help graduate students succeed.

The Next Lives Here Presidential Fellowship focuses on doctoral research students and places faculty mentorship at the center of the fellowship experience. 

Faculty mentors are nominated by their colleges and selected based on excellence in research, scholarship and mentorship. For 2026–27, 28 faculty were nominated and five selected, with three supporting funded fellows this year and two deferring their fellowship slots for one year.

Presidential Fellows receive a $10,000 annual stipend in addition to their graduate program funding, full single-student UC Student Health Insurance coverage and access to professional development and travel opportunities.

The 2026–27 cohort includes three doctoral students: Gabriel Martin Cameron Bazo, a philosophy student in the College of Arts & Sciences mentored by Angela Potochnik, PhD.; Brice Martinelli, an aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics student in the College of Engineering and Applied Science mentored by Ephraim Gutmark, PhD.; and John Pablo Reed-Prieto, a molecular and cellular biosciences student in the College of Medicine mentored by Tom Thompson, PhD.

The fellowship’s impact is already visible in the work of its fellows. Andrew Washburn, a Presidential Fellow and doctoral student in history, said the program’s writing workshops helped him communicate his research to audiences beyond his field and develop more competitive grant applications.

He received three research travel grants and a competitive fellowship, allowing him to conduct research across three states.

The NEXT Graduate Leaders Fellowship supports recruitment, retention and successful degree completion by pairing financial support with a structured first-year experience focused on professional development, leadership and peer connection.

Fellows receive a $10,000 annual stipend for up to two years for master’s students or four years for doctoral students, along with health insurance coverage and tuition support from their graduate program. Biweekly programming and Individual Development Plans help fellows build professional skills, explore career opportunities and connect with resources across UC.

Graduate programs and academic units, rather than individual students, apply for NEXT fellowship slots. For the 2026 cycle, 28 programs and units applied, with 13 selected for fellowship slots. As part of the selection process, programs submit financial support information and a mentoring and advising plan outlining how they support graduate students.

“The mentoring and advising plans were an important part of the selection process because we want fellows to enter programs that are prepared to provide outstanding support throughout their graduate education,” said Megan Carroll, program director of the Graduate College.

The 2026 NEXT cohort includes 13 graduate students representing programs across the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Medicine, College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology, College of Allied Health Sciences and the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

Babu hopes to build his leadership and professional skills while preparing for a career as an educator and researcher.

The impact of the fellowships can also be seen in the work of their fellows. Bradley Esau, who earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting in spring 2026, was one of five conductors selected nationally for the U.S. Army Band Conductors’ Workshop and conducted The U.S. Army Band’s “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C. Amanda Kporwofa, a 2025 NEXT fellow and doctoral student in communication, presented research on using game-based communication to promote forest conservation among young people in Ghana. Martha McCullough, a 2024 NEXT fellow and doctoral student in criminal justice, presented research on how victim service providers can help justice-involved survivors overcome barriers to expungement and reentry.

“Recruiting students is only the beginning,” White said. “We have to make sure we are giving those students the mentorship, community and opportunities they need to turn their potential into impact.”

The Graduate College is launching the next application cycle for both fellowships as the new cohorts begin their fellowship experience.

The Next Lives Here Presidential Fellowship invites colleges to nominate faculty mentors who demonstrate excellence in research, scholarship and mentorship. Selected mentors receive a fellowship to support a doctoral student of their choice. Applications and nominations are now open, with deadlines and additional information available on the Next Lives Here Presidential Fellowship webpage.

The NEXT Graduate Leaders Fellowship invites graduate programs to apply for a fellowship slot on behalf of an eligible student. Programs should be prepared to demonstrate their commitment to mentoring, advising and supporting graduate students. Applications and nominations are now open, with deadlines and additional information available on the NEXT Graduate Leaders Fellowship webpage.

Meet past Next Lives Here Presidential Fellowship recipients and NEXT Graduate Leaders Fellowship recipients.