Wakeham Summer Research Fellowships

The GradPathways Institute is please to invite applications for the Summer Wakeham Research Fellowships, designed to support students in pursuing focused professional and scholarly development during the summer months through structured mentorship.

This student financial support fellowship provides a stipend to facilitate active participation in a documented mentor–mentee engagement plan over the Summer fellowship period.

 

  • Program Overview
  • The Summer Wakeham Research Fellowships support students as they:
    - Deepen their own academic, research, or professional interests
    - Build sustained mentoring relationships

    Fellows will work closely with an identified mentor and participate in structured, self-designed activities throughout the summer.
  • Fellowship Support
  • - Stipend: $10,000 for the summer fellowship period, in three payments pending documented completion of planned activities
    - Duration: 10 weeks, July 1 to September 30
    -Restrictions: students on the Wakeham fellowship may not hold any other fellowship or employment during their fellowship tenure
  • Fellowship Expectations

  • Selected fellows will:

    1. Develop a written Mentorship Plan outlining:

    • - Academic goals for fellowship period
    • - Planned activities and milestones
    • - Meeting schedule (minimum recommended: biweekly)
    •  

    2. Maintain documentation of mentor–mentee engagement, which may include:

    • - Meeting summaries
    • - Skills development activities
    • - Professional development reflections
       

    3. Submit brief mid-period and final reports summarizing outcomes, lessons learned, and next steps.

    Mentors will be asked to confirm participation and engage in regular, substantive guidance during the fellowship period.

  • Eligibility
  • Applicants must:

    - Be a currently enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 units) Master’s or doctoral student in a UC Davis graduate academic program for Spring 2026, in good academic standing

    - Demonstrate a clear commitment to academic growth and mentorship

    - Be available for the full fellowship period

    - Students may not hold another summer fellowship while a Wakeham Summer Research Fellow 

    - Students in self-supporting degree programs and professional degree programs are ineligible for this fellowship

    Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Students may not hold another summer fellowship while a Wakeham Summer Research Fellow.
     
  • Application Materials

  • Applications should be submitted as a single PDF document consisting of:

    - A 1000-word research narrative describing the student’s proposed summer research project. The narrative must describe the research question and the anticipated outcomes. 

    - A letter (2 pages, 12 point font) from the mentor describing the mentorship plan for the summer, with a timeline of proposed activities to strengthen both mentor and mentee capacity. This letter must include information about the mechanism to determine research progress over the course of the summer.

    - A statement (500 words) from the mentor on their experience and success in mentoring graduate students.

    - The applicant's CV (2 pages)  

  • Selection Criteria
  • Applications will be evaluated based on:

    - Originality and feasibility of the proposed research project 
    - Clarity of research goals and anticipated research outcomes
    - Thoughtfulness and feasibility of the proposed mentorship plan
    - Potential for meaningful professional development impact
     
  • Requirements
  • - Submission of a jointly authored mid-term report by the mentor and mentee on the progress of the research as well as the mentoring milestones 
    - Submission of a final report at the end of the fellowship period on the research outcomes and the mentoring/professional development impact
    - Presentation of their research at Wakeham Fellows Showcase hosted by GradPathways in Fall 2026
    - Presentation on successful mentoring by the mentor at the Wakeham Fellows Showcase
     
  • Timeline
  • - Application Deadline: April 17, 2026
    - Notification of Awards: May 1, 2026

    - Fellowship Period: July 1 – September 30, 2026, with second and third payments released upon receipt of mid-term and final reports.

 

THE APPLICATION HAS NOW CLOSED
 
Questions?

For questions about eligibility, application materials, or the fellowship experience, please contact:

Kevin Porter
Program Coordinator
GradPathways 
(530) 754-3041
[email protected]