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In the spring of 2022, the Graduate School, in partnership with deans across multiple schools, launched an Enhanced Funding and Support Model for Doctoral Education as a result of Provost Raver’s new $5 million annual investment in graduate education. The new model is the outcome of a yearlong project to collect and review data from constituents across the university.  

"These increased investments in graduate education are critical to advancing our bold innovation and discovery while also advancing Vanderbilt to a new level of global visibility and impact." - Provost C. Cybele Raver

With the goal of catapulting Vanderbilt doctoral education to be the best in the world,  these five funding supplements will promote discovery and collaboration, inspire scholarly excellence and augment student support structures.  

  • Amplifying External Grants Award funded by Discovery Vanderbilt: This supplement provides support for faculty in Ph.D. programs to bridge the gap between fellowship/grant support and enhanced stipends for doctoral students.   

  • Provost Pathbreaking Discovery Award:  This award will recognize doctoral students who exhibit exceptional academic excellence in areas such as publications, awards, patents and other forms of national/international distinction.

  • Vanderbilt Discovery Doctoral Fellowships:  This funding mechanism will help recruit highly qualified, diverse Ph.D. candidates by providing five years of financial support through a premium stipend to outstanding students.  

  • Discovery Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Incentive:  This fund invests in cross-disciplinary scholarship and partnerships to support intellectual communities across Ph.D. disciplines and groundbreaking discovery.   

  • Student Success Support Services:  This enhancement invests in necessary support services to enrich the student experience.

     
Immersion International
Immersion Research
Convocation
Student Research

 

Messages about Enhanced Support for Doctoral Education

Committees

Executive Sponsors

  • Daniel Diermeier, Chancellor
  • Cybele Raver, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Executive Committee

  • André Christie-Mizell, Vice Provost for Graduate Education
  • Elizabeth Boyd, Executive Director of Operations, Graduate School
  • Kurt Shepherd, Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance 
  • John McLean, Associate Provost for PhD Programs
  • John Geer, Dean, College of Arts & Science
  • Camilla Benbow, Dean, Peabody College
  • Philippe Facuhet, Dean, School of Engineering
  • Emilie Townes, Dean, Vanderbilt Divinity School
  • John Kuriyan, Dean, School of Medicine Basic Sciences
  • Pam Jeffries, Dean, Vanderbilt School of Nursing
  • Elizabeth Boyd, Executive Director of Operations, Graduate School
  • Xavier Purdy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Projects, Office of the Provost
  • John McLean, Associate Provost for PhD Programs, Graduate School
  • Anna Thomas, Director of Events and Communications, Graduate School
  • Amber Palmer-Halma, Deputy Director of University Communications, Division of Communications 
  • Terrah Akard, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Graduate School
  • Jennifer Gourley, Director of Finance, Division of Finance
  • Stacey Satchell, Director of Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success, Graduate School
  • Irene Wallrich, Assistant Director of the Graduate Leadership Institute, Graduate School
  • Alayna Hayes, Assistant Provost and Senior Director of the Career Center

 

  • John McLean, Associate Provost for PhD Programs, Graduate School
  • Terrah Akard, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Graduate School
  • David Wright, Dean for Graduate Education and Research, College and Arts and Science
  • Duco Jansen, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Faculty Affairs, School of Engineering
  • Jeanette Mancilla-Martinez, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Education, Peabody College
  • Kathy Gould, Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training, School of Medicine Basic Sciences
  • Mariann Piano, Senior Associate Dean for Research, School of Nursing
  • Jimmy Byrd, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, Divinity School
  • Elizabeth Boyd, Executive Director of Operations, Graduate School
  • Xavier Purdy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Projects, Office of the Provost
  • Elizabeth Boyd, Executive Director of Operations, Graduate School
  • Xavier Purdy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Projects, Office of the Provost
  • John McLean, Associate Provost for PhD Programs, Graduate School
  • Terrah Akard, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Graduate School
  • Mariann Piano, Senior Associate Dean for Research, School of Nursing
  • Jimmy Byrd, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, Divinity School
  • Emily Ritter, Director Graduate Studies, Political Science, College and Arts and Science
  • David Cliffel, Director Graduate Studies, Chemistry, College and Arts and Science
  • Antony Reed, Director Graduate Studies, English, College and Arts and Science
  • Cindy Reinhardt-King, Director Graduate Studies, Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
  • Dan Work, Director Graduate Studies, Civil Engineering, School of Engineering
  • Sean Corcoran, Director Graduate Studies, Community Research and Action, Peabody College
  • Bob Hodapp, Director Graduate Studies, Special Education, Peabody College
  • Jin Chen, Director Graduate Studies, Cancer Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences
  • Richard O-Brien, Director Graduate Studies, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine Basic Sciences
  • Christine Konradi, Director Graduate Studies, Pharmacology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences

 Feedback

To offer feedback on the Enhanced Funding and Support Model for Doctoral Education, please email graduateschool@vanderbilt.edu.

 Key Dates and Implementation

Please see the interactive timeline below for key dates, milestones, and launches of new initiatives and funding in the Enhanced Model for Funding and Support for Doctoral Education development and implementation process.