The stories behind Celebrating Excellence

May 1, 2026

The Graduate College’s 2026 Celebrating Excellence event brought together graduate students from across ASU to recognize the work they are doing and the paths that brought them here. While being honored for receiving one of the many fellowships and awards that the Graduate College supports, students shared their stories and how their awards impacted their academic and personal lives.

The event is hosted annually by the Graduate College to recognize the role these awards play in helping graduate students fulfill ASU’s charter and their own personal academic goals.

Throughout the event, students returned to a few simple ideas. Relief. Opportunity. Community. As one student put it, the experience created a sense of “liberation.” For many, the support they received made it possible not just to continue, but to finish.

The Graduate College supports approximately 20 fellowships and awards that provide funding to over 1,000 graduate students in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Explore Graduate College awards and funding opportunities, including eligibility requirements and application timelines.

Celebrating Excellence recognizes recipients of the following awards:

Accelerated Master’s Award (AMA)
Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS)
Earl A. and Lenore H. Tripke Fellowship
Focus on Finishing Your Degree (FFYD)
Fulbright Foreign Scholars at ASU
Gastwirth Graduate Student Loan Fellowship Program
Graduate College Completion Fellowship

Graduate College Enrichment Fellowship (GCEF)
Graduate College Peer Mentor
Graduate College Student Advisory Group
Graduate College tuition support of prestigious partnerships and sponsored research
Graduate College University Grant (GCUG)
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program

Vice Provost and Dean Elizabeth Wentz in front of Old Main

Looking back, looking ahead: A legacy of purpose and impact

Legacy reflects the work we have done that carries into the future. Many faculty think about their legacy through their research and their students. Research becomes part of a legacy because it contributes new knowledge, shapes understanding, and creates pathways for others to build upon.

Looking for a meaningful leadership opportunity in graduate school? Become a Community Advocate.

ASU’s Community Advocates Peer Mentor Program invites second-year graduate students to support incoming peers by creating spaces for connection, guidance and growth. Mentors not only help others navigate grad school—they also build leadership skills, community and lasting relationships along the way.

College of Health Solutions PhD graduate Nalani Thomas

A journey of persistence, passion and public health

What happens when you don’t give up, even when others tell you to? Nalani Thomas followed her passion, transforming challenges into opportunities and earning her PhD in Population Health. Now, she’s using her voice and research to uplift communities and improve maternal health outcomes.