The primary goal of the AAHHE Graduate Student Fellowship Program (GSFP) is to prepare doctoral scholars for successful careers in academia; however, the program also provides support to scholars interested in pursuing careers within administration and policy in postsecondary education. Towards this end, program sub-goals include to:
Provide strategies to assist scholars in achieving their educational and professional goals
Provide constructive feedback on graduate student fellows’ research
Build community and network with other scholars
Eligibility
To be considered for the GSFP applicants must:
Be enrolled in a doctoral program
Exhibit a track record of service to the Hispanic and/or Latina/o/x/e community
Graduate Student Program Fellows will be required to become AAHHE members ($50) upon selection.
Schedule
AAHHE Graduate Student Program Fellows must attend and actively participate in all GSFP events. The GSFP program will begin in September 2026 with a welcome/orientation followed by bi-monthly webinars from October 2026 through March 2027.
Graduate Student Program Fellows will also be required to attend select events during the AAHHE 2027 Annual Conference, date and location TBD. The AAHHE 2027 Annual Pre-Conference and Conference registration fee will be waived for Graduate Student Program Fellows.
For your GSFP application to be considered, applicants must submit an online application and upload all required materials as separate, anonymized PDFs through the submission portal.
Required Documents:
Statement of Interest
Academic Research Statement
Resume/CV
Letter of Support
Late applications will not be accepted. Applications or letters of support submitted by email will not be considered. Previous fellowship recipients are not eligible to apply.
Anonymization Requirements (Required for Review)
All application supporting documents must be submitted in an anonymized format to support a blind review process. Applicants are fully responsible for ensuring that all identifying information is removed or redacted prior to submission.
Documents must NOT include:
Applicant name
Names of advisors, recommenders, or collaborators
Institutional affiliations (e.g., university, department, research center, employer)
Email addresses, phone numbers, or mailing addresses
Letterhead, signatures, or institutional logos
File names or document metadata containing identifying information
Letter of Support
Applicants must upload one anonymized letter of support as a PDF. Recommenders should remove their name, signature, institutional affiliation, and any other identifying details before providing the letter to the applicant for upload. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure their letter of support is anonymized before submitting.
File Naming
Please use neutral file names that do not include identifying information (e.g., Statement_of_Interest.pdf, CV.pdf, Letter_of_Support.pdf).
Applications that contain identifying information may be deemed ineligible for review.
Application Process
Complete and submit an application form via the AAHHE submission portal by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30, 2026. The following additional documents should be uploaded as separate, anonymized PDFs at the end of the online application:
Statement of Interest addressing the questions below (max of 1,000 words)
Why are you interested in participating in the AAHHE Graduate Student Fellowship Program?
Explanation of long-range career goals and how this fellowship will advance your career.
Explain how your interests and experiences enable you to contribute to the AAHHE membership community.
Academic Research Statement (max of 500 words):
Pre-Doctoral Candidates
Description of the chosen area of study and the research issue of interest.
Do you have compelling research or life experiences that make you competitive and most likely to succeed in your research project?
Explain how your research could contribute to desired social and political outcomes for the Latine community and/or society at large.
Doctoral Candidates
Description of the dissertation project and how it is situated in relation to other scholars. What is new and different about your research?
Narrative about your work process in the dissertation. What is your research question(s)? What is the purpose or aim (as well as sub-aims) of your proposed research? Why are you passionate about this specific research topic?
Explain how your research could contribute to desired social and political outcomes for the Latine community and/or society at large.
Academic and/or professional record:
Ph.D. students | Curriculum vita
Ed.D. students | Résume
One letter of support from:
An advisor, lab/center supervisor, faculty member, or community member who can speak to your contributions to the Latine ecosystem. (Ph.D. students)
A community partner, district/school administrator, or faculty member. (Ed.D. students)
Only ONE letter of recommendation per applicant will be considered.
Selection Process
Each application is thoroughly reviewed by a diverse group that includes members of the Board of Trustees, current and past graduate/faculty fellows, and the GSFP leadership team. The leadership team carefully considers all feedback from these reviewers to make the final selection of fellows, ensuring that factors such as gender identity, race/ethnicity, institutional type, and field of discipline are thoughtfully weighed in forming the final cohort.
Program Requirements
As an AAHHE Graduate Student Fellow, you will:
Sign and submit the AAHHE Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in June 2026. The link will be provided at a later date.
Become an AAHHE active member (graduate student; $50 investment). Please process your membership by June 2026.
Submit your digital professional headshot photo (JPEG) and a 200 maximum word count biography (in MS Word, Arial, 12-point font; using third person, e.g., Garcia spent) by June 2026, via the AAHHE submission portal. The link will be provided at a later date.
Participate in ALL required Graduate Student Fellows Programming. We gather once a month on Fridays from 3:00–5:00 PM ET (September–March). These sessions are the heart of the fellowship experience and require full participation and engagement.
Maintain open lines of communication with GSFP Co-Chairs in the case of anything affecting your participation in the program.
Complete all program evaluation surveys.
Submit a one-page reflection article. Submission guidelines will be provided at the start of the program.
Make a commitment to AAHHE’s mission and vision and support the continuance of the various programs and events by volunteering, organizing, and/or leading future AAHHE programs and events.
Commit to serving as an application reviewer in the year following your completion of the GSFP.
How to Submit a Strong GSFP Application
AAHHE GSFP Webinar: Let’s Get Real: Reimagining Latinidad and Belonging in the GSFP
Contact Information
For general inquiries about the AAHHE GSFP, please contact Stacey Speller and Cydney Caradonna (GSFP Co-Chairs) at [email protected]. For technical inquiries related to your application, please reach out to [email protected].
