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Next Innovation Scholars

Modern society lives in an era defined by persistent forces of change and a range of increasingly complicated global challenges — challenges that also create opportunities for innovation and transformation. Relentless, accelerating change of this scope and scale demands action-oriented university graduates with the knowledge, tools and responsiveness to boldly create the future rather than react to it. The NEXT Innovation Scholars (NIS) program answers this call by cultivating a diverse cohort of resilient, forward-thinking problem-solvers who embrace ambiguity with the intellect, curiosity and confidence to drive innovation and lead in a complex world. 

Spearheaded by President Neville G. Pinto and aligned with UC’s Next Lives Here strategic direction, this highly selective scholarship program leverages UC’s signature strengths and strategic relationships to immerse students in contextual collisions of disciplines, industries and cultures of innovation both inside and outside the university.

NIS is uniquely differentiated from other scholarship and honors programs by its emphasis on collaborative, cross-disciplinary experiences that intentionally create collisions between disciplines and industries. Examples include:

  • Participation in multiple cross-disciplinary innovation immersion experiences with external partners from commercial industry, cause-based organizations and social entrepreneurs, and scholarly thought leaders.
  • Structured opportunities for professional mentorship and networking through local, regional and national networks of alumni and leaders in the field of innovation.
  • Additional layers of student advising related to coursework, extra/co-curricular engagement and career education.
  • Completion of specific cross-disciplinary design thinking and innovation coursework and projects. 
  • Access to training, networking and active engagement with a global network of peer innovators through the University Innovation Fellows program facilitated by Stanford University.
  • Streamlined engagement with the burgeoning Cincinnati Innovation District and the 1819 Innovation Hub.

Your gift to the to the NEXT Innovation Scholars program will provide scholarships that allow students these unique experiences, courses and access to resources, positioning them as collaborators and co-creators in the future of innovation at UC and beyond by placing them at the epicenter of local, national and global innovation ecosystems.

When you support this program of impact, you're joining UC and countless others in a pledge to accelerate student success and lift up families and communities across Greater Cincinnati for generations to come.  Click here to learn more about driving student success through philanthropy.  




UC and UC Health employees can give via payroll deduction today. 

Leaderboard
Fund Leaderboard Challenge - Most Gifts
The top three funds with the most gifts at noon on April 10 will receive additional funds. 1st Place - $1,500 2nd Place - $750 3rd Place - $500
Rank Prize Fund Designation Gifts
1 $1,500 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund 297
2 $750 Dance Team Development Fund 228
3 $500 Bearcats Pantry 186
4 IvaDean Medical Student Scholarship Fund 155
5 UC Fund for CEAS 118
Ended
Leaderboard
Kickoff Challenge (Tuesday 12-1 p.m.)
UC Day of Giving is off to an amazing start! The Kickoff Challenge has just ended, and the prize goes to the IvaDean Medical Student Scholarship Fund! The fund will receive an award of $1,000. Go Bearcats!
Rank Prize Fund Designation Gifts
1 $1,000 IvaDean Medical Student Scholarship Fund 72
2 Mary Beth Debs PW Fund 30
3 Cincinnati Hillel Fund 8
4 Dance Team Development Fund 8
5 Bearcats Pantry 8
Ended
Leaderboard
Bearcat for Life Challenge (Tuesday 2-3 p.m.)
The Bearcat for Life Challenge has just ended, and the prize goes to the Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund. The fund will receive an award of $1,000.
Rank Prize Fund Designation Gifts
1 $1,000 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund 45
2 CEAS Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund 24
3 Athletics Next Level Success Fund 6
4 IvaDean Medical Student Scholarship Fund 6
5 The University of Cincinnati Student Emergency Fund 6
Ended
Success!
Alumni Couple Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Congrats to Eric Caton and Sharon Miller-Caton (class of 1999) who won the Alumni Couple Challenge! An additional $500 will be awarded to the Cheerleading Development Fund. Be on the look for some UC swag headed your way in the coming weeks.
Completed
Leaderboard
All-Nighter Challenge (Tuesday 10 p.m.-Wednesday 7 a.m.)
The Dance Team Development Fund will receive an award of $1,000 for winning the All-Nighter Challenge.
Rank Prize Fund Designation Gifts
1 $1,000 Dance Team Development Fund 94
2 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund 82
3 Cheerleading Development Fund 8
4 Athletics Next Level Success Fund 5
5 Cincinnati Hillel Fund 5
Ended
Leaderboard
Tower of Strength Challenge (Wednesday 10-11 a.m.)
The Tower of Strength Challenge has just ended, and the prize goes to the Dance Team Development Fund! The fund will receive an award of $1,000.
Rank Prize Fund Designation Raised
1 $1,000 Dance Team Development Fund $985.00
2 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund $900.00
3 Athletics Next Level Success Fund $841.66
4 UC Fund for Allied Health $500.00
5 Cheerleading Development Fund $425.00
Ended
Success!
1819 Challenge
Diana Behrendt made the 1,819 gift! The Lawrence J. and Susan A. Johnson Scholarship Fund will receive an additional $500.
Completed
2
Match
Arts & Sciences Global Citizenship Innovation Fund
Thank you for supporting the Arts & Sciences Global Citizenship Innovation Fund!
$5,000 MATCHED
Completed
Success!
The Red and Black Challenge (Tuesday 1-2 p.m.)
Congratulations to Nina Oppenheim for being the winner of the Red and Black Challenge! An additional $500 will be awarded to Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Support Fund.
Completed
Leaderboard
Boldly Bearcat Challenge (Tuesday 5-6 p.m.)
The Boldly Bearcat Challenge has just ended, and the prize goes to the Athletics Next Level Success Fund! The fund will receive an award of $1,000.
Rank Prize Fund Designation Raised
1 $1,000 Athletics Next Level Success Fund $2,750.00
2 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund $1,585.00
3 Emergency Fund for Nursing Students $1,025.00
4 DAAP-School of Design Scholarship Fund $1,000.00
5 Lindner College of Business Scholarship Fund $850.00
Ended
Success!
Young Alumni Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Congrats to Brian Hensler (class of 2018) who won the Young Alumni Challenge! An additional $500 will be awarded to the UC Fund for Allied Health. Be on the look for some UC swag headed your way in the coming weeks.
Completed
$750
Parents Challenge
When 100 parents make a gift, $750 is unlocked to the University of Cincinnati Student Emergency Fund.
100 / 100 Gifts
Completed
Success!
Skyline Challenge (Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon)
Every donor who makes a gift in this period will be placed in a drawing. The winner will receive an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a $100 gift card to skyline.
Completed
Leaderboard
The Final Countdown Challenge (Wednesday 11 a.m.-noon)
Whew, what an amazing 24 hours, Bearcats! The Final Countdown Challenge has just ended, and the prize goes to the Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund! The fund will receive an award of $1,000.
Rank Prize Fund Designation Gifts
1 $1,000 The Charge into the Next Century Instrument Fund 93
2 Bearcats Pantry 18
3 Dance Team Development Fund 17
4 Athletics Next Level Success Fund 14
5 Lindner College of Business Scholarship Fund 9
Ended
Gifts to the Next Innovation Scholars
Rank State Gifts
1 IL 1
1 AL 1
1 OH 1
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