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 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. 

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Bearcats in the USA Challenge
The first donor in each state will win an additional $50 for the fund they supported.
Event
First-Time Donor Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Every first-time donor who makes a gift on April 8 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
Event
8th Anniversary Challenge
Tag 8 people that should make a gift in honor of our 8th UC Day! To participate in this challenge, tag @uofcincyalumni and include #BearcatsGive in your post. We'll randomly pick one winner to receive $500 to the fund of their choice and a UC prize pack!
Event
#BearcatsGive Challenge
We'll randomly pick one winner during UC Day of Giving who uses #BearcatsGive and give $500 to the fund of their choice.
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Kickoff Challenge (Tuesday 12-1 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most gifts in the first hour of UC Day of Giving will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (195)
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The Red and Black Challenge (Tuesday 1-2 p.m.)
Every donor who makes a gift during this hour will be placed in a drawing. The fund supported by the winner will receive an additional $500.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 3-5 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 3-5 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
The Oh Varsity Challenge (Tuesday 6-7 p.m.)
Every donor who makes a gift during this period will be placed in a drawing. The fund supported by the winner will receive an additional $500.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 9-11 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 9-11 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Wednesday 8-10 a.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link 8-10 a.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Leaderboard
Tower of Strength Challenge (Wednesday 10-11 a.m.)
The fund that receives the most dollars during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (195)
Leaderboard
The Final Countdown Challenge (Wednesday 11 a.m.-noon)
The fund that receives the most gifts during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (195)
Event
Alumni Couple Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
UC alumni couples who make a gift on April 8 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
Event
Young Alumni Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Alumni that graduated between 2014 and 2024 who make a gift on April 8 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
Event
1819 Challenge
The 1,819th gift will receive an additional $500 to that fund.
$750
Parents Challenge
When 100 parents make a gift, $750 is unlocked to the University of Cincinnati Student Emergency Fund.
100 Gift Goal
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 12-2 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between noon to 2 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Leaderboard
Bearcat for Life Challenge (Tuesday 2-3 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most alumni gifts during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (195)
Leaderboard
Boldly Bearcat Challenge (Tuesday 5-6 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most dollars during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (195)
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenges (Tuesday 6-8 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link 6-8 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Leaderboard
All-Nighter Challenge (Tuesday 10 p.m.-Wednesday 7 a.m.)
The fund that receives the most gifts overnight will receive an additional $1,000
Fund Designation (195)
Event
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.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Wednesday 10 a.m.-12 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 10 a.m. to noon wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
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