Oct. 6, 2026
Photo by Sam Cox
The University of Missouri Office of Global and National Fellowship — a program within Mizzou’s Honors College dedicated to serving all students — recently appointed five faculty ambassadors to support graduate students pursuing the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GFRP), one of NSF’s oldest programs.
GRFP supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees across NSF-related STEM fields. The fellowship provides an annual stipend for three years; a cost-of-education allowance that institutions accept in lieu of tuition and mandatory fees, and access to professional development opportunities and the NSF GRFP community.
The five faculty ambassadors will help guide students through the application process and provide support as they pursue this prestigious fellowship. They are:
- Nicole Campione-Barr, professor of psychological sciences
- Wenchao Ge, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science
- Sarah Jacquet, assistant professor of geological sciences
- David Mendoza-Cózatl, professor of plant sciences
- Reginald Rogers, associate professor of chemical and biomedical engineering
“We are thrilled for students to have expert guidance from faculty members with experience reviewing for GRFP panels and with detailed knowledge in GRFP disciplines,” said Michelle Teti, associate dean of the Honors College, who is coordinating the ambassadors for the Office of Global and National Fellowships.
The Mizzou NSF GRFP Ambassadors will aid Tigers in multiple ways. The group will play an important role in the annual GRFP Sprint, a two-week workshop in the fall focused on guiding students from blank pages to full application drafts. They will be part of grant review workshops and will review essays of students applying for the award. Ambassadors will offer one-on-one consultations as well.
“Applying well for highly competitive fellowships is a team sport,” said Erik Potter, program manager of the Office of Global and National Fellowships. “Mizzou students reach amazing heights academically and professionally, and there are so many dedicated staff and faculty, like these five faculty ambassadors, who play vital roles in helping them along the way.”
