June 17, 2026 (Louisville, KY) — Louisville Institute is pleased to announce the award of ten fellowships through its Doctoral Fellowship program for 2026–2028. The fellowships, totaling $60,000 and funded through the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc., will support early-career doctoral students in exploring a calling to theological education as they complete two years of fellowship formation.

The Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellowship invites Ph.D. and Th.D. students currently in their first or second year of a doctoral program to consider theological education as their vocation. As part of the Louisville Institute’s Vocation of the Theological Educator (VTE) Initiative, fellows receive $3,000 (USD) each year for two years and join a peer cohort for three formational gatherings each year. Approved travel and lodging expenses for VTE gatherings are covered by the Louisville Institute.

Applicants are typically early-stage doctoral students studying Christian faith and life, the practice of ministry, religious trends and movements, Christian and other faith-based institutions, and religion and social issues in the United States and Canada. Selected through a competitive, multi-stage review process conducted by an independent selection committee, this year’s ten fellows represent a wide range of disciplines, denominational traditions, and institutions.

“The Doctoral Fellowship reflects our deep conviction that the future of theological education depends on cultivating gifted scholars early in their formation—scholars who are rooted in the life of the church and committed to rigorous intellectual inquiry. These ten fellows bring remarkable promise and intellectual depth to questions that matter deeply for faith communities across North America. We are honored to accompany them on this journey.”

—Rev. Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Executive Director, Louisville Institute

Doctoral Fellows are required to participate in VTE Gatherings held in October 2026; January, May, and October 2027; and January and May 2028 — convenings where fellows from multiple Louisville Institute programs share their work and engage in substantive scholarly and vocational exchange.

“At this important time in higher education and theological education specifically, it is critical to support emerging scholars and equip them for a changing landscape where both the church and academy are rapidly being reshaped. We are excited to engage in the strategic formation of the next generation of leaders in theological education through funding this cohort and walking with them over the next two years.”

—Dr. Casey Smith, Grant Program Manager, Louisville Institute

2026–2028 Doctoral Fellowship Recipients