Two Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Students Awarded Watson Fellowships
April 16, 2026
- Author
- Mary Elizabeth DeAngelisf
The Watson Foundation has awarded two graduating Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø students fellowships to travel the world for the next year.
Brooke Lackey ’26 and Neve Rauscher ’26 were selected for the foundation’s 58th class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows. The prestigious fellowship comes with a stipend that allows fellows to spend a year abroad after graduation to pursue their deepest interests.
Lackey ’26 plans to learn sign languages in different countries while exploring challenges faced by Deaf people and seeking ways to create more caring communities.
Neve Rauscher ’26 will travel the globe to witness the impact of climate change on people ranging from farmers in Nepal washed out by monsoons to desert communities struggling with drought-related water shortages.
Lackey and Rauscher are among 40 Watson Fellows selected from 155 national finalists representing 41 participating institutions in the United States.
You can read their stories below.
Conserving Nature, Predicting Changing Water Patterns
Neve Rauscher ’26, a Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø environmental studies major, has been selected as a member of the Watson Foundation’s 58th class of Thomas J. Watson Fellows. A Belk Scholar and Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Outdoors leader, she’ll travel the world to see how communities are adapting to the impact of climate change on their water systems.
Experiencing Deaf Language and Culture in Far Away Places
Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø senior Brooke Lackey ’26, a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), grew up in a close, supportive community where her family felt comfortable and communicated easily through American Sign Language. As a 2026 Thomas J. Watson Fellow, she plans to spend the next year learning other sign languages while exploring the challenges facing Deaf people around the world and seeking ways to create more caring communities.
Office of Fellowships
The Watson competition is administered at Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø through the Office of Fellowships. Find more information and learn how to apply for the Watson Fellowship.
