GradTrack Program Celebrates Five Years of Supporting Future Graduate Scholars
Since 2021, Purdue Engineering - the #4 ranked Engineering program in the country - has supported 326 undergraduate scholars as they explore graduate education through the GradTrack Scholars Program. GradTrack is a free, online, interactive mentoring program designed to support undergraduate students in their preparation for graduate school in engineering. The program connects undergraduate mentees with current Purdue Engineering graduate students through structured mentoring circles and a set curriculum focused on the graduate-school application process.
Through short presentations, small-group mentoring discussions, and application-focused assignments, GradTrack helps scholars strengthen their statements of purpose, understand funding opportunities, prepare for faculty conversations and interviews, evaluate graduate-school offers, and navigate the transition to graduate education. Scholars complete the program with stronger application materials and a clearer understanding of the expectations of being a graduate student.
The program’s structure and impact have also been recognized nationally. GradTrack was named the 2023 CoNECD Program of the Year, highlighting its role in supporting student success, mentoring, and pathways to graduate education in engineering.
Learn more about the GradTrack program on the Purdue Engineering GradTrack website:
https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Academics/Graduate/ProspectiveGraduate/Transition/gradtrack
Nearly three in four tracked GradTrack alumni pursue graduate school
As of May 2026, at least 156 GradTrack scholars are currently attending graduate school and pursuing a master’s and/or Ph.D. degree. This includes 25 scholars pursuing graduate degrees at Purdue University and 131 scholars attending graduate programs at other universities, including institutions such as Stanford University, MIT, UC Berkeley, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, and Princeton University.
Among scholars who have completed their undergraduate education and whose current academic or professional outcomes could be verified, 73.2% of prior GradTrack mentees are enrolled in graduate school.
GradTrack mentees apply for and earn nationally competitive fellowships
Within the GradTrack curriculum, scholars participate in a session focused on demystifying the process of applying for prestigious national fellowships and understanding how fellowship applications fit into the broader graduate-school process.
GradTrack scholars have gone on to apply for and receive nationally competitive fellowships and scholar recognitions. Between 2021 and 2025, GradTrack participants have received:
- 32 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards
- 8 NSF GRFP honorable mentions
In addition to NSF GRFP recognition, GradTrack scholars have applied for and received other competitive fellowships, scholar programs, and research-training opportunities at the graduate level, including programs such as the GEM Fellowship, NDSEG Fellowship, , Brooke Owens Fellowship, NIH U-RISE, NIH MARC, NASA L’SPACE, and NSF-NRT Graduate Fellowship.
The GradTrack community continues to grow
GradTrack has expanded substantially since its first cohort in 2021, which included 37 scholars. In 2025, the program included 76 scholars and 20 current graduate-student mentors, more than doubling its reach over five years.
As the GradTrack community continues to grow, the program is exploring new ways to empower scholars, mentors, and alumni to stay connected. Future efforts will help former scholars and mentors share updates, reconnect with their GradTrack circles, and support future participants as they prepare for graduate education.
For questions about GradTrack and how to get involved, please contact the Purdue Engineering Graduate Education team at engrgrad@purdue.edu.
