Princeton Seminary PhD student wins Newcombe dissertation fellowship

Princeton Theological Seminary PhD student Dongho Han was named a 2026 Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellow, one of 20 recipients of the $31,000 award for humanities and social science scholars studying religion, ethics, morals or values. The fellowship highlights Han’s dissertation on young Korean men and underscores Princeton Seminary’s doctoral program and placement record.

Why it matters: - The Newcombe Fellowship is the nation’s largest and most prestigious award for PhD candidates in the humanities and social sciences focused on religion, ethics, morals or values. - The $31,000 grant supports doctoral students during their final year of dissertation writing. - Han’s selection spotlights Princeton Theological Seminary’s doctoral program and its role in preparing scholars for academic and church leadership.

What happened: - Princeton Theological Seminary PhD student Dongho Han was named a 2026 Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellow. - Han was one of 20 PhD candidates selected for the fellowship. - The announcement was made July 7, 2026. - Han is only the fourth Princeton Seminary student to receive the Newcombe Fellowship.

The details: - The Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship began in 1981. - The program has funded more than 1,400 fellows. - Charlotte W. Newcombe was a supporter of higher education and Princeton Theological Seminary during her lifetime and through her estate. - Han’s dissertation chair, Robert C. Dykstra, is the current Charlotte W. Newcombe Professor of Pastoral Theology. - Dykstra said Han combines intellectual skill with moral seriousness and reads across theology, ethics, psychoanalysis, gender studies and pastoral theology. - Director of PhD Studies Eric D. Barreto said the award recognizes Han’s current work and future potential in academic and ecclesial settings. - Princeton Seminary admits only 10 students each year to its PhD program. - The Seminary says it has the highest number of PhD graduates serving on faculties at Association of Theological Schools institutions.

Between the lines: - The fellowship aligns closely with Han’s dissertation topic and the Newcombe Foundation’s focus on spiritual and ethical scholarship. - Han’s project examines why some young Korean men are turning to performative masculinity and anti-feminist bias in response to economic insecurity, shame and isolation. - The dissertation aims to build a pastoral and theological model that helps readers understand pain, practice self-compassion and increase empathy for others. - Han said his work is rooted in pastoral theology’s engagement with alienation, shame and moral struggle. - The award also reinforces Princeton Seminary’s pitch that rigorous scholarship and church-centered formation can coexist.

What's next: - Han will use the fellowship support to finish the final year of writing his dissertation, titled “The Transgressive Self: A Pastoral Theological Path to Healthy Narcissism among Young Korean Men.” - Han continues to serve as a pastoral affiliate for Princeton Korean Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). - Princeton Seminary will continue to lean on its small PhD cohort model and interdisciplinary faculty structure as it recruits and trains doctoral students. - The Seminary will likely point to Han’s recognition as evidence of its doctoral program’s external competitiveness.