How to enhance my prospects for a PhD?
Unless I am mistaken, "next cycle" is half a year from now. There are many ways to enhance one's PhD prospects, but many big ones are no longer available to you due to timing.

Robert Peters in Getting What You Came For cites an ETS study about how important various parts of the PhD application are considered by committees, on a scale from 1 to 5:


3.9 Undergrad GPA in major field
3.8 Recommendations from faculty known by committee
3.7 Undegrad GPA in last 2 years
3.6 GRE verbal score
3.6 whether undergrad major is related
3.5 Undergrad GPA
3.0 Educational or career aspirations
3.0 Recommendations from faculty unknown by committee
3.0 Whether applicant is known to the committee
2.9 Academic achievements (papers, projects)
2.9 Quality of undergraduate school
2.7 Personal statement
2.7 Interview
2.6 Work experience
2.6 GRE analytical score
2.5 Non-faculty recommendations
2.5 GRE Subject score (related to program)
1.9 Other test scores
1.9 GRE Subject score (related to undergrad major)
1.6 Particular subscores on GRE Subject


You have half a year. Some of these things, like your GPA, obviously cannot be changed. What you can do is:


Try to publish or present at a conference
Make sure you don't get low grades from any classes you are taking
Make sure you get strong recommendations
Study for the GRE, especially the verbal part
Make contact with faculty at the programs you think of applying to
Research thoroughly the programs you are interested in
Start working on your Statement of Purpose so you have time to edit it