McNair Scholars
Program Overview
Academic
- Graduate & proposal writing prep courses during your junior and senior years.
- Up to a $2800 Research Fellowship stipend; and up to $1400 on-campus room and board support during the Summer Research Program.
- Research Stipends are divided up & distributed five times throughout the summer.
- Housing Stipends are divided up & distributed two times throughout the summer.
- Travel assistance to present research at local, regional, and national conferences.
- Over 200 universities waive graduate school application fees and/or other opportunities for McNair Scholars. The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) curates an Excel list.
- Guidance through the entire graduate school application process, including visits to regional graduate schools.
- Skills review and test-taking strategies for graduate admissions exams (i.e. GRE).
- GRE description
Additional Benefits
The intangible value of networking with other first-generation and underrepresented students who understand the challenges you face as you pursue your Ph.D. degree!
Overview of Class Sequence for Students Participating in the Program
First Year Second Year
Fall Quarter
- Take MCNA 301 - Introduction to the McNair Program (1 credit);
- Take the GRE pre-test exam;
- Attend the Program Orientation; and
- Identify and set up meeting with faculty mentor to discuss research ideas.
- Take MCNA 395 - UG Research Methods (2 credits);
- Meet weekly with your faculty mentor;
- Write research proposal, submit to mentor and to McNair Office; and
- Meet with McNair Staff.
- MCNA 302 - Finding a Graduate School (1 credit);
- Edit and re-submit final research proposal for review;
- Meet with McNair Staff;
- Identify potential conference(s) to attend;
- Arrange graduate school visits;
- Attend SOURCE (usually in 3rd week of May); and
- Attend the McNair Recognition Banquet.
- Attend GRE Bootcamp;
- Attend Grad School Prep Retreat including Etiquette Dinner;
- Participate in Faculty-Mentored Research and complete final research paper; and
- Visit grad schools.
Fall Quarter
- Take the GRE (if not yet done);
- Arrange and participate in graduate school visit(s);
- Apply to graduate schools and for scholarships/fellowships;
- Prepare research for presentation;
- Meet with McNair Staff; and
- Take MCNA 303 - Completing The Graduate School Application (1 credit)
- Prepare abstract for SOURCE (discuss with research mentor),
- Follow-up on graduate school applications, and
- Meet with McNair Staff.
- Submit abstract to SOURCE & prepare presentation/ poster/ performance;
- Participate in SOURCE and attend the SOURCE banquet;
- Attend the McNair Recognition Banquet;
- Complete online Exit Interview; and
- Finalize Graduate School plans.
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