McNair Scholars Program Central Michigan University

Background

The McNair Scholars Program aims to successfully prepare our scholars for entrance into graduate school. The ultimate goal of the program is for scholars to achieve a Ph.D. within ten years of graduating from Central Michigan University.

The program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education and named after the late Ronald E. McNair who perished on the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Dr. McNair stands as a strong inspiration to all of our scholars, being an individual who achieved great heights, both personally and professionally. Dr. McNair earned a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Physics in 1976.

Specifically, the McNair program services low income and first generation college students and/or students considered underrepresented in graduate education. See "Program Eligibility" for more details.

The main components of the program include conducting original research under the guidance of a faculty mentor and receiving training in writing, communication and graduate school preparation skills. Our scholars receive financial support and travel opportunities that include presenting their research at conferences, visiting their top-choice graduate school and attending cultural activities.

 
McNair Scholars at graduate school training camp, Indiana University

Scholars have some fun during an intense graduate school training camp hosted by Indiana University during the summer.

The McNair Program is rigorous and requires that students take the McNair commitment seriously. Each year, we recruit a new cohort of scholars who move through the process during their junior and senior years, preparing themselves for graduate study and setting off to achieve doctorates in their area/field of interest once they complete their undergraduate degrees at CMU.