About the McNair Program

Mission

The federally funded TRIO McNair Scholars program seeks to increase doctoral program application, matriculation, and degree attainment by underrepresented and first-generation college students. Read more about our history, outcomes, and future.

Program overview

Through this summer experience and academic year programming, McNair Scholars develop higher-level academic and research skills necessary to gain admission to and successfully complete graduate study.

• 10-week summer research apprenticeships with a University faculty mentor whose research interests match those of the McNair student.
• Summer stipend of $6,000. Additional $500 during the academic year.
• 3-course credits offered (EDHD 3302: McNair: Demystifying & Engaging the Research Process)
• Weekly seminars on study strategies for graduate school and graduate entrance exam preparation.
• Opportunities to present research at multiple symposiums and a national conference
• Build community with a cohort of McNair scholars
• Year-round seminars and advising services focus on:
  
  • Careers requiring graduate education
  • Successful selection and application to graduate school
  • Financing graduate studies
  • Preparing a successful undergraduate research project proposal
  • Introduction to discipline-specific research and research writing skills, and
    ethical issues in research

Population served

• Two-thirds of students must be first-generation and income-eligible. One-third of the students may be from groups that are underrepresented in graduate school.
• U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents
• The U of M McNair program is open to all Twin Cities students in all colleges and majors, U of M coordinate campuses (Crookston, Duluth, Rochester), and Minnesota colleges and universities that do not have their own McNair program.

McNair Scholars graduate profile since 1992*

*Scholars may be counted more than once, i.e. some earned masters and went on to earn doctorate.

• 47 students are still undergraduates.
• 198 students entered graduate school.
• 120 students earned M.A. degrees.
• 28 students earned professional degrees.
• 22 students earned doctorate degrees.
• 27 are currently enrolled in doctorate programs.
• 88 students are still enrolled in graduate school.
• 14 scholars are participating in post baccalaureate fellowships and/or other fellowship like activities and are expected to matriculate to graduate school.

McNair Scholars is a TRIO program funded by the United States Department of Education with support from the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Equity.