McNair Scholars | Southern Illinois University

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a comprehensive program structured to prepare undergraduates for successful careers as graduate students, professors, and professional researchers.  The program is an educational opportunity program funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 collectively known as TRIO Programs.  The McNair Scholars Program is funded by the U.S.  Department of Education and provides services to low-income/first-generation college students or students who are members of a group which is underrepresented in graduate education with effective preparation for doctoral study.  Southern Illinois University Carbondale accommodates 29 students each year.  This program is funded by a grant written by Karen Renzaglia and Rhetta Seymour for the 2017-2022 grant cycles.

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The McNair Summer Research Institute (SRI) is an eight-week intensive program, which equips McNair Scholars with the research skills necessary to compete in graduate school.  During the SRI, students work closely with faculty mentors to complete individual research projects, conducting fieldwork, compiling literature reviews and composing original research papers.  In addition to research, students also undergo six weeks of strenuous GRE training sessions aimed at improving their GRE composite scores.  At the conclusion of the SRI, each student will present a poster in the Summer Research Symposium. Throughout the remainder of their undergraduate career, many McNair Scholars will present their research at national and regional conferences.

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