McNair Mentors are the professionals who help make the McNair Scholars Program a success by assisting our student scholars in a variety of ways. Our mentors help program participants develop professional work habits, research skills and personal relationships to aid them as they pursue their doctorates.
The scholars participate in a course focusing on developing effective learning strategies, research methods, advanced library skills, enhanced writing technique and general academic skills. As a mentor, you will help the scholars put what they’ve learned into action in a very real and important way. Our mentors play a vital role in the development of the scholars and in the meantime, widen their own professional campus colleague networks.
As the McNair Scholars conclude their research projects, they will make formal presentations to faculty and peers at the McNair Scholars Research Symposium. They’ll also submit papers summarizing their work with selected papers appearing in the SIU Carbondale McNair Journal. That’s where you will see what a positive impact you’ve made on these young scholars.
You, our mentors, are vitally important in helping our McNair Scholars succeed. Through you, they also witness the intellectual commitment and enthusiasm required to succeed in graduate school and beyond!
Research support may be available through the program during the academic year. The program provides funding for scholars to attend a national professional conference with their mentors and a small supplies budget is provided for each mentor/scholar team.
The McNair Scholars Program promotes academic success in our students and our mentors play an important role.
