U.S. Department of Education Renews Funding for UW McNair Scholars Program

The University of Wyoming’s Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program has been awarded a five-year grant by the U.S. Department of Education. Funds are for $304,056 per year.

“The UW McNair Scholars Program has been on campus and continuously funded for 25 years,” says Liz Nysson, McNair Scholars Program project director. “With this renewed funding, the program will continue to support and prepare undergraduate students historically underrepresented in higher education for doctoral studies.”

Named after Ronald E. McNair, the African-American physicist and NASA astronaut who died during the launch of the space shuttle Challenger, the federally funded TRiO program was designed to provide disadvantaged undergraduate students with effective preparation for doctoral programs.

The UW McNair Scholars Program provides opportunities for research and other scholarly activities, a paid summer research internship, tutoring, travel support to conferences, academic counseling and assistance in admission for enrollment in graduate programs, Nysson says.

In all McNair programs nationwide, at least two-thirds of the participants must be low-income, first-generation college students. The remaining participants may be from minority groups underrepresented in graduate education.

Applications are now being accepted for UW sophomores, juniors and seniors who will have at least 60 credit hours completed by May and intend to graduate after August 2018.

To apply, students must meet eligibility requirements, have an interest in pursuing a Ph.D., a 3.0 or better GPA and also meet first with the McNair staff to receive an application.

Students interested in applying should email mcnair@uwyo.edu to schedule an appointment.