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The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program at SUNY College at Oswego is designed to encourage, motivate and prepare students for doctoral study. As a two-year undergraduate research program model with an eight-week summer research component following their junior year, the scholars begin the program as either a sophomore or junior. The program addresses students’ needs for research experience, faculty mentoring, information on graduate education and the application process, while improving academic skills – all in preparation for doctoral study completion.
Student eligibility includes a minimum grade point average of 2.75 or better. Two-thirds of the McNair Scholars are low income; the first generation of their family to attend college while one-third is from underrepresented groups (African American, Latino/Hispanic and Native American) in graduate school. They must be enrolled for minimal of 12 hours per semester during the academic year. Students are selected for their intellectual curiosity and vigor, interest in earning a doctoral degree and teaching at the university level. They are also selected based on their ability to pursue rigorous and substantive research.
The overall goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to prepare 26 Scholars each year to successfully pursue and apply to doctoral programs. The overall grant objectives as per the U.S. Department of Education are:
1) to recruit and enroll 26 Scholars and to maintain this number of participants through the life of the grant;
2) to maintain or increase Scholars’ grade point averages at 3.0 or better;
3) to engage Scholars in high quality research and scholarly activities
4) to provide Scholars direct and indirect funding which supports their preparation for graduate school; and
5) to support Scholars in their doctoral study plans with academic, financial and psychosocial through professional development seminars.
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