The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is federally funded through the US Department of Education TRIO Programs and is named after the late Ronald E. McNair, who perished on the space shuttle Challenger in 1986.
The Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program at Arkansas State University aims to successfully prepare undergraduate scholars for entrance into graduate school doctoral programs through involvement in research and scholarly activities. The purpose of the McNair Program is to assist in the academic and professional development of undergraduates whose goals are to obtain a Ph.D. in one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) or Psychology disciplines. The ultimate goal of the program is for scholars to earn a Ph.D. within ten years of graduating from Arkansas State University.
Junior scholars are awarded an annual stipend of $800 to support scholarly activities throughout the year. Senior scholars are awarded an annual stipend of $2,800 support research and scholarly activities throughout the academic year while working in collaboration with an ASU faculty mentor. In order to help students achieve these goals, the program sponsors and supports undergraduate experiences that lay the foundation for a successful graduate school experience.
The McNair Achievement Program fosters mentoring relationships, promotes undergraduate research, assists developing a Curriculum Vitae, provides GRE preparation, assists applying to graduate programs, encourages students to write a research paper, and attend and present at National conferences. The McNair Achievement Program aims to produce highly competitive graduate school applicants who have the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in their programs.
