The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

I am a scholar!! I have officially been inducted into the McNair Scholars Program! 🧡💙

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a federal program funded by the US Department of Education TRIO grant. Through the program, students receive financial support to present their research at national academic conferences. The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society.

The core purpose of the McNair Scholars Program is to support first-generation and low-income undergraduates at UTSA to pursue research-based graduate studies, specifically the Ph.D. We pay particular attention to students who come from racial and/or ethnic backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in graduate school. The program provides the knowledge, skills and capacities necessary to successfully navigate the rigors of Ph.D. studies through immersion in research and a variety of scholarly activities. Such activities are academic skill building, a paid and faculty-led summer research internship program, opportunities to present research at various conferences and symposiums, and assistance with the graduate school application process.

Students who join the McNair Program join a community of peers. Each year, highly qualified students are selected from a pool of eligible applicants. During the academic year, students participate in activities that support and encourage a high level of educational achievement. In addition, the program will also offer colloquia series sessions ("How to Succeed in Graduate School") as well as other cultural and educational activities. The academic year activities are specifically designed to prepare juniors and seniors to be candidates for the next summer's research component.