McNair Scholars receive support along the path toward their graduate school enrollment. It’s a long path and many steps are required.
Benefits
Being a McNair Scholar comes with many benefits, including, but not limited to:
- Faculty mentoring through undergraduate research
- National name recognition and prestige of the McNair Scholar title
- GRE Preparation
- Support and advice through the graduate admissions process
- Academic advising
- Access to workshops and seminars about research and the graduate school process
Once Scholars complete all requirements of the program for a given year, including workshop attendance and the successful completion of their research requirements, they are eligible to receive up to $2,800 as a stipend in exchange for their hard work.
Mentored Academic Research
Each year selected McNair Scholars participate in a Research Internship designed to increase their knowledge of academic research, graduate school, and PhD programs. This research opportunity introduces students to the techniques utilized in major research, a vital component of many graduate programs.
Under the guidance of a UALR faculty mentor from the students chosen discipline, scholars are able to complete research in their field of interest with faculty who are completing research of the same nature. These relationships also afford scholars the opportunity to meet other faculty members and attend/present their research at professional conferences on a local and national level.
Academic Presentations
Scholars are required to present their research and travel to one McNair conference each year as a group. Additionally, Scholars have the opportunity to travel to local and national conferences to present their research in an academic setting. Each year the UALR McNair Program hosts a two-day Symposium for the purpose of all participants presenting their research to faculty in their field (their committee) and additional guests.
Graduate School Admission Preparation
Throughout Scholars involvement with the McNair Scholars Program they prepare for their graduate admissions process. Don Asher, an expert in the field, often states that a strong application requires a minimum of a year of preparation. Scholars are provided the necessary resources to determine what graduate programs might be a good fit, feedback on their graduate school application materials, support and guidance to prepare for graduate school entrance exams (e.g. GRE), and provided both information and assistance for securing graduate school funding through fellowships and assistantships. We also provide advising and seminars geared toward graduating seniors for how to adjust to and be successful in graduate school.
