TRIO McNair Scholars

Director: Linda Thompson, Ed.D.
Assistant Director: Barbara Cole, Ed.D.

Named for Ronald McNair, the astronaut killed in the Challenger explosion, the Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate Achievement Program, or McNair Scholars Program, is a federally funded TRIO project that aims to prepare first-generation/low-income students and students who are traditionally under-represented in graduate studies for graduate school. Harding’s program, funded by the Department of Education, serves 27 students per year.

Undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens, who have completed at least one year of college with a 2.75 GPA or higher, and who are either low-income and first-generation college students or are from minority groups that are under-represented in graduate education are eligible for Harding’s McNair Scholars Program. The objective of the program is to provide enriching experiences that will enhance the students’ academic abilities and prepare them for eventual doctoral study. Students who are selected for the program receive stipends to conduct research under the guidance of faculty mentors who represent the disciplines in which the students hope to pursue doctoral study. Students also receive extensive preparation for the Graduate Record Examination and for the graduate school application process. In addition, they attend and present at research conferences and travel to research institutions to meet with professors. The program also provides various workshops and activities designed to develop communication and personal skills.

For more information about the McNair Scholars Program, students may call (501) 279-5269, or visit the McNair office in Student Center 222.