Students who are selected for participation in the UWM Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program are called McNair Scholars. McNair Scholars are part of a prestigious national network with a long tradition of excellence.
The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is part of the Federal TRIO Program within the U.S. Department of Education, and must follow certain eligibility and reporting requirements.
To be eligible to be a McNair Scholar, a student must meet all the following federal requirements and UWM Program requirements below.
Federal Eligibility Requirements
- McNair Scholars must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- In addition, McNair Scholars must either:
- Be a first-generation college student (neither parent has received a four-year bachelor’s degree) and be considered low-income as determined by the Federal TRIO Programs: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html.
or - Be from a TRIO-defined “group underrepresented in graduate education.” The following ethnic and racial groups are considered underrepresented in graduate education: Black or African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiians and Native American Pacific Islanders (as published in the Federal Register).
- Be a first-generation college student (neither parent has received a four-year bachelor’s degree) and be considered low-income as determined by the Federal TRIO Programs: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html.
Academic and Other Requirements
Each McNair Scholar must also:
- Have junior or senior standing at UWM, with at least one summer and one fall semester remaining at the time of application.
- Have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
- Have an interest in developing a research project at the undergraduate level.
- Commit to pursuing and completing a PhD program through research at the graduate level.
- Agree in writing to satisfy all program requirements, thereby confirming participation in McNair from program admission to graduation.
- Complete the full-time, 10-week summer research internship (June to mid-August) and attend all seminars, activities, meetings.
- Work directly with a UWM faculty member (assistant professor, associate professor, professor) to complete the research project/paper.
- Actively participate in colloquiums, advising meetings and research/scholarly activity during the academic year.
- Apply to 10 graduate degree programs (both master’s and PhD) during the fall semester of their graduating year.