Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program

1. Candidates for the McNair Scholars Program must meet the following criteria as determined by the U.S. Department of Education.

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of application
• Intention of pursuing a doctorate degree upon completion of bachelor degree (exclude master’s degree, professional degree, MD [doctor of medicine], and JD [juris doctor] seekers)
• Completed at least 54 credits prior to summer institute
• Low income as defined by the U.S. Department of Education and a first-generation college student (where neither residential parent completed a 4-year degree) or a student underrepresented in graduate education as defined by U.S. Department of Education (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiians, and Native American Pacific Islander)

• For family units with more than eight members, add the following amount for each additional family member: $6,630 for the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia and outlying jurisdictions; $8,295 for Alaska; and $7,620 for Hawaii.
• The term "low-income individual" means an individual whose family's taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount.
• The figures shown under family income represent amounts equal to 150 percent of the family income levels established by the Census Bureau for determining poverty status. The 2019 poverty guidelines are in effect as of January 11, 2019. Federal Register notice forthcoming. Publication is delayed due to temporary closure of federal offices.

2. Letter of Recommendation (PDF): Applicants must complete the waiver at the top of the form. Then, the recommender may complete the form in its entirety and email the scanned document to mcnair@echo.rutgers.edu.

3. Apply to Become a McNair Scholar

The McNair Scholars Program provides services, events, and programs for undergraduate students interested in attending graduate school. These services hope to cultivate interest, engage exploration, and encourage pursuit of graduate school for students from diverse backgrounds.

Advising

• Pre-graduate school advising, including academic, personal, and career
• Strategic Goal setting for life after college and planning towards a successful graduate education
• Graduate school planning, including program selection, compose application materials & funding opportunities, how to review offer letters and negotiation of financial package

Learn Best Practices for Academic Research, Writing and Presentations

• Conduct research with a faculty member in any academic discipline or field
• Find a faculty mentor
• Deliver oral and multi-media presentations to both academic and non-academic audiences
• Learn how to:
  • read in academic field or discipline
  • make and support arguments within academic field or discipline
  • produce quality writing in academic discipline or field
  • conduct research in academic field or discipline
  • appropriately utilize library tools and databases in academic field or discipline
  • communicate the value of research to broad and specific audiences
  • produce quality writing and presentations (include oral and poster)
  • give and incorporate effective feedback – writing and presentations
  • organize and deliver presentation and speeches

Courses and Workshops

• Basics of Research (Spring Semester, New Admits)
• Graduate Preparation I (Fall Semester, Juniors/Continuing)
• Graduate Preparation II (Fall Semester, Seniors/Graduating)
• Public Speaking and Presentation Skills (i.e. academic presentations to non-academic audiences)
• Workshops on such topics as Resume/Curriculum Vitae, Institutional Review Board (IRB), Time Management, Financial Literacy and debt management planning, Maintaining Faculty Mentor Relationships, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) preparation, and more

Professional Development

• Negotiation and self-advocacy
• Networking and building connections among professionals, faculty, and graduate students
• Articulating and understanding the value of an advanced degree for self, family, and for community

Mentorship and Tutoring

• Supplemental academic tutoring and student success coaching for current undergraduate courses
• Empower and support McNair Scholars in their research and academic endeavors
• Exposure to opportunities that may help strengthen their competitiveness for graduate school
• Assist as McNair Scholars navigate the graduate school culture in classrooms and labs
• Support McNair Scholars in research and graduate school processes that have become second nature to graduate student mentor

Social and Cultural Experiences

• Build a network of relationships with faculty, senior administrators, peers, and alumni
• Visitation to graduate school programs, include meeting with graduate staff, faculty, and students
• Invitation to special lectures, academics luncheons, research conferences and professional development programs
• Exposure in cultural enrichment activities, such as theater, museums, and interactive team building activities
• Opportunities to travel abroad and or attend unique experiential trips

Faculty mentorship is an important aspect of the McNair Scholars Program. The faculty mentor provides an opportunity for participants to have a “hands on” experience with research during the academic year and summer, which is often the student’s first encounter with undergraduate research.

The mentor/scholar relationship can help scholars access information they need to complete projects or get funding. Receiving this academic support has been proven to increase the confidence of the student so that they are able to complete their coursework.

A McNair faculty mentor must have a strong desire to work to help scholars in the McNair program succeed. They should have experience in researching projects and be available to assist the scholar with questions. They should have high expectations of the students’ performance.

If you are a faculty member, interested in working with a scholar or supporting the program (e.g. facilitate a workshop, presentation, academic training), contact us.

Become a Faculty Mentor

The advisory board for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program consists of Rutgers faculty and administrators. These members can provide guidance on project development and activities and serve as program advocates and faculty mentors. The advisory board also provides advice to the Program Director and staff on relevant matters, internal and external to the university that may impact the program. The advisory board meets at least three times including the summer.

Become an Advisory Board Member