The Stanislaus State McNair Scholars Program is seeking applicants to fill 13 spots for its 2021-2022 cohort. While the priority deadline of October 3 is swiftly approaching, a second round of applications will be accepted as they come in starting October 4.
The McNair Scholars Program, named after Ronald E. McNair, the second African American to fly in space who was tragically killed in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle launch, helps prepare students for graduate studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. The national program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education, is a part of the Trio program and has been offered at Stan State through a grant since 2017.
McNair Scholars are chosen on a competitive basis and must meet certain criteria to be selected, including having a strong interest in obtaining a master’s or Ph.D. degree. To qualify for the program, applicants must be low-income and first-generation college students or a member of an underrepresented ethnic group. Applicants must also meet citizenship or residency requirements and be available to devote at least three semesters and one summer to the program. They must also be an undergraduate student at Stanislaus State with at least 30 units completed prior to Fall 2021, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Students interested in medical, legal, or other professional degrees are not eligible for the McNair program, since its purpose is to increase the number of participants earning academic doctoral degrees.
Araceli Garcia, Stan State McNair Scholars Program Director, said they are looking for students from underrepresented backgrounds who are committed to pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree.
McNair offers its students a unique opportunity to network, according to Garcia, because they don’t just become part of a local group of scholars, they become part of an organization that houses 187 programs nationwide.
“When students join this program at Stan State, they’re not only joining the McNair community here, they are also joining a larger community throughout the U.S., so it’s really neat to see,” said Garcia.
In addition to academic success tools, McNair Scholars have access to financial literacy and other skill building areas to help prepare them to apply to grad school, she added, making the whole process less overwhelming.
“Because they’ve gone through the research process and learned how to approach faculty, they don’t have to demystify the whole graduate school process,” Garcia continued.  
Garcia, a Stan State graduate herself, said some students join the program with the goal of pursuing an academic master’s degree, but because of the exposure they get by attending events and conferences and the close contact with faculty mentors as well as other McNair students, they decide they actually want to pursue a Ph.D.
“It’s getting that exposure to all these robust experiences that can help you see the bigger picture and different opportunities that you might not have thought about,” Garcia explained. 
Research is a core part of the McNair program, according to Garcia, and students are guided by faculty mentors of their choosing within their discipline to work with on their research projects.
Marlen Martinez-Lopez (senior, Computer Science/Cognitive Studies) has been in the McNair program for two and a half years. She said the program has helped her grow as a researcher and develop new interests as she’s been exposed to different areas of study.
“This program has helped me so much with building my research experience,” Martinez-Lopez said.
She said the program allowed her to apply for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer internship, which she completed at Carnegie Mellon University. 
“My research interests changed and developed over time once I got exposed to different areas of research,” she said. “From my summer REU experience, I can say human computer interaction is definitely on my [research] list, as well as data analysis and natural language processing.” 
Initially nervous to apply to the McNair program, Martinez-Lopez said she understands why some students might be apprehensive. The idea that she needed more work, internship, and research experience before applying turned out not to be false, she explained.
“That’s definitely not the case,” she said. “Anyone can apply even if you don’t have any experience.”
Faculty mentors, who support students through the entirety of the program, are a key component to research success. For Martinez-Lopez, the support she receives from her faculty mentor, Dr. Dae Hee Kim, has not only allowed her to sharpen her research skills, but has also helped her grow as a student in general, she said.
“He has been very supportive of my goals,” Martinez-Lopez said. “I can ask him questions regarding research, or other areas I might need help on. It’s nice to be able to ask questions or ask for feedback.”
Noreen Singh (senior, Psychology) said her faculty mentor, Dr. Grace Paradis, has been a great fit for her as well.
“She’s honesty an amazing mentor,” Singh said. “Since the first meeting I had with her, I just resonated with her. I feel like we have a relationship where I can tell her anything and she will give me the help and support that I need.”
Students in the program also find support with their fellow McNair Scholars. Although the program has looked a bit different since COVID-19 took on-campus interactions to Zoom, students in the program have adapted well to building relationships virtually. Singh said she and her cohort have become a tight knit community.
 “We keep each other on our toes,” Singh said. “It’s a really great thing to have another support system besides the mentors and faculty that we already have. I just love the supportive environment of McNair.”
Like Martinez-Lopez, Singh said she was also nervous to apply to the program initially, but quickly realized the path it could put her on. She encourages anyone thinking about graduate school to apply.
“If you really want to pursue graduate education and you know you might not have the support, or the resources, or the knowledge of what it takes to be in a graduate program, apply for McNair,” Singh said. “I promise, if you get accepted, a world of opportunities will open up for you.”
Garcia added a piece of advice for any students thinking about applying but are still on the fence.
“Don’t exclude yourself from opportunities,” she said. “If you don’t apply, the answer is always going to be no.”
Those wishing to apply to the McNair Scholars program may do so by visiting https://www.csustan.edu/mcnair/apply
Finalists will be invited to participate in a 20-minute interview with the selection committee. Interview dates are to be determined and selected applicants will join the program in Spring 2022. Students can find out more information about the program at https://www.csustan.edu/mcnair