Hours and Services
The McNair office is located in Room B 141 and is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For any inquiries, please contact the program at mcnairp@neiu.edu. Eligibility requirements and the online application link can be found under the Admission tab.
Mission
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement program is a U.S. Department of Education TRiO program that awards grants to institutions of higher education to prepare students for graduate studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. The goal of the McNair Program is to increase the attainment of doctoral and other terminal degrees by participants who are either first-generation college students with financial need or members of a group traditionally underrepresented in graduate education that demonstrate strong academic potential.
Institutions work closely with participants through their undergraduate requirements, encourage their entrance into graduate programs, and track their progress to the successful completion of advanced degrees. McNair Scholars are currently completing graduate degrees at over 150 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico.
History
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program was named after Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair who was born Oct. 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina. He attended North Carolina A&T State University and graduated magna cum laude. He earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and soon became recognized as an expert in laser physics.
In 1986, the U.S. Congress provided funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program in recognition of McNair, who lost his life in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in January of that year. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Programs, and is designed to increase the number of low-income, first-generation and underrepresented minority college students who pursue and complete a doctoral degree. Its long-range mission is to help increase the diversity of college and university faculties.
There are 156 universities that offer McNair Programs across the country. Each program honors Dr. McNair's memory and his dedication to the pursuit of scientific knowledge and personal excellence.
