Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program
Encyclopedia
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, also referred to as the McNair Scholars Program, is a United States Department of Education
initiative with a goal of increasing "attainment of PhD degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society,” including first-generation low-income individuals and members from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in graduate programs.
and its subsequent amendments. The Act and its programs were part of Lyndon B. Johnson
’s Great Society
program and were designed to address the lack of representation of disadvantaged groups in higher education. The name TRIO comes from the fact that there were originally three programs, but with revisions to the act, TRIO now encompasses over half a dozen programs including Upward Bound
, Educational Talent Search, and Student Support Services.
The program was named after African American scientist Ronald McNair
. In 1986, McNair died aboard the space shuttle Challenger
with the rest of his crew when the shuttle started to disintegrate shortly after its launch. The 1986 amendments to the Higher Education Act provided for the creation of the program under his name, with the first programs established in 1989.
The program provides various activities to prepare students for doctoral study. These include academic advising, workshops, advice on graduate school applications and financial aid, test preparation, research conferences, and graduate school visits. Undergraduate research opportunities and faculty mentorship are also an integral part of the program.
/Black, Hispanic
, and American Indian
/Alaskan Native.
When determining eligibility using the underrepresented criteria, students can be accepted at the discretion of the Secretary of Education from a group not listed above if the group is shown to be underrepresented in certain disciplines through statistics. According to the Department of Education, as of 2007, “as a policy issue,” Native Hawaiians
and other Pacific Islanders (for example, people with origins in Guam
, American Samoa
, Mariana Islands
, etc.) are considered underrepresented.
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
initiative with a goal of increasing "attainment of PhD degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society,” including first-generation low-income individuals and members from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in graduate programs.
History
The McNair Program is part of the federal TRIO programs, a group of educational opportunity programs created and governed by the Higher Education Act of 1965Higher Education Act of 1965
The Higher Education Act of 1965 was legislation signed into United States law on November 8, 1965, as part of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society domestic agenda. Johnson chose Texas State University–San Marcos as the signing site...
and its subsequent amendments. The Act and its programs were part of Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
’s Great Society
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States promoted by President Lyndon B. Johnson and fellow Democrats in Congress in the 1960s. Two main goals of the Great Society social reforms were the elimination of poverty and racial injustice...
program and were designed to address the lack of representation of disadvantaged groups in higher education. The name TRIO comes from the fact that there were originally three programs, but with revisions to the act, TRIO now encompasses over half a dozen programs including Upward Bound
Upward Bound
Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs referred to as TRIO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States...
, Educational Talent Search, and Student Support Services.
The program was named after African American scientist Ronald McNair
Ronald McNair
Ronald Ervin McNair, Ph.D. was a physicist and NASA astronaut. McNair died during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51-L.-Background:...
. In 1986, McNair died aboard the space shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
with the rest of his crew when the shuttle started to disintegrate shortly after its launch. The 1986 amendments to the Higher Education Act provided for the creation of the program under his name, with the first programs established in 1989.
Administration
The Department of Education makes grants to higher education institutions (or combinations of institutions) to administer the program for eligible students. In 2001, the average grant awarded was $229,396.The program provides various activities to prepare students for doctoral study. These include academic advising, workshops, advice on graduate school applications and financial aid, test preparation, research conferences, and graduate school visits. Undergraduate research opportunities and faculty mentorship are also an integral part of the program.
Eligibility Criteria
Higher education institutions admit participants into their program who are “college students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have demonstrated strong academic potential.” At least two-thirds of the participants in a grantee’s program must be low income, first-generation students. Low-income is defined as family income that did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty line in the previous year. First-generation is defined as a student whose parents did not receive a bachelor’s degree. The remaining percentage of participants can be from racial and ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in graduate study. Underrepresented groups include African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
/Black, Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, and American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
/Alaskan Native.
When determining eligibility using the underrepresented criteria, students can be accepted at the discretion of the Secretary of Education from a group not listed above if the group is shown to be underrepresented in certain disciplines through statistics. According to the Department of Education, as of 2007, “as a policy issue,” Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
and other Pacific Islanders (for example, people with origins in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, etc.) are considered underrepresented.