McNair Resources
McNair scholars receive one-on-one assistance with the graduate admissions and financial aid processes as well as preparatory workshops, summer research opportunities and graduate school visitations.
Scholars
The McNair Program offers an engaging and supportive environment that fosters inquiry and personal/professional development. As a McNair Scholar, you will benefit from the following:
Benefits
- The academic and personal support of the McNair Faculty Mentors and Staff
- A research stipend to complete an original research project
- Faculty, graduate student and peer mentoring
- Opportunities to participate in research conferences
- Funding to travel to research conferences and visit graduate programs
- Workshops on the graduate school application process, financial aid, scholarships and fellowships, the culture of graduate school and summer research internships
- Personal assistance in locating graduate schools, applying and gaining admission into graduate school
- Access to graduate admissions examination preparation materials
- Access to tutorial assistance and the Skills Assessment and Tutoring Center
Responsibilities
As a McNair scholar, you will be expected to:
- Attend all scheduled workshops and events, complete one summer research project
- Present your research at the Annual National McNair Research Conference or at a professional conference in your discipline
- Publish your abstract in our annual National McNair Undergraduate Research Journal
- Notify McNair staff of all graduate school acceptances, rejections, and financial packages.
Active participation in all required activities aid with the preparations necessary for graduate school. Making the shift from an undergraduate degree to a graduate program is heavily dependent on a scholar’s ability to comprehend and apply the knowledge presented at McNair events. Meeting regularly with your faculty mentor, being active within the program, and maintaining contact with McNair staff will aid in your transition.
McNair Services
- Assistance with the graduate admissions and financial aid processes
- Preparation workshops for graduate study admittance exams
- Visitations to various graduate schools across the country
- Opportunities to participate in scholarly research and professional conferences
- Faculty and staff mentoring
- Academic tutoring across all disciplines
The S.R.I.P. provides McNair participants with the opportunity to develop and explore a research area related to their interests in collaboration with a faculty mentor of their choosing. This collaborative experience introduces students to the nature of graduate study, scholarly activity and research careers. Three major goals of the summer program are:
- Initiate students into scholarly activities of their chosen disciplines
- Introduce faculty in a student’s discipline to the student’s work
- Establish and solidify student/faculty relationships
McNair scholars are assisted in choosing the graduate or professional school program that best fits their needs. Throughout the year, scholars are involved in graduate school and professional school visitations throughout the United States.
These visitations allow students to hold in-person discussions and interviews with graduate school faculty and representatives to learn more about each individual program’s graduate admission requirements, financial aid and other programs.
The program provides individual and group tutoring in all subject areas with special emphasis on technical areas as well as writing assistance. Scholars also receive access to software, like Magoosh, to assist their graduate school preparation.
Forms
To be considered as a McNair scholar, Purdue University Northwest students must complete the application below.
For an application to be considered complete, the McNair office must receive the following:
- The potential scholar’s completed portion of the application
- The scholar’s personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty members
- Verification of Income (should be physically brought into the McNair office, not submitted via email)
Applications can be submitted by either visiting the McNair office or by clicking on the Apply to McNair button. Letters of Recommendation can either be completed in the application or be submitted via the Letter of Recommendation button.
EMAIL LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Contact McNair
- (219) 989-2779
- mcnair@pnw.edu
- Student Union and Library Building (SULB) 343
2200 169th Street, Hammond, IN 46323
Graduate School Waiver List
Explore a list of graduate schools that offer application fee waivers and/or fellowships.