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K-State Today

August 1, 2017

McNair Scholars present on summer research

Submitted by Maggie Borders

On July 26, the McNair Scholars Program at K-State concluded its summer research internship with presentations by 11 scholars of their research to an audience of fellow scholars, program staff and alumni, faculty mentors, graduate students, friends and family members. The event took place in 13 Leasure Hall.

The scholars who presented were chosen for the program in the fall 2016 and started working on their projects this past spring under the guidance of selected faculty mentors in their academic fields of interest. The summer research internship began on June 6 and involved intensive work with mentors, as well as weekly meetings with McNair staff to monitor and support their progress. The scholars also spent four hours a week in a class preparing them to take the Graduate Records Examination, or GRE, a standardized test required for admittance to most graduate programs.

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is administrated by the Federal Department of Education and authorized by Congress to prepare academically talented undergraduates for success in graduate studies. To be eligible, students must be low-income and in the first generation of their families to complete a bachelor's degree, and/or from an ethnic group underrepresented in graduate study. The goal of the program is to increase the number of people from these groups holding graduate degrees and serving in the ranks of faculty and researchers. The students receive a stipend to support their participation in the summer internship.

The 11 scholars who presented on Wednesday were Gehrig Geissinger, Abilene; Demond Handley and Shelbey Taylor, both from Kansas City; Trevin Garcia, Alejandra Gonzalez and Zaira Ruiz, all from Liberal; Hannah Lusk and Jennica Rogers, both from Manhattan; Kenyanna Jones, Overland Park; Austin Magette, Salina; and Coraima Yañez, Tribune. 

The McNair Scholars Program is currently recruiting new participants and will continue to do so until all available openings are filled. Eligible students with an interest in graduate study are encouraged to apply. Faculty and staff who know of good candidates should refer them to the program and/or contact the McNair office.