Lamar University students interested in research and graduate school can prepare for their next level of education through the McNair Scholars Program. The deadline to apply is Nov. 1.
McNair is a federally-funded program designed to help prepare students for graduate education, Jeremy Shelton, chair of the department of psychology, said.
Jamie Blackburn, a senior history major from Nederland and McNair scholar, said the program gives students first-hand research experience, particularly first-generation students.
“It gives them kind of in-the-weeds researching experience with a mentor,” she said.
Students in the program have access to research funding that can help pay for specialized technology or materials. Scholars also have opportunities to travel and present their research.
Blackburn attended a summer research conference at Baylor University, where McNair students met scholars from other universities, discussed their research, and learned about graduate programs and applications.
“You get a lot of really good mentorship and researching experience that’s guided along the way, so it demystifies a lot of that process,” she said.
The application asks students about their GPA, campus involvement and previous academic work. Applicants also submit letters of recommendation and personal statements.
“One of (McNair’s) big goals is to make their application process as similar to applying to a graduate program as possible, so that you get more experience with that,” Blackburn said.
“It’s really helped me understand the process of mentorship better because that’s not something I ever experienced before I got into the McNair program,” Blackburn said.
McNair scholars come from a variety of academic disciplines. Blackburn’s cohort includes students conducting research in mathematics, biology and psychology, while her research is in history.
Whitney Murdock, psychology instructor and former McNair participant, said students should not assume research has to be limited to the sciences. Research can come from any field, she said, with students learning how to turn their interests into research proposals.
Murdock said one of the lasting benefits of McNair is the relationship she developed with the other students.
“There are people that still work at the university that I was in a cohort with,” she said.
The program provided professional experience but also opportunities for students to build connections. Murdock recalled a trip to NASA where the scholars were allowed inside the original Apollo 11 mission control room.
“You don’t have to go into these things knowing quite literally anything about research,” Murdock said. “You can just show up and they teach you. And then you have your mentor.”
Blackburn said students who are unsure whether they should apply can talk with someone who has previously participated in the McNair program. She said she had concerns about balancing McNair with an already-heavy workload and spoke with another scholar before deciding to apply.
“That’s what gave me the confidence to go in and apply for it myself,” Blackburn said.
The program also gives scholars practice developing research presentations, an area Blackburn said many students initially struggle with.
“You not only get a lot of practice in those areas, but you also get an outline of the best practices,” she said. “It’s like a how to be a graduate student.”
Shelton said he encourages students to take the opportunity offered by the McNair program.
“If someone’s considering doing it, they should do it,” he said. “It gives you so many benefits and advantages.”
For more, visit lamar.edu/mcnair.