Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

Making graduate school a reality

This federal program is named after American astronaut Ronald McNair, and it is designed to break down socioeconomic and racial barriers to students interested in pursing post-graduate education. The hope is to diversify the pool of students pursuing PhD's, increasing numbers of students from underrepresented demographics. This includes first-generation and low-income college students, as well as students from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in graduate programs throughout the U.S.

Why become a McNair Scholar?

Ronald E. McNair, American astronaut — Ronald E. McNair, a NASA astronaut lost in the Challenger shuttle tragedy of 1986, was the first in his family to graduate from college and received a PhD in physics from MIT in '76.

The Ronald E. McNair program provides exclusive access to research and scholarship opportunities that can be life-changing. From direct and indirect funding for tuition, research stipend, travel and presentation opportunities and much more, participation in this program equips participants with a wide array of research, graduate school and employment possibilities.

Who is eligible?

Federal TRIO grant criteria require that participants be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, be 150% below federal poverty, and be a first-generation college student in your family OR must be from a traditionally underrepresented group: Black (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

UW-Eau Claire criteria are that a student must have potential for or a desire to pursue a graduate program, must be nominated by a UW-Eau Claire faculty or academic staff member, and must have a minimum sophomore GPA of 2.75.