Prospective Scholars

Things to Do

Additional Information

Program Services and Activities

The Graduate College was awarded the federally funded McNair grant in 1996 and is one of approximately 150 programs across the country. As of fall 2004 over 180 ISU undergraduates have benefited from the program. With the ability to accommodate 35 students, the Iowa State program is among the larger programs in existence.

The overall goal of McNair programs nationally is to increase the number of underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation students receiving the Ph.D. This goal is achieved by exposing them to research and preparing them for the graduate school experience.

McNair scholars are required to have a faculty mentor who guides them from the beginning through the completion of a research project over the course of a two year period. In addition, scholars are afforded the benefits of:

  • Getting to know fellow McNair scholars and others from around the country
  • Tutoring services
  • Attending national McNair conferences to do oral or poster presentations
  • Attending cultural activities
  • Having a graduate student mentor if desired
  • Learning how to prepare a research poster
  • Learning how to do oral presentations
  • Receiving graduate school application fee waivers
  • Receiving GRE fee waivers
  • Receiving a monthly stipend