About the Program

banner image for the McNair Scholars Program

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a federal TRIO program funded across the United States and Puerto Rico by the U.S. Department of Education. It is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential.

The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase graduate degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society. The McNair Scholars Program is research-focused and therefore not intended for students who wish to pursue professional degrees like medicine, law, or business management.

The McNair Scholars Program is present at 187 universities throughout the United States.

Visit the official McNair Scholars webpage here.

Benefits of the LMU McNair Scholars Program

  • Academic and personal support of the McNair faculty advisors and an LMU faculty McNair mentor
  • Priority registration for courses during your Junior and Senior years
  • Guidance with the graduate school admissions process
  • Support with securing financial aid for graduate school
  • Application fee waivers and fellowships for participating graduate schools
  • GRE preparation and reduced fees for GRE exam and subject tests
  • Workshops on graduate school success
  • Summer research opportunities at LMU and elsewhere; housing, travel and summer stipends are available
  • Funding to travel and present at research conferences
  • Networking opportunities with professionals and graduate school representatives
  • Visits to local graduate school programs