McNair Scholars Program
The McNair Scholars Program is embedded within the UROC Scholars program and prepares academically-talented and motivated CSUMB undergraduates from all majors for doctoral level studies via engagement in research and other scholarly activities that support the successful transition to graduate programs.
The McNair Scholars Program is supported by the Department of Education and established in memory of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, a physicist and NASA astronaut who served on the Challenger space shuttle.
The McNair Program is for students who:
- Enjoy being part of a student cohort striving for graduate degrees.
- Strive for intensive research experiences.
- Dedicate themselves to scholarship, leadership, and high-achievement.
- Commit to pursuing a Ph.D. in a research-focused graduate program.
Dr. Corin White (center) with McNair Scholar Alum Juan Cerda and Jada Carter at 2019 SACNAS Conference
Sebastian Mireles in class
2018 McNair Students at End of Year Holiday Dinner Celebration
Current McNair Scholars
- Serena Ross, Psychology. Research Mentor: Renee Penalver, Assistant Professor, Psychology Department
- Jissel Antonio, Human Communication.
- Rosa Acevedo Duran, Psychology.
- Kimmy Smith, Collaborative Health and Human Services. Research Mentor: Jennifer Lovell, Associate Professor, Psychology
- Angelica May Amita, Business Administration. Research Mentor: Jenny Lin, Associate Professor, School of Business
- Jocelyn Chavez-Diaz, Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures. Research Mentor: Kelly Medina-Lopez, Assistant Professor, Humanities and Communication
- Robert May, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Aparna Sreenivasan, Professor, Biology & Chemistry
2022
- Maite Gato-Fuentes, Marine Sciece. Research Mentor: Alison Haupt, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Lily Amador, Human Communications. Research Mentor: Heather Haeger, UROC
- Melyssa Spandri, Human Communications. Research Mentor: David Minovitz, Lecturer, Applied Environmental Science
- Maria Rocha, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Corey Garza, Professor, Marine Science
- Silvia Vasquez, Biology. Researcher Mentor: Cheryl Logan, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Saray Garcia, Business Administration. Research Mentor: Angeline Narsiwari, Associate Professor, School of Business
- Mariah Daniel, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Alison Haupt, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Wendy Feng, Environmental Studies. Research Mentor: Dan Fernandez, Professor, Applied Environmental Science
- Emilia Lepe, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Sherry Palacios, Assistant Professor, Marine Science
2021
- Xenia Enriquez, Social and Behavioral Science. Research Mentor: Angie Tran, Professor, Social, Behavioral, and Global Studies
- Angel Diaz, Psychology. Research Mentor: Zurine De Miguel, Assistant Professor, Psychology
- Ahtziri Carranza Medrano, Environmental Studies. Research Mentor: Victoria Derr, Associate Professor, Applied Environmental Science
- Carlos Rosas, Biology. Research Mentor: Aparna Sreenivasan, Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Paulina Cadena, Biology. Research Mentor: Alison Haupt, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Kaiku Kaholoaa, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Cheryl Logan, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Mariana Duarte, Computer Science. Research Mentor: Chandrika Satyavolu, Assistant Professor, Computing and Design
- Jesus Orozco, Human Communications. Research Mentor: Sam Robinson, Professor, Humanities and Communication
- Vicki Meraz, Biology. Research Mentor: Arlene Haffa, Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Bryant Taylor, Humanities & Communication. Research Mentor: Shantel Martinez, Associate Director, Otter Student Union
- Rebecca Munster, Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. Research Mentor, Timothy Thomas, John Silveus, Lecturer, Applied Environmental Science
- Maria Reyes, Psychology. Research Mentor: Christine Valdez, Associate Professor, Psychology
- Emily Beasley, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Jeffrey Wand, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
- Selina Espinoza, Psychology. Research Mentor: Jennifer Lovell, Associate Professor, Psychology
2020
- Jada Carter, Biology. Research Mentor: John Goeltz, Associate Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Sebastian Mireles, Humanities & Communication. Research Mentor: Stephanie Spoto, Lecturer, Humanities & Communication
- Ana Gonzalez, Environmental Studies. Research Mentor: Victoria Derr, Associate Professor, Applied Environmental Science
- Marissa Thompson, Marine Science. Research Mentor: James Lindholm, Professor, Marine Science
- Selena Velasquez, Psychology. Research Mentor: Kevin Grobman, Associate Professory, Psychology
- Trevor Stevens, Psychology. Research Mentor: Christine Valdez, Associate Professor, Psychology
2019
- Alexandria Cervates, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Alison Lynch, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
- Mica Colmenarez, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Judith Canner, Professor, Mathematics & Statistics and Nate Jue, Associate Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Dominic DiSilvia, Biology. Research Mentor: Aparna Sreenivasan, Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Leslie Maldonado, Humanities & Communication. Research Mentor: Kelly Medina-Lopez, Assistant Professor, Humanities & Communication
- Erin Mansel, Cinematic Arts and Technology. Research Mentor: Silvia Turchin, Professor, Cinematic Arts and Technology
- Melissa Montellano, Social and Behavioral Science. Research Mentor: Armando Arias, Professor, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
- Rene Nunez, Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. Research Mentor: John Silveus, Lecturer, Applied Environmental Science
- Daniel Olivares, Biology. Research Mentor:
- Sonia Olmos, Humanities & Communication. Research Mentor: Kelly Medina-Lopez, Assistant Professor, Humanities & Communication
- Megan Rodenbeck, Environmental Science. Research Mentor: John Olson, Assistant Professor, Applied Environmental Science
- Tyrus Torres, Japanese Language & Culture. Research Mentor: Angie Tran: Professor, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
- Diana Zamudio-Garcia, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Steven Kim, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
2018
- Malachi Alexander, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Alison Lynch, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
- Rosa Garza, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Lipika Deka, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
- Jacob Green, Biology. Research Mentor: Cheryl Logan, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Alex Jensen, Human Communications. Research Mentor: Patrick Belanger, Associate Professor, Humanities & Communication
- Ari Perez Montes, Human Communications. Research Mentor: Debian Marty
- Kali Prescott, Biology. Research Mentor: Cheryl Logan, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Franco Sanchez, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Steven Kim, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics and John Olson, Assistant Professor, Applied Environmental Science
2017
- Robert Castro, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Andy Anglemyer
- Johnpaul De La O, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Lipika Deka, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
- Cecilia Garcia, Biology. Research Mentor: Henrik Kibak
- Heriberto Marquez, Social and Behavioral Science. Research Mentor: Ruben Mendoza, Professor, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
- Juan Mayorga, Global Studies. Research Mentor: Kathryn Poethnig, Professor, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
- Isabella Romero, Psychology. Research Mentor: Danielle Burchett, Professor, Psychology
2016
- Alison Aceves, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Corey Garza, Professor, Marine Science
- Brianna Becerra, Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. Research Mentor: Suzy Worcester, Professor, Applied Environmental Science
- Luis Canett, Social and Behavioral Science. Research Mentor: Juan Jose Gutierrez, Professor, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
- Elizabeth Carrillo, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Aparna Sreenivasan, Professor, Biology & Chemistry
- Juan Cerda, Molecular Biology. Research Mentor: Tim Miles
- Michaela Goodenough, Psychology. Research Mentor: Kevin Grobman, Associate Professory, Psychology
- Elizabeth Hensley, Human Communications. Research Mentor: Sam Robinson, Professor, Humanities & Communication
- Emily King, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Cheryl Logan, Associate Professor, Marine Science
- Julio Martinez, Biology. Research Mentor: Tim Miles
- Karina Ruiz, Anthropology. Research Mentor: Kristen LaFollette, Lecturer, Humanities & Communications
- Elizabeth Snider, Psychology. Research mentor: Jennifer Dyer-Seymour, Professor, Psychology
- Avery Thurston, Marine Science, Psychology. Research mentor: Kerry Nickols and Ranu Sinha
- Catrin Wendt, Marine Science. Research Mentor: Steve Moore, Professor, Marine Science
2015
- Maria Teresa Hernandez, Mathematics. Research Mentor: Judith Canner, Professor, Mathematics & Statistics
Benefits
- Discipline-specific faculty mentoring
- Comprehensive research seminar
- $2800 annual research scholarship
- National recognition
- Graduate school preparation and funding advisement
- GRE fee reduction waivers and GRE preparation workshops including study materials
- Travel support to present research at nationally recognized research conferences
- Supportive network of McNair Scholars
- Graduate programs/schools visits
- Opportunity to publish in peer-reviewed journals
- Participation in cultural events and social gatherings
Eligibility
- Strong academic records (recommended minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA)
- U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency
- Be either a first-generation & low-income college student or belong to a group traditionally underrepresented in higher education
Who was Ronald McNair?
Dr. Ronald Erwin McNair was an American NASA astronaut and physicist who died during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. Growing up in a low-income community in South Carolina, McNair overcame obstacle after obstacle ultimately being selected as one of 35 new astronauts from 8,000 applicants in 1978. He was also one of just three African Americans selected, which included Col. Guion Bluford, the first African American to travel in space. McNair would become the second African American to fly in space in 1984. McNair was also an accomplished saxophonist and even played while in space.
Following his death, members of Congress provided funding to create the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program. It is intended to encourage students who come from low-income, first-generation college backgrounds, or are members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education to pursue doctoral level students through involvement in research and other scholarly activity.