For Prospective Scholars
Who can apply for the McNair program?
McNair Scholars must be:
- Low-income and First-generation
- Low-income (as defined by the Department of Education Federal TRiO Programs)
- First-generation (neither parent has a bachelor's degree)
And/Or
- Underrepresented in graduate education programs. This includes members of the following groups:
- African American/Black
- Hispanic/Latino
- American Indian/Alaskan Native
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
You must:
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident
- Have earned 30 credits
- Be enrolled full-time in a degree program at Morris
While some preference is given for students working in STEM fields, all majors are welcome to apply. The key criterion for a McNair Scholar is a desire to excel academically as an undergraduate, gain admission into graduate school, and persist to the PhD/EdD. McNair does not support professional graduate pathways like, law, medical, or veterinary medicine, with the exception that they are combined with the PhD.
How do I apply?
Complete the online application. Applications are reviewed each semester in fall and spring. Our recruitment focus each fall semester is candidates wanting research experience who have at least one year remaining at Morris.
And...
Submit the following offline requirements:
- A 600-900 word personal statement that details your interest in academic success, desire to be involved in scholarly research, and
- motivation to obtain the PhD/EdD
- A letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well, preferably a Morris faculty member (The faculty member will be provided
- instructions on how to submit the letter once you apply to the program.)
- A signed and dated eligibility form
- A UMM unofficial Transcript
- A signed copy of your federal income tax form OR a tax receipt that shows taxable income
The top candidates will be invited for an interview with McNair personnel.