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McNair Scholars engage in summer research

mcnair_summer Often in Minnesota, it doesn’t really feel like summer until July arrives. However, for 16 McNair Scholars, this month is less about the blue skies and relaxation as it is about long hours spent hunched over reference books, computer screens, and lab equipment. July marks the peak of the scholars’ summer research projects.

The McNair Scholars Program offers undergraduate students the unique experience of participating in graduate-level activities. One component of the program is an intensive 10-week long summer research project. Participating students spend an average of 40 hours a week exploring their topics, developing a thesis, collecting and reviewing data, and preparing a formal presentation of their findings. Continue reading “McNair Scholars engage in summer research”

Augsburg and McNair Alum Returns to Help Lead Program

xiaWhen the previous incarnation of the McNair grant ended in 2003, Xia Xiong-Vang was among the 12 program scholars who finished out the fall and spring semesters with funding from Augsburg. Now the McNair grant is back and so is Xia, but this time as a program administrator and not a student.

Before studying with the McNair Scholars program at Augsburg, Xia did not plan on going to graduate school. Neither of her parents had attended college, making Xia a first-generation college student. “I heard about the McNair Scholars program but did not think much about it until I was encouraged by staff and faculty members to apply. Their encouragement and support meant a lot because they really believed in me, and that made me believe in myself. The McNair Scholars program gave me an opportunity I would not have had otherwise.” Continue reading “Augsburg and McNair Alum Returns to Help Lead Program”

McNair Scholars Program Returns to Augsburg

mcnairAugsburg has been awarded the McNair Scholars Program Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The McNair Scholars Program at Augsburg is funded to serve 25 students who are low-income and first-generation and/or from underrepresented groups in graduate education to prepare them for graduate school through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. The four-year grant totals around $900,000 and has an Oct.1 start date.

This is the second time Augsburg has had a McNair Scholars Program — the first was from 1999-2003 — which has demonstrated great success in the numbers of alums who are enrolled in or have earned master’s and doctoral degrees at prestigious institutions across the country. Dixie Shafer, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity, said, “[this second iteration of] McNair will draw upon the success and wisdom of our McNair alums to support the new cohort of scholars.”