The McNair Scholars Program has been at Portland State University since 2003. It is funded with a Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program grant from the US Department of Education and cost-share funds from PSU. The goal of the program is to diversify the professoriate through increasing the number of first-generation, low-income and under-represented scholars with a PhD.

The McNair Scholars Program works with undergraduates that are first-generation and low-income or are under-represented to make them competitive and prepared for entry into and graduating from PhD programs.

Completing an undergraduate research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor, presenting the research at conferences, publishing the research paper and creating compelling graduate applications in additional to sound academic preparation make McNair scholars ideal candidates for PhD programs.

PSU selects at least 29 students in the Fall annually for the McNair Scholars Program.

If you want to join our mailing list, please send an email to remcnair@pdx.edu with your full name in the subject line. We will notify you about upcoming events, announcements and updates on the application process and deadlines.