McNair Scholars Program

Applications open – summer 2026

McNairs Scholars Program

A federally funded pathway to graduate school — with mentorship, research experience, and financial support — for students who are first-generation or income-eligible pursuing doctoral education.

What McNair Gives You

McNair isn’t just a program — it’s a launch pad. Scholars work one-on-one with a faculty mentor, develop real research skills, and get hands-on preparation for the graduate school application process.

• Paid research experience working alongside a faculty mentor in your field
• GRE prep tools and resources
• Graduate school application guidance, from personal statements to interviews
• Application fee waivers at participating graduate institutions
• Opportunities to attend and present at professional conferences
• Opportunity to publish in the National McNair Scholars Journal

What You’ll Do

McNair Scholars take part in workshops, seminars, and a paid summer research experience. A sampling of what’s included:

Do you qualify?

You may be eligible if you meet one of the following criteria — plus the requirements below.

Option 1 — Low income

• Low income (per federal TRIO guidelines)

— or —

Option 2 — First-generation

• First-generation college student (no parent or guardian holds a bachelor’s degree)

Also required for both: Sophomore, junior, or senior undergraduate standing  ·  U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Not sure if you qualify? Take the eligibility survey or reach out — we’d love to talk.

Success Stories

The McNair Program at UW-Superior helped me discover research, navigate graduate school, and pursue goals I never thought possible. I would not be where I am today without the support of my McNair family.

Tou Kau (T.K.) Vang,

Sociology/Anthropology

The McNair Program at UW-Superior helped me grow as both a researcher and a scholar. Through faculty mentorship and hands-on research, I gained confidence in pursuing a career in law, higher education, and advanced graduate study. McNair helped me clarify my goals and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

Reggie Semanko,

Legal Studies/Political Science

About the McNair Scholars Program

McNair at UW-Superior launched in 1999 and has helped generations of students take the leap into graduate education. We partner with the University of Minnesota Duluth and Northland College, and our scholars conduct research on our campus or theirs.

The program is part of the federal TRIO initiative and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and UW-Superior.

Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Ronald Erwin McNair earned his Ph.D. in laser physics from MIT and became a NASA mission specialist — one of the first Black astronauts in the U.S. space program. After his death in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident, Congress created the McNair Program in his honor, to expand educational opportunity for the students he represented. His standard of achievement shapes everything we do.