Internships

Research In The McNair Program

One of the principal goals of the McNair Program is to assist Scholars in becoming top-notch researchers in their chosen fields bar none. We expect a great deal, but only by expecting a great deal can we transform the student into a scholar. Research is an essential part of preparation for doctoral study. By completing a major research project, Scholars become a very credible candidate for top-notch graduate schools. Moreover, having such an experience places Scholars "ahead of the curve" when applying to graduate school.

The Pre-Research Internship (PRI)

The Pre-Research Internship (PRI) is for students who have completed their sophomore year. The PRI is intended to help the Scholars acquire the basic skills and information needed to successfully work with a faculty mentor and conduct their own research during their junior year. To accomplish this goal, a series of workshops and activities has been developed. These include Research Methodology, Computer Applications, and Bibliographic Research Techniques. The participants in the PRI are expected to complete a draft of a research proposal during the two and a half week residential program.

Summer Research Internship (SRI)

Summer Research Internship (SRI) is the linchpin of the summer program. Juniors and seniors have the opportunity to compete for slots to participate in the SRI. During this research internship, McNair Scholars are provided the opportunity to take research-oriented courses and workshops. The Scholars selected for the SRI are involved in a ten-week program. The research coordinator supervises the work of each summer intern, along with the student's research supervisor. During the summer session, the summer interns participate in research enhancement workshops to assist them in completing a research project. These workshops include: Research Design and Methodology, Professional Writing, Statistics and Computer Presentations, and GRE Preparation.

Other Research Internships

In addition to our residential summer research program at Truman, students have conducted summer research at other locations, such as the University of New Hampshire, Ames Research Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, the University of Oregon, and the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Participants in the Summer Research Internship are expected to submit their completed manuscripts for presentation at a national McNair Scholars conference. They also submit their completed manuscripts for review and possible publication in the refereed McNair Scholarly - Review of Truman State University.