The Truman State University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a U.S. Department of Education-funded initiative that honors the life and legacy of Dr. Ronald E. McNair. Awarded in 5-year cycles through a competitive grant application process, our funding sustains program services that are designed to support and empower students to achieve academic, professional, and personal success. 

Eligibility

Due to the small numbers of first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students in the U.S. every year who enroll in or complete graduate degree programs, our grant mandates that we select participants who meet the following eligibility criteria: 

1. be enrolled as a full- or part-time student at Truman State University;
2. be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident; AND
3. be a first-generation college student, defined by the U.S. Department of Education as individuals who, prior to the age of 18, have not resided with or received primary support from a parent/guardian with a 4-year college degree; AND be a student from a low-income background whose family’s/household’s taxable income for the calendar year prior to their application to our McNair Program falls within these annual guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Education

OR

• be a student identified by the U.S. Department of Education as historically and currently underrepresented in graduate education: Black (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiians, and/or Native American Pacific Islanders.2

Successful applicants will demonstrate intellectual curiosity, desire to learn, and motivation/persistence toward long-term academic goals such as graduate study.

NOTE: Please consult with our Programming Specialist, Jeremy Freese, before making a final decision about whether or not to apply. We have had students self-select out of opportunities McNair provides without realizing that they were eligible to participate!

¹If you have any questions or concerns about your income status, please contact us. 

²On a case-by-case basis a member of a group that is not listed above that is underrepresented in certain academic disciplines as documented by standard statistical references or other national survey data could be eligible for McNair. 

³Admission into McNair is competitive, but applicants are encouraged to contact the McNair staff to discuss specific circumstances. If you are working on correcting a grade, or feel that your GPA will be above a 3.00 by the end of the fall semester you should apply for the Program.