The McNair Scholars Program is designed to support promising and talented students from traditionally underserved backgrounds in reaching their academic potential by attending graduate school. The program is one of seven student-facing TRIO education programs housed in the U.S. Department of Education, and the only one primarily focused on students’ post-baccalaureate success. The purpose of the McNair Program is to increase the number of undergraduate students who are lesser-income, first-generation, and/or representing underrepresented communities, earn doctoral degrees and further their education. This effort is designed to help diversify the professoriate while honoring the legacy of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, an American physicist and astronaut who was killed in the tragic Challenger explosion in 1986.

The TCU McNair Scholars Research Journal includes a selection of complete research papers and abstracts by this year’s graduates of the McNair Scholars Program. Showcasing their scholarship not only furthers the legacy of Dr. McNair by continuing his commitment to academic excellence and staunch persistence in education, but also amplifies the important work being done by McNair scholars with the support of dedicated TCU faculty mentors.