About the UCF McNair Scholars Program
The program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education and named after the late Ronald E. McNair who perished on the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Dr. McNair achieved great heights, both personally and professionally, and continues to inspire scholars throughout the world. To learn more about Dr. McNair, please read a brief history of his life and achievements.
The McNair program services low income and first generation college students and/or students considered underrepresented in graduate education. Please read the “Eligibility” and the “Benefits and Services” pages for more details.
Program Components
- The primary component involves each student engaging in an intensive research experience.
- The second component is a set of weekly workshops (during the summer) designed to give the students support with the research and writing process, and to give students important information about the graduate application process.
- The third component is the Research Symposium at which students present the findings of their research. Students will also have the opportunity to present their research at national McNair Conferences.
- The fourth component is the completion of a graduate admissions portfolio. The portfolio is an ongoing project that begins preferably during the junior year and culminates in the fall of the senior year so that graduate admissions applications and funding applications can be completed before graduate program deadlines.