McNair Scholars Program

The McNair Scholars Program at EKU encourages and assists talented, program-eligible, undergraduate students who are committed to achieving doctoral degrees. EKU is home to one of the two federally funded McNair Scholars Program in Kentucky. It is a unique and rewarding opportunity to be an EKU McNair scholar.

McNair scholars exhibit strong self-initiative, excellent academic performance, and strong potential for graduate school success. By demonstrating quality academic performance, ethical behavior, and impressive extra-curricular achievement, McNair scholars earn respect from academic peers and University faculty and staff members. It is recognized achievement and earned respect that make McNair scholars attractive to top graduate programs across the nation.

Program professionals and University faculty members work closely with participants to foster sound scholarly skills while offering holistic encouragement and support. In addition, each McNair Scholar at EKU is eligible to receive an EKU scholarship.

If you are a talented undergraduate student aiming for a career that requires a doctorate, contact the EKU McNair Scholars Program today.

Benefits

Benefits of being an EKU McNair Scholar include:

Personalized, one-on-one academic performance reviews from higher education professionals.
Graduate school application assistance from career and graduate school development professionals and from academic consultants in the EKU Noel Studio for Academic Creativity.
Scholarly mentoring from EKU PhD faculty members who are accomplished researchers.
Eligibility for an EKU scholarship.
Small group graduate school preparation workshops and seminars for McNair scholars only.
Earn up to $3,000 when you successfully complete an EKU McNair Summer Research Opportunity Program Internship.
Graduate school application fee waivers from top graduate schools across the nation.
Recruitment by some of the best graduate programs in the nation.
Apply for lucrative McNair-specific graduate assistantships and fellowships from select graduate programs.
Develop the knowledge and skill sets that makes you relevant to the scholarly aims of top graduate programs.

Program Services and Activities

The McNair Scholars Program at Eastern Kentucky University offers holistic services and activities designed to prepare participants for successful entry into select graduate programs and excellent graduate-level scholarly performance.

Specific program participation requirements are presented in informational interviews provided by the program’s director and academic counselor/coach.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the McNair Scholars Program at Eastern Kentucky University, a student must be:

A citizen or national of the United States
Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program on the EKU Richmond campus
Be an excellent student demonstrating quality academic performance
Be committed to a career that requires a doctorate
Be a first-generation college student from a low-income background or be a member of another group that the U.S. Department of Education determines to be underrepresented in graduate education
Be a self-motivated individual who demonstrates good personal management skills like time management and effective scheduling and consistent follow-through on tasks and assignments.

EKU undergraduates who want to schedule an informational interview should email mcnair@eku.edu.