The centerpiece of the UMN Morris McNair Program is undergraduate research by motivated, graduate school bound students guided by a faculty mentor. Faculty mentors can come from all disciplines.
Faculty can participate in the McNair Program by:
- Promoting the program to students and recruiting potentially successful participants
- Serving as a research mentor
- Conducting mock interviews with McNair Seniors applying to graduate school
- Participating in mentor meet-ups during the research success seminar for McNair Scholars
- Nominating students as potential McNair Scholars
- Serving as recommenders for McNair applicants
We look forward to your involvement, ideas, and encouragement! Below is more information about specific faculty responsibilities.
Get involved with the McNair Program
Faculty Research Mentors will:
- Work closely with the McNair Scholar to develop the resarch proposal in the semester prior to carrying out the research via the Research Success Seminar.
- Mentor, monitor, and supervise the Scholar as he or she carries out the aforementioned project.
- Support and encourage the Scholar as s/he disseminates the results of the research at campus, regional and/or national and international venues.
- Continue to mentor and advocate for the Scholar as s/he prepares for and applies to grad school.
Faculty providing a recommendation for applicants for the McNair Program will receive a message with a link to provide the following information:
- Potential of the applicant to succeed academically and pursue the PhD or EdD.
- How well you know the applicant
- Personal characteristics that you think will help (or hinder) the applicant's progress generally
- Other strengths/weaknesses of the applicant
- An assessment of the applicant's ability to carry out mentored research