ASU successfully applied for a grant under the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, administered by the federal TRIO program. The grant of $943,143 will support the program at ASU over the next four years.

"This prestigious and highly competitive grant funds a program designed to help prepare junior and senior undergraduate students majoring in science, mathematics, and engineering for doctoral-level studies," according to Dr. Robyn Hannigan, associate professor of geochemistry, who will be the program director. "One of the primary methods for preparing these students is involving them in research and other scholarly activities." Participants in the McNair program are students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have demonstrated strong academic potential. McNair institutions, like ASU, work closely with the participants through their undergraduate requirements, encourage their entrance into graduate programs, and track their progress to successful completion of advanced degrees.

By helping students prepare for the challenges of advanced research and scholarship, the program will help boost the number of doctoral degrees awarded to students from under-represented backgrounds, added Dr. Andrew Sustich, interim dean the College of Arts and Sciences, who co-wrote the grant proposal with Dr. Hannigan.

Selected students will participate in research opportunities during the summers after their sophomore and junior years of college. Tutoring will be provided as needed, as well as assistance with the graduate school application process. Sustich said that up to 12 sophomores per year would be selected by March 15, with the first group to be named in the spring of 2004. Faculty will assist with identifying qualified students, and interested students may also apply on their own. "Given the demographic composition of the Arkansas Delta, being predominantly rural and less affluent than other portions of the state, we have students who have the need and could benefit greatly from this program," Sustich emphasized.

A major portion of ASU students are first generation college students from low-income families. ASU enrolls more African-American and Native American students than the national average (15 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively), and the number of Hispanic students is expected to grow sharply within the next 10 years. Nationally, these groups are under-represented in what higher education calls the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

"Our McNair program at ASU will provide a climate of success by exposing students to the knowledge and skills required for advanced study in their chosen fields," Hannigan said. The program will include two eight-week summer scientific research experiences, capped by presentations at national scientific conferences. Also included will be seminar courses to help participants prepare for and succeed in graduate school, as well as regional cultural experiences. The grant to ASU will be up for review and possible renewal in four years.

The program was named in memory of Ronald E. McNair, who was one of the seven shuttle astronauts who died in the 1986 Challenger explosion. It is administered through the federal TRIO organization, whose core mission is to help students overcome class, social and cultural barriers to higher education. TRIO program are funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

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