Northern Michigan University offers students an abundance of resources and opportunities to further their academic aspirations. However, many of these opportunities fly under the radar of those who stand to benefit the most, getting lost in a sea of information they have not yet learned to swim in.
This past Wednesday, Sept. 3, the McNair Scholars Program Director Dana Jackson-Hardwick and Assistant Director Lindsay Haukkala sought to cut through the murky waters and inform students directly inside the Hedgcock Atrium. Set up just outside of Tamaki, the two spoke with potential McNair scholars about the plethora of benefits the program has to offer.
The McNair Scholars Program (MSP) is a federally funded initiative that focuses on supporting first-generation college students interested in conducting research and pursuing post-undergraduate studies. Currently, there are over 200 McNair programs across the United States and Puerto Rico, more than 180 of which are financially backed by the U.S. Department of Education.
As an avid supporter of underrepresented students in graduate studies, McNair requires that applicants are first-generation college students with financial need and have completed a minimum of 40 credit hours. Additionally, those who apply must possess at least a 2.75 GPA, be a U.S. citizen and have an interest in research and graduate studies.
“If you want to specialize in something, it’s good to start now, see if you like it, because learning if you don’t is just as important as knowing if you do,” Haukkala said.
NMU’s chapter of the McNair program possesses a unique quality through the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. In this program, students work one-on-one with faculty members in their respective fields of study, offering an intimate research environment uncommon at larger universities.
The term “research” often brings to mind images of sterile rooms and white lab coats—and while this association is not entirely inaccurate, it can be misleading to non-STEM majors. McNair offers students in both STEM fields and the humanities a chance to explore the budding developments within their disciplines.
“Sometimes people think it’s only for STEM research,” Haukkala said. “But no, in every field you are doing research, you are conducting scholarly activity, you are changing the world and finding new insights.”
New this year is Undergraduate Research Week, taking place Sept. 29–30. The event is available to all students participating in undergraduate research and encourages those not involved to recognize and celebrate their peers’ academic findings.
Applications to the McNair Scholars Program are open and available until Oct. 27 and can be found at nmu.edu/mcnairscholars, along with additional information. If you are interested or have any questions regarding eligibility or potential research opportunities, please contact the department at [email protected].
