{"id":16,"date":"2023-10-31T15:07:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T19:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/?page_id=16"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:35:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T18:35:50","slug":"mcnair","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/programs-grants\/mcnair\/","title":{"rendered":"McNair Scholars Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-690\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/390\/2026\/05\/McNair-Scholars-Program-Logo-2Color-300x300.png\" alt=\"Â鶹´«Ã½ McNair Scholars Program badge with a maroon arch in the middle\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/390\/2026\/05\/McNair-Scholars-Program-Logo-2Color-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/390\/2026\/05\/McNair-Scholars-Program-Logo-2Color-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/390\/2026\/05\/McNair-Scholars-Program-Logo-2Color-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/390\/2026\/05\/McNair-Scholars-Program-Logo-2Color.png 864w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The McNair Scholars Program, named after Challenger astronaut Ronald E. McNair, annually supports 25 students in their pursuit of post-graduate studies in STEM fields with the aim of obtaining a Ph.D. The program has allocated $1,361,830 over 5 years, amounting to $272,364 annually, with the possibility of renewal in 2027.<\/p>\n<h2>McNair Scholars Program Services:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"row colSet\">\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<ul>\n<li>Tiered mentoring through research<\/li>\n<li>Summer internships<\/li>\n<li>Advising<\/li>\n<li>Tutoring<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<ul>\n<li>Grad school preparation<\/li>\n<li>Grad school application advisement<\/li>\n<li>Visits to grad programs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Program Activities<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mentored Research:<\/strong> Scholars conduct research projects under the guidance of faculty mentors<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00a0Paid Summer Internship (On campus\/Off Campus):<\/strong> A research-intensive summer program, often offering a stipend (e.g., $2,800)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Graduate Application Assistance:<\/strong> Workshops on preparing for and applying to doctoral programs<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conference Presentations:<\/strong> Opportunities to present research at national and professional conferences<\/li>\n<li><strong>Academic Advising &amp; Seminars:<\/strong> Monthly meetings with counselors for academic guidance<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scholarly Workshops:<\/strong> Development of research writing, abstract writing, and research methods skills<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cultural Enrichment:<\/strong> Exposure to, and participation in, cultural events<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Pre-McNair <\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<p>Pre-McNair is a one-year (non-committal) program to explore what it is like to be a McNair Scholar and is open to freshmen and sophomores only. Students who maintain strong academic performance will be invited to formally apply to the McNair Scholars Program.<\/p>\n<p>Benefits<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Academic Counseling<\/li>\n<li>Mentoring<\/li>\n<li>Valuable academic workshops<\/li>\n<li>Research seminars<\/li>\n<li>Fun social and cultural events<\/li>\n<li>Invitation to apply to the McNair program<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>McNair Scholars Program Application<\/h2>\n<p>Deadline to Apply: Rolling admission, spots are filling quickly. We will only accept 25 students.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/fYeP7PLoiG85U5UR8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apply to the McNair Scholars Program<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Selection and Eligibility<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<p>The applicant must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>be low income as defined by the U.S. Department of Education and a first-generation college student (neither residential parent completed a 4-year degree)<\/li>\n<li>be highly motivated and dedicated to gaining a Ph.D.<\/li>\n<li>have achieved sophomore class standing<\/li>\n<li>be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Contacts<\/h2>\n<div class=\"row colSet\">\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<p><strong>Sandra Suarez,<\/strong> Ph.D. &#8211; Director<br \/>\ne-mail: ssuarez@ramapo.edu<br \/>\ntelephone:(201) 684-7774, Office: G-131a<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<p><strong>Marimer Santiago Rivas<\/strong>, Ph.D. &#8211; Assistant Director<br \/>\ne-mail: msantia3@ramapo.edu<br \/>\ntelephone:(201) 684-7861, Office: ASB-425<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row colSet\">\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<p><strong>Suma Somasekharan<\/strong>, Ph.D. &#8211; McNair Advisor<br \/>\ne-mail: ssomasek@ramapo.edu<br \/>\nTelephone: (201) 684-6221, Office: G-409<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 \">\n<p><strong>Carrie Doscher<\/strong>, Office Assistant<br \/>\ne-mail: cdoscher@ramapo.edu<br \/>\ntelephone:(201) 684-7851, Office: G-428<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The McNair Scholars Program, named after Challenger astronaut Ronald E. McNair, annually supports 25 students in their pursuit of post-graduate studies in STEM fields with the aim of obtaining a Ph.D. The program has allocated $1,361,830 over 5 years, amounting to $272,364 annually, with the possibility of renewal in 2027. McNair Scholars Program Services: McNair [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":457,"featured_media":70,"parent":11,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page_leftCol_extraFunc.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>McNair Scholars Program - STEM Center at Â鶹´«Ã½ || Â鶹´«Ã½ of New Jersey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/stem-center\/programs-grants\/mcnair\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"McNair Scholars Program\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The McNair Scholars Program, named after Challenger astronaut Ronald E. 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