Founded in 1995, the McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded TRIO Program that partners with over 150 institutions across the United States. The goal of the program is increasing the number of underrepresented groups in graduate education, including students of color, first-generation and low-income students, and students with disabilities. Iowa State University’s McNair Scholars Program is structured as a two-year experience for student scholars who are paired with a faculty mentor and a graduate student mentor in their field of interest. Students take credit-bearing courses on building academic and research skills their first year and graduate school admissions during the second year. As part of their participation, students can receive funding for projects, professional development, graduate school applications, GRE fees, and more.
