By Abigail Gan | Staff Writer
Baylor’s McNair Scholars Program hosted more than 300 attendees from across the nation on Aug. 3 and 4 for McNair’s annual research conference, hoping to prepare Baylor students for future educational opportunities.
According to its website, Baylor’s McNair Scholars Program aims to prepare low-income, first-generation and other underrepresented students to successfully navigate a path to a doctoral program following graduation. It prepares undergraduate students for the rigors of doctoral studies through immersion in research and a variety of scholarly activities.
Steven Fernandez, director for student opportunity and achievement programs, oversees Baylor’s McNair Scholars Program. He also serves as the president of the national McNair association of programs. Fernandez said Baylor’s program is relatively new — only between 5 and 6 years old.
“I’m just thrilled with the way that our McNair program, in particular here at Baylor University, has grown and produced some outstanding students that have gone on to go to some of the top universities across the country, including here at Baylor University, to get their Ph.D.s and other graduate programs,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said it is exciting to institutionalize things like the McNair conference.
“It is not limited to McNair Scholars,” Fernandez said. “We actually have Baylor students who are engaged in undergraduate research also attend, and then students from across the country, and we had some students come from MCC as well — so all across our community and the country.”
Fernandez said the McNair conference features professional development, research presentations and opportunities to network with some of the top graduate programs from around the country.
“I mean, these are high-achieving students from all different disciplines who are doing amazing work,” Fernandez said. “And this just gives them an opportunity to showcase that work and their potential as future graduate students and beyond.”
Waco senior Genesis Santos has been in the McNair Scholars Program for two years as an elementary education major. Santos said she has always seen herself enrolling in a master’s program but was unsure about a doctoral degree.
“As a first-gen, you don’t really know what you’re really getting into — like, an undergrad and graduate school is just a whole different realm,” Santos said. “I’ve been able to gain research experiences, and all those things helped me for not only just master’s programs but also Ph.D.s.”
Santos has been able to do research with her mentors from the School of Education, specifically with Dr. Kevin McGill.
“I have been able to see both the research side and also the teaching side, which really benefits me because, in the long run, I hope to be a professor,” Santos said. “And so, the McNair program has definitely helped me with that.”
Santos presented at McNair’s annual research conference for the second time this summer. She said it was cool to see students from all across the nation connect based on similar identities and see emerging research.
“We definitely grew in our presentation skills — also realizing that we have so [many] capabilities and that we are intelligent, and we are bright, and we are determined and that a lot of graduate programs are actually looking for McNair Scholars because they know that this is a rigorous program,” Santos said. “They know that we know what it has to take for graduate school.”
Baylor’s McNair Scholars Program is about to launch its recruitment for the fall. Any students interested can reach out to the program about the application, which will open shortly.
