University Park -- McNair Scholars Program at Penn State Joins the Graduate School
The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at Penn State, formerly a part of Academic Advancement Programs under the Vice Provost of Educational Equity, joined the Graduate School on July 1. Teresa Tassotti will continue as the director of the McNair Scholars Program, which now falls under the umbrella of the Office of Graduate Educational Equity directed by Evelynn M. Ellis.
The move brings the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program and the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) in line with other academic institutions across the country where the two programs are housed in the same unit. Recent discussions with several large research universities, some under the Committee for Institutional Cooperation (CIC), clearly suggest that the union strengthens both programs.
"The Graduate School is delighted to welcome Teresa and her staff, Academic Coordinator Curtis Price and Staff Assistant Judy Banker, and we look forward to working with them on programs that will help prepare these talented students for graduate work," said Eva J. Pell, Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.
The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Programs are part of the federally funded TRIO programs and are funded through the U.S. Department of Education. Congress created the program in 1986 to honor the achievements of astronaut Ronald McNair, who was killed in the Challenger tragedy. The program targets first generation, low-income college students and underrepresented groups. Workshops and seminars are designed to help prepare students for graduate work and to encourage them to pursue academic careers. The students spend the fall and spring semesters at their home institutions taking honors courses and doing research. Like the SROP students, they spend their summers conducting research and preparing papers for presentation at national conferences.
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PR Contact:
Marilyn B. Engle
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Release Date: June 15, 2004