January 28, 2026 is the 40th anniversary of the Challenger Shuttle tragedy. Here are a few resources to learn more about Mission Specialist Dr. Ronald E. McNair and the disaster that killed the Challenger crew: https://storycorps.org/animation/eyes-on-the-stars/, https://www.nasa.gov/challenger-sts-51l-accident/, Remembering the Challenger Disaster (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAQcAQWn3UY), and Dr. McNair's academic accomplishments (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1BalnZZx9s). The impact of Dr. McNair's legacy is found throughout our state, nation, and world. The Winthrop McNair Scholars Program is one example. Explore this website to learn more about Dr. McNair's legacy at Winthrop.
Thank you, Winthrop, for supporting the great work of our Scholars and their Mentors. For more info about our latest cohort of summer research interns, check out this press release or our letter to campus. Information on applying to the program is availabe here: https://www.winthrop.edu/mcnair/application.aspx.
Interested in earning a doctorate?
Winthrop's TRiO McNair Program prepares first generation and low-income undergraduates with strong potential to succeed in doctoral programs by providing high quality research experiences, graduate admissions support, graduate funding assistance, and more. If you are interested in earning a doctorate, explore the eligibility criteria on our application webpage. If you are eligible, apply between Labor Day and November 1 to guarrantee consideration for the coming year.
McNair services help participants increase their competitiveness for, apply to, and succeed in master's and doctoral programs. The program provides transformational research and graduate admissions supports and professional development opportunities throughout the junior and senior years. At Winthrop, this includes, but is not limited to, a paid summer research experience; faculty mentoring; quantitative and verbal reasoning prep; writing and stats & methods coaching; graduate admissions and funding application guidance; and travel to present research and explore graduate programs.
Winthrop's program is funded through September 2028 by a five-year renewable TRiO grant from the U.S. Department of Education. $272,364 in federal funding is provided each year for programming and materials that will help 30 eligible students prepare for graduate study. This represents 74% of program costs. Winthrop contributes the remaining 26% of the budget with approximately $94,930 in cash and in-kind funds.
To learn more about the impact of Winthrop's Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program check out our latest research interns' projects and awards are here and here. A few other resources include this Winthrop Magazine and this article about McKenzie Bennett, NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Helping Scholars secure funding for doctoral studies is one of McNair's services. To learn about our Scholars' award winning research, visit our summer research page, see Scholar Monejah Black's story, or check out http://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/mcnair/.
To learn about Dr. Ronald E. McNair, check out our latest letter about Dr. McNair's Legacy and watch Dr. Jordan Lewis' address to Florence School District 3 students available here.
Dr. Ronald E. McNair Biography
Other sources of information about Dr. McNair include: His life story throughout Story Corps (Eyes on the Stars), Remembering the Challenger Disaster (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAQcAQWn3UY), and his academic accomplishments (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1BalnZZx9s).
Winthrop McNair Graduate Associateship (filled for 2025-26)
Winthrop McNair Graduate Scholarship
The program updated its GEPA Statement on Equitable Access in 2025. Here is the Winthrop McNair GEPA Statement on Equitable Access submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Ed. in April 2022, included here as specified it wouldl be in the successful 2022 grant proposal.
