Applications for the 2026-27 cohort of new Scholars are open! Submit by November 1 to ensure consideration for this year. Information on applying
to the program is available here. 
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2026 McNair Summer Researchers pictured above, our winningest
cohort yet! This letter celebrates their excellent work with their faculty mentors. Thank you, Winthrop, for
your support.
Interested in research or 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 guarantee consideration for the coming year.
The Legacy of Dr. Ronald E. McNair
January 2026 marked the 40th anniversary of the Challenger Shuttle tragedy that killed Dr. Ronald E. McNair and his fellow astronauts. Here are a few resources to learn more about Mission Specialist Dr. Ronald E. McNair and the Challenger disaster: 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.
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 workshops; writing and stats & methods coaching; graduate admissions and funding application guidance; and travel to present research and visit 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 2026-27 - Welcome Angelica Ho-Olinger! The fall 2027 posting is anticipated in March 2027. Compensation includes fall, spring, and summer wages and tuition assistance totaling $18,200 + fringe. Click here for details.
Winthrop McNair Graduate Scholarship awarded for 2026-27 - Congratulations Israel Bellinger! Annual deadline for applications is July 15.
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 in the successful 2022 grant proposal.
