FIRST GENERATION
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Scholars Program provides first-generation college students the support to make their dreams come true.
Written by Melody Ragland
Today college students have endless opportunities, but many of today’s students are first generation college students who do not have the guidance needed to take advantage of the opportunity to attend graduate school after earning their bachelor’s degree. Texas Tech alumna Amanda Abbott, is the second of six children and the first in her family to attend and graduate college. But Abbott had a slight advantage over other first-generation college students - the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Scholars Program.
The McNair Scholars Program provides first-generation college students from low income families the support and opportunity to make their dreams of graduate education come true.
Texas Tech University is one of the 156 universities nationwide to have a McNair Scholars Program. According to Kelly Powell-Sharp, assistant director of the Texas Tech McNair Scholars Program, each academic year, 20 junior or senior students take part in the program. The goal of the program is to help prepare these students for graduate school.
“Many of the students in the program haven’t had anyone to show them the way,” she said. “Being in college is like being in a blind dark tunnel at night for many of them. We’ve had students in the program whose parents never graduated from high school. They need someone to fill in the gaps and that is the purpose of the McNair Scholars Program.”
The program, according to Abbott, provides guidance and assistance that first-generation college students do not get anywhere else. Participants of the program are offered several types of support, which include: graduate student mentors, faculty mentors, in-depth workshops, academic assessment, financial assistance and individual academic strategy.
Texas Tech alumnus Thomas Haupt, a former McNair participant, said that for first-generation college students just pursuing an undergraduate degree is a big deal.
“Sometimes you have a tendency to feel like a higher degree is out for reach,” Haupt said. “Often students do not have the right references or resources. That is why having a mentor is so important.”
Faculty members help the students with their research as well as sharing experiences and teaching. Graduate student mentors allow students to learn more about their respective fields and it encourages a peer relationship between the mentor and subject.
Elizabeth Teagan, Ed.D., director of the McNair Scholars Program, said an important component is that students have an ongoing dialogue with their mentors. She said the interaction McNair scholars have with their faculty mentors is crucial.
“First-generation love-income students may not feel as if they belong,” she said. “They benefit from a professional and personal relationship to help guide them.”
Abbott said the program not only is a benefit to her, but to her siblings.
“My 20-year-old brother has asked me about attending college, and I eagerly tell him all I can,” she said. “Being the second oldest and going to college, I feel like or hope that I’m setting an example for my younger siblings. Having mentors (as a part of the McNair program) helped me the most. I would have to say that they’ve helped me the most in putting my research project together and guiding me in my future plans. Giving me advice about working, interviews and making career choices are just a few other things that they’ve helped me with.”
Abbott was accepted in the program as a senior. She said after gaining experience as a teacher she will return to school to obtain her master’s degree. Like all program participants, Haupt and Abbott are heavily involved in their research. Participants are involved with research projects that correlate with their majors.
“Our program has students from all disciplines and each one’s research is different,” Powell-Sharp said. “While in graduate school, students will have to do research and this program is a wonderful way for students to gain the hands-on research experience.”
The McNair Scholars Program is funded by the Department of Education under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Texas Tech received funding for the program in 1995 and accepted its first students in 1996. The McNair Scholars Program is named for Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D., a first-generation college student that received his doctorate in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was one of 10, 000 applicants to be selected as one of 35 astronauts accepted into the NASA space program. In 1986, McNair was one of the victims of the tragic Challenger accident. Now every student accepted into the program will continue McNair’s legacy.
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing
806-742-2136
Photos by Artie Limmer
Web layout byJon Fox