Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program) at Jackson State University is looking for Faculty Mentors.

The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRIO program funded by the United States Department of Education intended to prepare undergraduate students who are first generation and low income or individuals who are underrepresented in graduate education for doctoral studies through research and scholarly activities.

Each summer, the McNair Program hosts a Summer Research Internship (SRI) where participants are introduced to the research process and topics related to graduate school preparation as a group.  Individually, participants work on research projects guided by Faculty Mentors.

Faculty Mentors are asked to contribute their time, knowledge, and encouragement to McNair Scholars and assist them in learning more about the research process. Overall, Faculty Mentors assist scholars in developing professional work habits, research skills, and relationships conducive to future doctoral pursuits.

Faculty Mentors receive a number of benefits as well. Benefits include but are not limited to:

• Support for accompanying your student research presentation travel.
• Support for approved research associated purchases (project related books, supplies, etc.).
• Fulfillment of the scholarship goal for tenure and academic advancement.
• Build rich, collegial mentoring relationships with JSU McNair Scholars
• A dedicated, funded, and capable student to assist in your ongoing research.
• Development of a publication and presentation collaborator.
• Pleasure of passing on your knowledge and skill.
• Reward of seeing a student’s growth under your guidance.
• Opportunities for increasing grants that require use of undergraduates.
• Excitement of learning from students and making joint discoveries.

Faculty Mentor Responsibilities

We consider mentors to be one of the most important aspects of the McNair Scholars Program. With the pandemic going on, the program has been converted to remote delivery this summer so students will have to be mentored virtually as well. This can be done via any method you are comfortable with – phone calls, emails, and/or video conference.  In order to make the Program a successful and intellectually stimulating experience for both Scholars and Mentors, the McNair Staff would like you to:

1. Facilitate the Scholar’s research and other scholarly work, meeting regularly – at least once per week.
   • Establish a clear communication method/plan and meet early and frequently to select a topic and formulate a research project in the Scholar’s area of interest
   • Assign research activities for the Scholar
   • Guide the literature review, research proposal, and research project.
   • Determine and guide the research methodology process with the student
   • Complete the IRB process with the student if appropriate
   • Discuss the Scholar’s responsibility and time commitment involved in data gathering and analysis.
   • Determine how data will be analyzed.
   • Assist the Scholar with establishing realistic goals for the project, enabling students to meet the deadlines and to work within the timeframe allowed for the research project.

2. Review and provide input into and sign off on the following components of the Scholar’s research paper to meet due dates:
   • The Scholar’s research topic
   • Literature Review or Annotated Bibliography
   • Methodology
   • The Scholar’s research proposal
   • Results/Conclusions
   • Research paper drafts
   • Research presentations
   • Final research paper

3. Promote a professional relationship with the Scholar.

4. Be available to the Scholar for advice and consultation on academia, research, and areas that will increase their competitiveness for graduate study during the entire 8 weeks of Summer Research Internship (SRI). Note: Having a post-doctoral student available in your absence is acceptable.

5. Provide progress reports and remain in contact with McNair Scholars staff during the summer.

If you’re interested in becoming a faculty mentor, please click here Faculty Mentor Application.