The activities described below comprise suggestions for developing
a strong mentoring relationship with your scholar and providing guidance
and support toward the scholar’s successful completion of the
McNair Scholars Program and entry into graduate studies.
Personal Growth and Development
- Meet with your scholar on a regular basis.
- Provide motivation, support, and direction for your scholar.
- Encourage intellectual growth by suggesting academic and cultural experiences for your scholar to attend.
- Encourage your scholar to think critically, ask questions, express opinions, and respect different points of view.
- Provide guidance on institutional culture, conflict resolution, and the politics of higher education.
- Provide guidance on developing networking skills.
- Attend your scholar’s presentations and other McNair-sponsored activities when possible.
Professional Growth and Development
- Invite your scholar to a professional conference.
- Direct your scholar to appropriate seminars.
- Introduce your scholar to pertinent professional organizations and publications.
- Involve your scholar in reviewing manuscripts and grant proposals.
- Point out readings with which your scholar should be familiar.
- Encourage and guide your scholar toward publishing her/his research in a professional journal if appropriate.
Research Growth and Development
- Help your scholar develop research/scholarship skills.
- Involve your scholar in the day-to-day operations of your research if possible.
- Help your scholar establish realistic goals for the research project, enabling her/him to meet the deadlines and to work within the timeframe and other requirements.
- Assist your scholar with the development of the research methodology, data collection and analysis, and results.
- Help your scholar identify and obtain necessary resources to complete the research project.
- Complete the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process with your scholar if appropriate.
- Help your scholar obtain research funding through an Undergraduate Research Grant if appropriate.
- Assist your scholar with the development of oral and poster presentations.
- Evaluate your scholar’s research proposal, literature review, work in progress, final paper, and overall performance.
Graduate School Preparation
- Provide guidance in determining possible areas of graduate study.
- Help your scholar make contacts with appropriate graduate schools and programs.
- Enhance awareness of the opportunities and demands of graduate education.
- Help your scholar prepare a curriculum vita and personal statement for inclusion in a graduate school application.
- Write a strong letter of recommendation for inclusion in a graduate school application.
- Assist your scholar in identifying funding opportunities for graduate studies.
