Discovery

Preparing for graduate school’s rigors and research can present a daunting task. The selection and application process alone is tough, and many students don’t even consider graduate school an option. In the United States, certain groups such as Latinos and African Americans have been underrepresented among faculty in colleges and universities.

Into the gap steps the McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Through seminars, workshops, and a paid research program guided by faculty mentors, WSU undergraduates work together as a cohort toward graduate school and doctoral programs.

I attended a few of the presentations at the research symposium for McNair scholars this week, to see what they’re working on. In an airy room at the top of the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education, I watched undergrads Mapuana Antonio, Alyssa Tanhueco, and Jacqueline Nuha present their research to fellow students and faculty.

What struck me, as much as the content, was the passion and deep personal connection to the research. Their common goal—graduate school and PhD programs—seemed more than a means to achieving employment. The students involved in the program care about what they study.

Mapuana, a senior psychology major, investigated Native Hawaiian adolescents’ awareness of skin cancer prevention and attitudes toward tanning, under the mentorship of Dr. Lali McCubbin in Counseling Psychology. Her research used survey results to test correlations between skin cancer prevention techniques, attitudes, and behaviors. Coming from Wahiawa, Hawaii, Mapuana was struck by the high incidence of skin cancer among Native Hawaiians, leading her to the research.

She says the McNair program is invaluable in preparing to pursue her studies. “It reduces stress levels, because we [the students] can communicate at the same stage,” she added.

English major Alyssa agreed with that assessment. “I wouldn’t have even looked into grad school if not for this program,” she says.

The senior studies the role of literature in the lives of prisoners, with plans for a qualitative project at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Alyssa grew interested in the program through her involvement with “Books for Prisoners,” an effort to build the libraries at prisons. Under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Schwartz, she will examine if and how prisoners see literature as beneficial in their present and future lives, and if the reading is transformative.

Jacqueline’s work with Asian Pacific Islander high school students and their access to college information stems directly from her own experience as a student in Hilo, Hawaii. Through focus groups of seniors in high school, the senior education major explored the students’ knowledge about college choice and application, with the support of her mentor, Dr. Paul Pitre in Educational Leadership.

The symposium stretched over three days, and I wasn’t able to attend the other presentations. McNair scholars also have the opportunity to present their research at regional and national conferences. If the dedication of the three students I saw is an indication, these WSU students will definitely bring their commitment to graduate school and eventually higher education.

You can read more about the McNair achievement program here.

See a list of the research presentations at the 2009 symposium.