McNair Business Scholars Network

A network to mentor those who are considering, completing, or have completed the McNair Program in a business field

VISION

Bettering business education and practice by broadening the base of business scholars


MISSION

Enhance the pathway from the McNair Program to the business school professoriate


GOALS

Increase the percentage of McNair Scholars conducting research on business topics

Increase the percentage of McNair alumni obtaining a PhD degree in a business field

Increase the number of McNair alumni serving as full-time business school faculty members


The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRIO program founded in 1989 in honor of Ronald E. McNair, whose extraordinary life was brought to a tragic end aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. It is funded at more than 180 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico by the U.S. Department of Education. It is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair Scholars are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential.

Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, business students are not well-represented in the McNair Program. Yet, what a difference this program can make in the lives of its scholars, in the pipeline of under-represented faculty, and in the breadth of perspective in business education and scholarship!

The McNair Business Scholars Network helps McNair Scholars to change the world for the better through business. We believe that bringing more underrepresented groups into business academia will enrich business school research, teaching, and outreach, and this in turn will improve business practice. We provide content and connections that encourage promising eligible undergraduates to apply to the McNair Program and to study business topics therein. We provide supplementary mentoring to McNair Scholars and their advisors to help in selecting and completing business research projects. Further, we provide a network of McNair alumni who help McNair Scholars place in and complete business PhD programs, navigate their scholarly conferences, and become and thrive as impactful business school professors.

Does your university have a McNair Program? Check here: https://mcnairscholars.com/resources/

Does your university want a McNair Program? Check here: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/index.html

Questions? Comments? High fives? Contact Mike Barnett: mbarnett@business.rutgers.edu