The McNair Scholars Program is excited to welcome our latest cohort of scholars. These scholars will acquire the knowledge, skills, and capacities necessary to successfully navigate the rigors of doctoral studies through immersion in mentored research experiences and scholarly activities. Read more about them on here or on Instagram @uwmadisonmcnair.
Mukadas Abdullah
- Year: Senior
- Major: Psychology
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Clinical/Counseling Psychology
“I am excited to have a community, who share my aspirations of pursing a graduate degree and mentors who care about my success in working towards a Ph.D.”
Luis Abreu-Socorro
- Year: Junior
- Major: Wildlife Ecology with a certificate in Environmental Studies
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Marine Mammal Ecology/Biology
“Being a McNair Scholar will give me the opportunity to better myself as a future researcher in the Marine Ecology/ Biology Field, as well as fulfill the dreams that I made for myself when I was a kid growing up in the United States. My parents immigrated from Venezuela to give me a better opportunity at an education, and through McNair I will be able to uphold these academic principles embedded by my family.”
Sydney Bobb
- Year: Junior
- Major: Classics and African Cultural Studies
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Public Health
“I am excited to be a McNair Scholar because I get to start a new legacy within my family by making the commitment to pursue a Ph.D. while continuing the legacy of McNair Scholars who came before me!”
Brandon Cortez
- Year: Senior
- Major: Physics
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Physics
“I am excited to be a McNair Scholar because of the extensive research and social experience.”
Kassandra Gossens
- Year: Junior
- Major: Psychology
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: “I’d like to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology in order to help others develop and move forward with their goals. Higher education will help me become a dedicated mental health care provider and a supportive teacher. As a returning adult student, it is important for me to pave a path for other non-traditional learners by turning my GED into a Ph.D. and to teach others how to do the same. It is never too late, and you are never too far behind to get a quality education.”
“As a McNair Scholar, I find myself surrounded by talented and motivated individuals. I love being connected to people that expect excellence of themselves. We aren’t scholars that haven’t experienced struggles. We are people that see ourselves as bigger than our setbacks. In the words of Dr. McNair, ‘True courage comes in enduring, persevering, and believing in oneself.'”
Aaron Kinard
- Year: Senior
- Major: Education Studies and History
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: History or Sociology
“I am excited to conduct research in the field that I am passionate about and grow academically. Additionally, I am excited to work with and get to know my faculty mentors, McNair advisors, and fellow McNair scholars along the way.”
Memee Moua
- Year: Junior
- Major: Nursing
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: “I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in Nursing Research to advance the scientific basis of Nursing and Public Health”
“McNair brings great opportunities and scholarly activities that allows me to gain experience and achieve my future aspirations. McNair also is a great support system with lots of guidance and that in itself is something I look forward to!”
Godwill Oke
- Year: Junior
- Major: Psychology
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Developmental Psychology
“I am excited to be a McNair Scholar to have a reference point and a support system to accurately rely on while I pursue a Ph.D.”
Kellen Sharp
- Year: Junior
- Major: Communication Arts and African American Studies
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Ph.D. Media and Cultural Studies
“I am very excited about learning the ins-and-outs of being a graduate student.”
Diana Tapia
- Year: Fifth-year senior
- Major: Conservation Biology, Geography, and Environmental Studies
- Future Ph.D. Aspirations: Freshwater Sciences, Aquatic Ecology
“I am excited to be a McNair Scholar to be able to interact with current and past scholars to create a support system as I am applying to graduate school and beyond.”