Another Successful McNair/Gateway Research Scholars Summer Institute

Tuesday, June 23, 2015 | Los Angeles, CA – For several years I have helped to coordinate and instruct the McNair/Gateway Research Scholars Summer Institute at the University of Southern California. This year’s institute has proven to be yet another successful summer, with the deserving credit going to my wonderful group of young scholars who met all of the wonderful challenges I threw their way.

It started with a semester long competitive research and writing course this past Spring 2015 where I first introduced them to the fundamentals of defining a clear research agenda, writing a research proposal, and eventually using these tools and more to further their higher education goals. From there, the students entered into my 7-week intensive summer institute where they actually started to conduct the research they proposed from the spring course. The results thus far in such a short span of time has been remarkable.

Aside from teaching competitive research and writing skills during the spring and summer, I also spend the other part of our time inspiring and motivating the scholars to apply to graduate school, particularly their PhDs, MDs, and other doctorates. In fact, during the institute I walk them through the entire graduate application process, including teaching them how to develop an academic curriculum vitae, winning personal and research statements, time management and strategic goal planning, and much more.

The photo shown includes my summer research scholars, as well as, the USC Summer Bridge Program participants at their poster presentations. The latter students are incoming undergraduate freshmen from underrepresented backgrounds. The program aims to help “bridge’ their transition to college so they can begin their college careers off to a great start. They attended the McNair/Gateway poster presentations yesterday in Irani Hall to help ask poignant questions of the scholars and their research.

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