THE MCNAIR SCHOLAR Volume 19 TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY Fall 2018—Summer 2019

Eight McNair Scholars celebrated their graduation from Truman

State University during the 2018-2019 academic year!

Marquita Cooper completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in

December 2018. She is pursuing a Master of Social Work at Washing-

ton University in St. Louis.

Becca Light completed a Bachelor of Science in Justice Systems in

December 2018.

Nguyen Luong completed a Bachelor of Science in Economics in May

2019. She is pursuing a Master of Science in Computational Analysis

and Public Policy at The University of Chicago.

Sydney Matheis completed a Bachelor of Arts in English in May 2019.

She is pursuing a Master of Arts in English at Kansas State University.

Monique Maxwell completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in May

2019.

Maha Mohamed completed a Bach-

elor of Science in Health Science in

December 2018. She is pursuing a

Master of Public Health at Northeast-

ern University.

Weston Reidt completed a Bachelor

of Science in Biology in August

2019.

Anna Wang completed a Bachelor

of Science in Health Science in Au-

gust 2019.

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!

The Truman McNair Program is funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant

in the amount of $269,216 (58%) in addition to monetary and in-kind support from

Truman State University valued at $198,565 (42%).

ALUMNI GRADUATIONS Since our last newsletter...

Nine McNair Alumni have earned Master’s degrees!

Kimberly Kellerkern, 2000-2001 Graduating Cohort

Master of Education in Elementary Education, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 2019

Andrea Isbell, 2001-2002 Graduating Cohort

Master of Business Administration, Lindenwood University, 2017

Adrienne Johnson, 2003-2004 Graduating Cohort

Master of Business Administration, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2019

Hannah Rogers, 2014-2015 Graduating Cohort

Master of Social Work, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2019

Meghan Meyers, 2015-2016 Graduating Cohort

Master of Public Health and Master of Health Administration, Missouri State University,

2019

Chelsie Yokum, 2015-2016 Graduating Cohort

Master of Science in Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University, 2018

Brandall Bond, 2016-2017 Graduating Cohort

Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Kansas, 2019

Mackenzie Smith, 2016-2017 Graduating Cohort

Master of Arts in Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2019

Franchot Walker, 2016-2017 Graduating Cohort

Master of Education in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2019

ALUMNI GRADUATIONS Since our last newsletter...

Three McNair Alumni have earned research doctorates!

Dr. Tiffany Caesar

2007-2008 Graduating Cohort

African American and African

Studies Michigan State University

2019 Dr. Jeremy Mapp

2009-2010 Graduating Cohort

Educational Leadership and

Administration Maryville University

2019 Dr. Kayla Simmerman

2009-2010 Graduating Cohort

Educational Leadership and

Administration Northcentral University

2018

DR. EMMANUEL NNADOZIE MCNAIR SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship was established in honor of Dr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, founding

director of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program at

Truman State University. Truman received its first McNair grant in 1992. The

program was directed by Dr. Nnadozie until he left the University in 2004. The

goal of the scholarship is to assist current Truman McNair Scholars.

2019 Recipient

Alyssa Soles, Biology

NEW SCHOLARS Spring 2019 Cohort

Noah Anderson, Physics

Kyiah Bell, Health Science

Ulysses Butler, Computer Science

Sierra Clark, Political Science

Jeremy Freese, Psychology

McKenzie Garner, Linguistics and Spanish

Sadeja Harper, Health Science

Lydia Helfrich, Psychology

Kay McNeary, Biology

Madison Miller, Computer Science

Abby Moreno, Studio Art

Elva Moreno Del Rio, English

Jayla Simms, Psychology

Alyssa Soles, Biology

Alyssa Tipler, Biochemistry

Tori Tyler, Music Education

Shannon Washington, Psychology

Tre’Andice Williams, Biology

PRE-MCNAIR FELLOWS

Noora Amin, Political Science

Kaitlyn Amos, Exercise Science

Tyler Beauregard, Mathematics & Computer

Science

Kyiah Bell, Health Science

Ruby Brattain, Psychology

Elias Burrough, History

Mary Butler, Biochemistry

Ulysses Butler, Computer Science

Macy Cecil, Political Science

Sierra Clark, Political Science

Levi Cullifer, History & Classics

Alawnna Duncan, Music Education

Elyse Ellis, Sociology & Creative Writing

Dani Foster, History

Carolynn Gonzalez, Biology

Nina Guerrero, English

Cameron Lashley, Psychology

Katherine Lee, Biology

Kaycee Little, Accounting

Havanna Lowes, French

Sarahann Marsh, Nursing

Victor Martinez, Exercise Science

Tyus McCoy, Exercise Science

Asai Melgar, Biochemistry

Madison Miller, Computer Science

Shania Montúfar, Sociology

Kimberly Ramos, Psychology & Creative

Writing

Jayla Simms, Psychology

Ashley Taylor, Psychology & Creative Writing

Daniel Terry, Business Administration

Alyssa Tipler, Biochemistry

Dametrius Wesley, Business Administration

Tre’Andice Williams, Biology

In Fall 2017, Truman McNair began a new program that aims to introduce

McNair’s mission and goals to McNair-eligible first-and second-year Truman stu-

dents who may be able to apply to the McNair Scholars Program when eligible.

Since the start of the program, the following students have participated:

WELCOME NEW SCHOLARS Spring 2016 Cohort

THANK YOU, MENTORS!

Faculty Mentors are a vital part of the McNair Program, working closely with their

mentees to ensure that each develops the skills necessary to become a competitive graduate school

applicant and persevere to PhD attainment.

Agricultural Science

Dr. Jessica Colpoys

Art

Dr. Heidi Cook

Biology

Dr. Brett Berke

Dr. Diane Janick-Buckner

Dr. Stephanie Maiden

Dr. William Sexton (ATSU)

Business Administration

Dr. Jeff Lingwall

Chemistry

Dr. Cassidy Dobson

Dr. Bill Miller

Dr. Brittany Hagenhoff

Computer Science

Dr. Jon Beck

Dr. Alan Garvey

Economics

Dr. Justin Jarvis

Fall 2018—Summer 2019 Faculty Mentors

English & Linguistics

Dr. Joseph Benevento

Dr. Heather Cianciola

Dr. Mary Shapiro

Health & Exercise Sciences

Dr. Janice Clark

Dr. Nancy Daley-Moore

Physics

Dr. Tim Wiser

Political Science

Dr. Meg Edwards

Dr. John Quinn

Dr. Candy Young

Psychology

Dr. Yuna Ferguson

Dr. Katie Judd

Dr. Jeffrey Vittengl

Sociology

Dr. Victoria Mayer

Dr. Brian Ott

me

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WELCOME NEW SCHOLARS Spring 2016 Cohort

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Research experiences are required of all McNair scholars each year. Scholars develop

an original research topic and proposal, and they have the opportunity to apply for summer internship

funding through the Program as well as through external research internships. Students funded

through the Truman McNair Research Internship in the summer after junior year complete and pre-

sent a full-length research project and have their final manuscript evaluated in a blind review process.

2019 INDV 460 McNair Research Internship II:

Ariell Bertrand #Policy Narratives: An NPF Analysis of the School Choice Debate

and Social Media

Myranda Billington Social Anxiety in the Get-Acquainted Process among College

Students

Jeremy Freese Journey, Support, and Solutions: First-Generation Student

Experiences and the Academic Achievement Gap

Sadeja Harper The Navigation of Pregnant Black Women in the Health Care

System

Abby Moreno Embracing Cultural Identity through Chicanx Themes in Latinx

Artists

Elva Moreno Del Rio The Role of Violent Protest: Thoreau and Malcolm X

Marissa Pina Determination of Remnant Metal Waste in Natural Waters by

Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Sydney Shank Effect of Nitrate Supplementation on Oxygen Kinetics in Skeletal

Muscle of Diabetic Rats

Alyssa Soles Mutations in C90RF72 and a Role for Growth Factors in a Fruit Fly

Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Ray Stewart Impacts of Multidimensional Whiteness at Truman State University:

A Preliminary Report

Shannon Washington The Effects of Socioeconomic Status, Education, and Ethnicity on

Access to Health, Self-Esteem, and Psychological Well-Being

Fall 2018—Summer 2019

WELCOME NEW SCHOLARS Spring 2016 Cohort

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

2019 INDV 360 McNair Research Internship I: Noah Anderson, Kyiah Bell, Ulysses Butler, Sierra Clark, Lydia Helfrich, Kay McNeary, Madison

Miller, Jayla Simms, Alyssa Tipler, Tori Tyler

Noah Anderson continued his research with Dr. Tim Wiser through the entire summer, which culmi-

nated in a final presentation entitled “The Effects of Jupiter on Dark Matter in the Solar System”.

2019 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs):

Ulysses Butler Washington University in St. Louis

Alyssa Tipler University of Missouri—Columbia

Professional Research Conference Presentations

Truman Summer Research Symposium 2018: Kirksville, MO

Marquita Cooper, Azeeza Eagal, Yu Xuan Lin, Nguyen Luong, Sydney Matheis, Monique Maxwell,

Maha Mohamed, Marissa Pina, Weston Reidt, Alyssa Tipler, Ari Vera

MO-KAN-NE McNair Heartland Research Conference 2018: Kansas City, MO

Ariell Bertrand, Myranda Billington, Marquita Cooper, Azeeza Eagal, Sydney Matheis, Monique

Maxwell, Marissa Pina, Sydney Shank, Ray Stewart, Weston Reidt

Truman Student Research Conference 2019: Kirksville, MO

Monique Maxwell, Jayla Simms, Alyssa Soles, Alyssa Tipler, Ari Vera

Fall 2018—Summer 2019

WELCOME NEW SCHOLARS Spring 2016 Cohort

Program Staff

Project Director: Dr. Heather Cianciola

Advising Specialist: Amanda Turnbull

Program & Evaluation Coordinator: Stephanie Raymond

TRIO Program Assistant: Meghan Jones

Phone: (660) 785-5393

mcnair@truman.edu

mcnair.truman.edu