In 1987, the U.S. Senate passed a bill to name the new "Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program" in honor of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, who died aboard the space shuttle Challenger in January, 1986. |
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The Ronald McNair Program is one of six TRIO Programs administered by the United States Department of Education (USDE). Grants are awarded competitively by the Office of Higher Education Programs (HEP), a component of the USDE, and administered by institutions of higher education. Authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) and amended in the reauthorization of 1986, the first McNair awards were made to fourteen projects in 1989. Currently, 156 McNair Programs in forty one states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, serve 3,774 students each year. |
Dr. McNair was born in Lake City, South Carolina on October 21, 1950. He completed his bachelor's degree in physics at North Carolina A&T State University, graduating magna cum laude in 1971. He received his doctorate in physics from MIT in 1976. In 1978, he was selected for the NASA astronaut corps. His spirit of excellence extended beyond academics; he received a fifth degree black belt in karate and was a passionate jazz saxophonist. McNair Scholars Program
104 Elliott Hall
Newark, DE 19716
tel: (302) 831-4396 fax: (302) 831-0341
mpalacas@udel.edu
104 Elliott Hall
Newark, DE 19716
tel: (302) 831-4396 fax: (302) 831-0341
mpalacas@udel.edu