Dr.McNair grew up in a poor community in the South. He graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University.He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At the age of 26 he earned a Ph.D. in laser physics. He worked as a Staff Physicist for Hughes Research Lab. Dr.McNair was a mission specialist aboard the 1984 shuttle Challenger. After the challenger explosion in 1986 members of congress funded the McNair Program to encourage students from similar backgrounds to attend graduate school.
The Mission of the Southern University Ronald E. McNair Program is to promote excellence in the academic endeavors of low-income, first generation college students, and students from traditionally under-represented groups; The McNair scholars program aims to increase the participation of these under-represented groups in graduate and specifially doctoral study.
The SU Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program is governed
by a set of regulations established by the U.S. Department of Education
and Southern University, as the host institution. McNair administrators
are accountable for accomplishing specific objectives to fulfill the purpose
of the program. The SU Ronald E. McNair Program is committed to value,
promote, and increase diversity among its members, including scholars,
principal investigators, faculty advisory and scholar selection committee,
faculty mentors and staff. It is also designed to give all participants
equal opportunities to improve their academic performance, develop research
skills, enhance their knowledge about graduate education, and enrich their
overall life skills. The following sections describe the policies and
procedures for each component of the program.