UConn among recipients of grant funding to help disadvantaged students

Connor Linskey, The Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.
·2 min read
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Aug. 23—U. S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recently announced that the University of Connecticut was one of 189 colleges and universities to be awarded grant funding to improve disadvantaged students' preparation for graduate school.

Renee Trueman, coordinator of the McNair Scholars Program at UConn, said this is the third time the U. S. Department of Education has allocated funding for the school's disadvantaged students' preparation for graduate studies. The students enrolled in the program at UConn have greatly benefited since the funding was first allocated 10 years ago and Trueman hopes students will continue to reap the program's rewards. " It's really wonderful to be able to continue the program for students," Trueman said.

Grants were awarded to colleges and universities in 45 states as well as Puerto Rico.

The total allocated to all of the institutions is $51.7 million. UConn was awarded $ 261,888. Wesleyan University in Middletown was the only other Connecticut institution that received grant funding. Their award was in the same amount as UConn.

The grant funding is part of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.

Colleges and universities are awarded McNair grants through an application process. According to the U.S. Department of Education website, the McNair program provides funding to institutions of higher education to prepare eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.

The U. S. Department of Education also states that participants in the McNair program are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have demonstrated strong academic potential.

Institutions work closely with participants as they complete their undergraduate requirements. Institutions encourage participants to enroll in graduate programs and then track their progress through to the successful completion of advanced degrees.

The goal of the McNair program is to increase the number of Ph. D. degrees attained by students from underrepresented segments of society.

All McNair projects must provide the following activities: opportunities for research and other scholarly activities; summer internships; seminars and

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