McNair Scholars Class of 2011 | McNair Scholar | Mentor | Title of Research | | Edward Duarte | Dr. Leigh Browning | “Olsen Park Elementary: Transforming Education” | | Serina England | Dr. Rocky Ward | “Genetic Comparison of Pre- and Post-Wildfire Samples of the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus Berlandieri)” | | Brittney Ervin | Dr. Neil Terry | “The Determinants of Student Performance on the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the Impact of Online Classes” | | Dianna Gonzales | Dr. Jennifer Kunz | “Cultural Barriers That Prevent Minority Women From Education” | | Galdino Griego | Dr. Trudy Hanson | “Out: A Mixed Methodological Analysis of OUT Magazine and the CDC” | | Jonathan Harton | Dr. Emily Hunt | “Combustion Synthesis of Manganese Namoparticles (?) Through Wire Explosion” | | Rebekah Holmes- Smart | Dr. Musa Jafar | “Efficacy of Visual Analytics in a Dynamic Data Environment” | | Ashleigh Ortega | Dr.Kristina Gill | “Middle School Students’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics” | | Edlyn Romero | Dr. Mark Riney | “Study of First-Generation Hispanic Women in a Rural Setting and Affecting Factors of Achievement of Higher Education” | | Adrian Walker | Dr. Ann Macy | “First United Ban: Corporate Philanthropic Strategies When Donating” | | Shaun Wesley | Dr. David Khan | “Determination of Tumor Microenvironmentally Influenced Leakage Rates of Liposomes Composed of Diarachidoylphosphatidycholine” |
| | Edward Duarte Major(s): Classification: Anticipated Graduation Date: Mentor: Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Career Aspirations: Extra Curricular Interests: How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? |  | Serina England Major(s): Biotechnology BS Classification: Senior Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2012 Mentor: Dr. Rocky Ward Conferences Attended and/or Publications: N/A Career Aspirations: To work and gain experience in various laboratories and eventually work and thrive in a forensic science lab. Extra Curricular Interests: Softball, church, music, and playing games with family and friends. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? The McNair Scholar Program has shown me how research in the real world is conducted, the hard work and effort involved, and the time it takes to be successful in research. I have met incredible people along the process of my research and have conducted research alongside some fellow McNair Scholars who are not only incredible people, but are genuine friends. The McNair’s office staff is such a blessing and they’ve helped us out through the beginning phases all the way to the end and they really care about us as individuals. Our success is truly their joy. My resume has improved from this. |  | Brittney Ervin Major(s): BBA in Economics Classification: Senior Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2012 Mentor: Dr. Neil Terry Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Allied Academies Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada and Pathways Conference at Texas A&M University, Published in the Academy of Educational Leadership Journal. Career Aspirations: After graduating in May 2012, I plan on attending Law School the following fall semester. My area of interest will be in corporate law. My ultimate goal is to one day open my own law firm as a partnership with my older sister. Extra Curricular Interests: I am a member of Readership WT—Community Service, Readership, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Judicial Appellate Court, and am a Peer Leader Intern. I also participated in “Hotdogs for Haiti” where we raised over twelve hundred dollars for the victims of the earthquake and “Nothing but Nets” where we raised seven thousand dollars for mosquito bed nets for families in Zambia. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? The McNair Scholars Program has helped me to become a better a student and to strive for excellence. I now have a much better understanding of the research process and have a passion for research as well. The program definitely inspired me to work harder in order to reach my full potential. It has truly been a rewarding experience. | | | Dianna Gonzales Major(s): Classification : Anticipated Graduation Date: Mentor: Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Career Aspirations: Extra Curricular Interests: How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? |  | Galdino Griego Major(s): Communication Studies Classification : Senior Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2012 Mentor: Dr. Trudy Hanson Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Presented at the following: National Communication Association in New Orleans, 2011 Pathways Student Research Symposium in College Station, Southern States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference, Texas State Communication Association Conference, Oklahoma Sooner’s Communication Conference, West Texas A&M Research Conference. Career Aspirations: I would love to one day be a professor of communication. If I was ever given the opportunity to try my hand at politics, that would be nice as well. Extra Curricular Interests: Readership WT, Readership Community Service, Lambda Pi Eta, Kappa Delta Pi. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? My writing now is so much better than my writing six months ago. Even more important, though, is that my research skills have increased significantly. I am now a competitive person when applying to graduate school. However, while I have grown so much academically as a student, I also think McNair provided me a life experience as well. I am a unique student in a unique program, and now I am charged with the duty and honor to perpetuate Dr. McNair’s vast legacy. This program taught me to value my educational experience; enhanced my academic research and writing; gave me a duty to keep a legacy alive; and finally, created a foundation for me to build upon. McNair is a once in a life time opportunity, and I am so lucky to be apart of this program.
|  | Jonathan Harton Major(s): Classification : Anticipated Graduation Date: Mentor: Career Aspirations: Extra Curricular Interests: How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? . |  | Rebekah Holmes-Smart Major(s): Computer Information System, decision mgt concentration Classification: Junior Anticipated Graduation Date: June 2013 Mentor: Musa Jafar, PhD Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Career Aspirations: Chief Information Officer Extra Curricular Interests: Member, Alpha Chi & Member, National Society of Leadership & Success How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? The McNair Scholar program has demystified the Graduate School admissions process and GRE and given us the tools necessary to successfully accomplish both. Academically, I have applied the research tools and techniques learned through the summer workshops in my current courses with great success. I am more confident in my writing skills, as well as, my ability to produce a quality research document.
|  | Ashleigh Ortega Major(s): 4-8 Math/Science Education
Classification: Junior
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2012
Mentor: Dr. Kristina Gill
Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Pathways 2011
Career Aspirations: To obtain either an EeD or PhD, to become a principal or a professor at the collegiate level. I would like to coach some too.
Extra Curricular Interests: Greeks for Christ, Delta Zeta, Make-A-Wish foundation, Peer Leader, and WT Readership Service. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? It has allowed me to gain knowledge of Graduate School that I wouldn’t have been determined or able to find. I have been able to network with numerous professors at prospective universities, and they have made me realize other paths for my graduate studies that I never would have considered. This program has opened so many doors for me, and I can’t thank everyone enough. |  | Edlyn Romero Major(s): All-Level Spanish Education Classification : Senior Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2012 Mentor: Dr. Mark Riney Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Career Aspirations: I would like to get my masters degree in Spanish Linguistics and teach Spanish at the high school and college level. I am particularly interested in being a counselor for college bound students which will possibly lead me to another degree in counseling. Extra Curricular Interests: I am a member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority as well as the Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society and the Alpha Chi Honor Society. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? Having the opportunity to be a McNair Scholar has introduced me to research skills that I will need for my master’s degree and would not have otherwise learned beforehand. Without the assistance of this program I would have been lost in the application process to graduate school and unaware of the financial aid opportunities. This program has definitely given me the skills to know that graduate school is a possibility for me and that I can succeed.
|  | Adrian Walker Major(s): Finance and Economics Classification: Senior
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2012
Mentor: Dr. Anne Macy
Conferences Attended and/or Publications: 9th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium, Allied Academies Research Conference
Career Aspirations: To work/intern in the banking industry such as the FDIC, and eventually work in the investments industry by becoming a financial analyst or portfolio manager.
Extra Curricular Interests: Sports, Politics, Shopping, SIFE, Student Senate, Student Business Advisory Board, CFA Institute Research Challenge, Gamma Beta Phi, National Honor Society of Leadership and Success (Presidents Member)
How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? The McNair Scholars program has given me the opportunity to do my first research over the summer, which gave me a greater depth of knowledge and learning in my field of study in both majors. This research will greatly benefit me in the near future as I look forward to continuing my education in graduate school. Given the resources available from the McNair program, I feel a lot more prepared for graduate school than I was initially.
|  | Shaun Wesley Major(s): Biochemistry Classification: Senior Anticipated Graduation Date: Fall 2013 Mentor: Dr. David Khan Conferences Attended and/or Publications: Recent Patents on Liposomal-Based Chemotherapeutics with a Triggered Release Mechanism Career Aspirations: Obtain Medical Degree and practice medicine.
Extra Curricular Interests: Church, Playing Guitar and Reading. How has being a McNair Scholar enhanced your academic experience? Being a McNair Scholar has helped me realize how interesting and exciting research can be, and how fulfilling it can be to be able to accomplish something as amazing as a publication. | | |
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