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Class of 2011

McNair Scholar Mentor Title of Research
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"
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 Nanoparticles (?) 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"

Serina England

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 

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 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.

Galdino Griego

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 lifetime opportunity, and I am so lucky to be apart of this program.

Jonathan Harton 

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

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 

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 EdD 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

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 master's 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

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

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.