- SPRING 2025 McNair Scholars Howling Highlights MCNAIR COHORT 24 25 Welcome to the TRIO McNair Scholars Program Welcome to Northern State University’s first McNair Scholars Program newsletter! In this newsletter, you will find details about all of our events and highlights from the last year. Firstly, what is the TRIO McNair Scholars Program? This federally-funded program was named after Ronald E. McNair after the Space Craft Challenger disaster in 1986 that killed Dr. McNair along with 6 other crew mates. In 1989, the program was named after Dr. McNair to honor his persistence towards his education and overcoming socioeconomic barriers. The TRIO McNair Scholars Program at NSU is the first and only McNair program in South Dakota. This program strives to provide firstgeneration students with the tools and resources to excel in graduate studies, with the goal of increasing PhD attainment. In our first year our, our Scholars have participated in numerous workshops, presented their research, connected with like-minded students, and worked closely with their faculty mentors. We are proud of their dedication and commitment to advancing their education. As the year draws to a close, we celebrate the incredible achievements, growth, and memories of our McNair Scholars. It's been a year full of inspiring events, workshops, and opportunities that have helped our scholars develop academically, professionally, and personally. We want to thank the Northern and Aberdeen community for supporting this program and our students. Here’s a look at some of the standout moments from the year! Sincerely, The McNair Staff Dr. Ronald E. McNair, physicist and the second African American astronaut in space McNair Scholars Research Conference McNair Forum McNair Research Symposium Workshops, Seminars & More Student Research Highlights Year in Review
Scholars Chit Snow, Lilliana Angulo, Abby Iron Wing, Christian Wells, Flamenco performance at the conference closing ceremony. Simon Bickford, and Braden Freeman University of New Mexico McNair Scholars Research Conference McNair Director, Dr. Chiara Wang, and Research Coordinator, Cassandra Maillet attended the UNM McNair Scholar Research Conference with six NSU McNair Scholars in September. Freshman Christian Wells, presented his research titled “The Discovery of Promising Macrolide Antibiotic Molecules through Nucleophilic Addition Reactions with H NMR Verification” in front of an audience of PhD candidates, professors, and other McNair Scholars. When asked about his experience, Wells said it was “great to meet other McNair Scholars and hear about their stories about overcoming adversities” and how the McNair program has supported them with their academic and professional goals. During this conference, the scholars toured the campus’ hospital, science and music departments, and spoke with professors about graduate programs. They also had the opportunity to visit with representatives from over 50 graduate institutions to learn more about their programs and summer research opportunities. The exposure to New Mexican culture and history was exceptional! We indulged in local New Mexican flavors such as hatch green chile enchiladas and posole. The Scholars also watched traditional Flamenco dancing performed by two UNM alum and former UNM Flamenco instructor, Eva Encinias. The scholars visited the Sandia Mountains via tramway, which was 10,678 feet high! This was a beautiful sight that concluded the trip on a high McNair Forum In September, McNair hosted three guest speakers who all had a tie with our Northern Community - Dr. Larissa Kempf Wattier, NSU class of 2016; Dr. Kimberly Johnson Maier, NSU Dr. Johnson Maier is currently at her dream job as a geography professor at SDSU. Johnson Maier shared about her resiliency in being a first-generation college student as note (literally). Scholars Karina Ramirez, Chit Snow, Cole Holmes, and Justin Hernandez with our Forum guest speakers Dr. Larissa Kempf Wattier meeting with students class of 2011; and Dr. Anthony Wachs, former NSU professor 2011-2016. This forum showcased the challenges these professionals faced on their journeys to their doctorate degrees and shared advice on things they wish they knew before going to graduate school. Dr. Wattier, a local acupuncturist, spoke about her interest for Chinese medicine and how that led her to enroll in a doctorate program at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She now has her own practice, Medicine Rock, specializing in holistic healing practices. she endured significant life changing events throughout her college career. Dr. Wachs, a professor at Duquesne University, shared his experience as a struggling undergraduate student who was close to dropping out. If it wasn’t for one of his professors who pointed out a strength of his, he would not have found his passion for speech and rhetoric. We are grateful these professionals came out to speak to NSU students and McNair Scholars. Their stories were inspiring and motivating!
Workshops, Seminars, and More McNair Research Symposium Scholars Randi Schuster, Justin Hernandez, Christian Wells, Cole Holmes, Simon Bickford McNair Scholars at a “Financial Aid for Grad School” Seminar. In December, five McNair Scholars - senior Randi Schuster, Simon Bickford, Justin Hernandez, Cole Holmes, and freshman Christian Wells - had the opportunity to present their research to an audience of their peers, faculty, staff, and community members on Northern’s campus. The audience had great questions and feedback for our scholars. As a McNair Scholar, students are encouraged to engage in research alongside a faculty mentor and present their findings at least once before graduation. To learn more about the scholars’ research, see the next page for our “Scholar Research Highlights”. Throughout the year, the McNair Scholars Program offers a dynamic lineup of workshops, seminars, and activities designed to empower our scholars and help them thrive. This year, we focused on crafting standout personal statements for graduate school applications, explored the world of academic research, discovered new ways to balance personal wellness with academic demands, and learned about financial aid for graduate school. In addition, our Scholars had the opportunity to listen to the Beo String Quartet performance sponsored by the Aberdeen Area Community Concert series. These activities foster academic growth and create a strong, supportive community where our scholars can connect, learn, and grow together. Faculty Mentors Faculty mentors play a crucial role in the success of McNair Scholars, providing invaluable guidance and expertise as Scholars navigate their academic and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The McNair Program is incredibly grateful for the dedication and support of our faculty mentors, whose commitment Christian Wells with Dr. George Nora Braden Freeman with Dr. Timothy Woods research journeys. Each faculty member brings a unique perspective, with different focuses of research that enrich the academic experience for our scholars. Whether they are helping scholars develop their own research projects, offering insights into specific fields of study, or advising on graduate school exploration, these mentors are instrumental in fostering a deeper understanding of the academic world, preparing them for to our students’ growth and success makes a lasting impact. Thank you to: Dr. Art Marmorstein; Dr. Timothy Woods; Dr. Terry Beckler; Dr. Lyncee Monson; Dr. Amy Dolan; Dr. Eric Pulis; Dr. Jon Mitchell; Dr. Chelsee Shortt; Dr. Cheng Hsien Wu; Dr. Lucas Wiscons; Dr. George Nora; Dr. Christopher Near; Dr. Sal Villegas, Dr. Nicole Schutter; Dr. Pamela Monaghan-Geernaert; Prof. Michael Skyles.
Scholar Research Highlights at the McNair Research Symposium Simon Bickford Christian Wells Justin Hernandez Simon is graduating in May 2025 with his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Simon received the Northern EDGE award in 2024 which will fund his research titled “Immunofluorescent Analysis of Neuronal p-Tau Protein Aggregation Post-Axonal injury: A Basis for Increased Understanding of Taupathy Progression”. His faculty mentor is Dr. Jon Mitchell. Simon will present his research in April in Chicago at the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Conference. Cole Holmes Cole graduated in December 2024 with his Bachelor of Music Education: Vocal, Summa Cum Laude. Cole’s research is titled “The Misinterpretation of Divine Judgement: God’s Command to Utterly Destroy the Canaanites and the Mercy Behind it”, and he worked with his faculty mentor Dr. Art Marmorstein. This research project was driven by Cole’s passion to understand God’s mercy in the Old Testament. Christian is a freshman majoring in biochemistry. His research is titled “The Discovery of Promising Macrolide Antibiotic Molecules through Nucleophilic Addition Reactions with H NMR Verification”. and he’s been working alongside Dr. George Nora. He has been working on this research project for over a year and will continue to conduct his research with the goal of finding a more effective antibiotic. Randi Schuster Randi is a double major and will be graduating in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education and Special Education. Under Dr. Nicole Schutter’s guidance, Randi’s research is titled “The Mismanagement of Autism in the General Education Classroom”. Amidst her busy student-teaching schedule, Randi took her Honors thesis to the next level, diving deep into how undergraduate education programs can better equip future k-12 teachers in supporting students with autism. Justin graduated in December 2024 with his Bachelor of Science in Biology. His research is titled “Waterfowl Management in South Dakota and the Upper Midwest” and his faculty mentor was Dr. Lyncee Monson. Justin furthered his Honors thesis research to include his own experiences as a wildlife conservation advocate, and shared ways the community can support South Dakota’s waterfowl population. Where are our Alums? Jaeden Shaving, class of 2024, is attending Northern State University for his Master of Science in Education. BriAnna Linn, class of 2024, is attending Northern State University for her Master of Science in Accounting Analytics. Benjamin Wirth, class of 2024, is attending Northern State University for his Master in Science in Accounting Analytics. Justin Hernandez, class of 2024, is applying for the Master of Science in Criminalistics at California State University, Los Angeles.
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