McNair Newsletter Spring 26
| SPRING 2026 |
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| McNair Scholars Howling Highlights |
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| Welcome to the TRIO McNair Scholars Program |
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| Welcome to the fourth edition of the Northern State University McNair Scholars Program Newsletter! We are excited to share the continued progress and achievements of our scholars as we work together to promote academic excellence and support their success in graduate school. |
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| The McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded initiative named in honor of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, a physicist and astronaut who tragically lost his life in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Established in 1989, the program was created to honor his legacy by empowering first-generation and low-income college students to pursue doctoral studies. We are proud that the TRIO McNair Scholars Program at Northern State University is the first and only McNair program in South Dakota. Our mission is to equip students with the tools, experiences, and support needed to successfully prepare for and succeed in graduate education, especially at the PhD level. |
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| We are looking forward to starting the new school year in the Fall of 2026. |
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| We extend our sincere appreciation to Northern State University and the greater Aberdeen community for their continued support of our scholars and the McNair mission. We are especially grateful to our dedicated NSU faculty mentors, whose guidance, encouragement, and belief in our students have been instrumental to their success. Your mentorship remains at the heart of what makes this program impactful and transformative. |
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| Sincerely, The McNair Staff |
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| Table of Contents |
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| Welcome! |
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| Spotlights |
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| Spring Graduates and Welcome |
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| Co-State ASPIRE Conference |
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| NSU Scholar Forum and Symposium |
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| Scholar Conference and Leadership Aberdeen |
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| Events |
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| McNair Scholar Spotlight: Paige Bishop |
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| McNair Scholar Faculty Mentor Spotlight: Christopher Near |
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| Congratulations to our Spring Graduates! |
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| Liliana Angulo |
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| Kaden Boettcher |
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| Emma Rahm |
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| Degree: Psychology with a minor in Sociology |
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| Degree: Marketing with a minor in Economics |
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| Degree: Chemistry |
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| Matt Scepaniak |
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| Josh Wakefield |
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| Degree: Human Performance with a minor in Coaching Graduate School: NSU |
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| Degree: Double major with Biochemistry and Chemistry Graduate School: NDSU |
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| Welcome to our new McNair Program Director: Dr. Julia Wold |
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| ND/SD Co-State ASPIRE Conference 2026 |
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| 2026 Spring NSU Scholar Forum April 8, 2026 |
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| Guy Clothier Research: Can a single creator with only a laptop produce professional-quality cinema in 2026? |
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| 2026 Spring NSU Symposium May 1, 2026 |
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| Josh Wakefield ASBMB Annual Meeting ‘26 D.C. Metro Area |
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| Leadership Aberdeen |
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| McNair Scholars Program Events |
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| Know someone interested in graduate school? |
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| Know anyone interested in undergraduate research? |
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| Refer them to the McNair Program!! |
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| TRIO McNair Scholars Program Contact Information |
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