Scholarship preps students
■The McNair Scholars
Program allows graduate
students extra time and money
to work on research projects
By Anna Seeley
Oregon Daily Emerald
Graduate student Michele
Rutheiser began her first day of
graduate school with an idea of
what it was going to be like — be
cause of the McNair Scholars Pro
gram.
Rutheiser is one of 19 students
who participated in the program
last year. McNair students attend
workshops throughout the year
and work on graduate-level re
search projects that they present in
a symposium during the summer.
Students are paid a $2,800 stipend
for their research.
Offered annually, the McNair
Program’s aim is to help qualified
students prepare effectively for
graduate school, McNair coordina
tor Gail Unruh said.
He added that the program is es
pecially meant to increase educa
tion opportunities for low-income
students, first generation college
students or members of a tradition
ally underrepresented group in
graduate school.
Rutheiser said the program was
a good experience, but a lot of
hard work.
“Overall, I enjoyed my experi
ence, though many program-relat
ed activities made balancing my
schedule quite challenging,” she
said. “Nonetheless, it was well
worth my time and effort.”
The McNair program was named
after Ronald E. McNair, who was
the second African-American to fly
into space and one of six members
aboard the space shuttle Chal
lenger, which exploded shortly af
ter lift-off in 1986. Funding for the
program began in 1988 and has
since been offered at universities
nationwide, but it was introduced
to the University in 1999.
Unruh said a big portion of the
program includes optional research
projects that students present with
the help of faculty advisors. The
program is open to all majors, and
research topics range from science
and mathematics to journalism and
psychology. Abstracts from previ
ous projects are now available for
viewing at Academic Learning Ser
vices.
“The research is really the key to
the program,” Unruh said. “In a
sense, everything they do there is
kind of modeling the work they
will be expected to do as graduate
students, so it is kind of the back
bone to the whole effort.”
Students accepted in the fall will
attend workshops in the winter
and begin searching for research
ideas, he said. But most of the re
search is done in the summer.
Not only do students get to see
firsthand what graduate research
is like, but they also benefit from
the program in other ways, Unruh
said. For example, the program’s
workshops assist students in com
pleting graduate school applica
tions and interviewing for gradu
McNair Scholars
Program Information
What; Informational meeting
about the program, and a piace
for interested students to pick up
application forms
When: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9
Where: Grayson Hail
Applications are due Nov. 2,
Source: Gai) Unruh,
coordinator of the McNair Scholars Program
ate school, he said.
He added that graduate schools
across the country offer incentives
to applicants who have completed
the program, such as graduate level
tuition awards and GTF positions
set-aside specifically for McNair
students.
“I was offered full-tuition schol
arships and graduate teaching fel
lowships at two of the universities
to which I applied,” former McNair
student Diane Teeman said.
Teeman, who is now a graduate
student, added that she also re
ceived financial assistance in
studying for and taking the Gradu
ate Record Exam and waivers in
applying to graduate school.
“I didn’t realize how exception
ally advantageous it would be to be
a McNair Scholars Program partici
pant,” Teeman said. “It would take
pages to tell you all the program
has done for me.”
Anna Seeley is a student activities reporter
for the Oregon Daily Emerald. She can be
reached at annaseeley@dailyemerald.com.
News brief
Slow economy could reduce
energy consumption
Ironically, a sluggish economy
could provide financial relief to
students paying energy surcharge
fees and higher energy bills.
“I think a slowing economy
means less energy will be used,”
University Provost John Moseley
said, because so much energy is
purchased on the spot market. An
economic downturn likely means
less energy will be purchased.
The University instituted a $30
energy surcharge in student inci
dental fees last spring and hopes
the culmination of the fee and
more vigilant conservation by
University students and officials
can cover the rising cost of scarce
energy.
Moseley said the fee could drop
if energy costs drop, and it will
never be more than $30 each term.
In fact, schools can’t raise the sur
charge above that rate because the
Oregon University System gave its
seven schools, including the Uni
versity, a price ceiling for the fee.
“There is a level in the current
operating budget that they can
enact the surcharge up to a cer
tain level,” OUS spokesman Bob
Bruce said. “Up to $30 per
term.”
— Eric Martin
CRIME
WATCH
{Reported from Sept 26 to Oct 1)
Wednesday, Sept. 26,12:13 p.m.:
DPS officers received a report of a
stolen backpack from the EMU.
Wednesday, Sept. 26,5 p.m.: DPS
officers received a report of theft from a
vehicle at Westmoreland family housing.
Monday, Oct 1,1:45 a.m.: A femaie
student reported her bicycle stolen on
! Alder Street.
; Monday, Oct. 1,10:25 a.m.: Officers
received a report of a bike theft at the
Department of Public Safety.
Monday, Oct. 1,3:10 p.m.: DPS
officers received a report of a backpack
l stolen at the Knight Library,
Monday, Oct. 1,6:43 p.m.: Astudent
reported a wallet stolen at Lawrence Half.
[ Monday, Oct. 1,9:23 p.m.: A student
reported a wallet stolen at the Student
Recreation Center.
[ Tuesday, Sept. 25,8:50 a.m.: DPS
received a report that a window was
| broken at Prince Lucien Campbell Hall
Friday. Sept. 28,8:42 a.m.: DPS
received a report of damaged vehicle
tires at the PLC parking lot.
Wednesday, Sept. 26,12:31 a.m.:
DPS received a report of damaged
doors at Lawrence Hall.
Theft
Vandalism
Substance Abuse
Thursday, Sept, 27,1:10 a.m,: A
liquor law violation was reported
at the Agate Street crosswalk.
Friday, Sept, 28,2:89 p.m,; Officers
confiscated drug paraphernalia
at Westmoreland family housing.
Saturday, Sept. 29,12:49 a.m.:
Officers contacted four people for
possession of less than an ounce of a
controlled substance at H.P. Barnhart
Hail, formeriythe University Inn.
Saturday, Sept. 29,1:46 a,m.:
Officers contacted six people
for minor in possession of alcohol
at H.P. Barnhart Half,
Sunday, Sept. 30,12:01 a.m.;
Officers contacted one person for open
container at the Agate Street and 13th
Avenue intersection.
Sunday, Sept. 30,12:32 a.m.:
Officers contacted three people for
possession of less than an ounce
of a controlled substance and alcohol
violations at H.P Barnhart Hall.
Sunday, Sept. 30,12:51 a,m.: Officers
contacted three people for possession of
less than an ounce of a controlled
substance at H umpiy Lumpy lawn.
Sunday, Sept. 30,1:44 a.m,: Officers
contacted one person for open
container at the Bean Hall turnaround.
Sunday, Sept. 30,2:49 a.m.: Officers
contacted four people for possession
of alcohol atthe Walton Complex.
Monday, Oct. 1,1:36 p.m.: DPS
officers took drug use paraphernalia
from Bean Complex for destruction. I
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