UW Oshkosh McNair Scholars Program

04/09/2026

Dear TRIO Alumni,

As alumni of the Federal TRIO Programs, you know how essential the mentorship, tutoring, and guidance provided by TRIO is to students' higher education success. Recently, the Department of Education proposed programmatic changes to TRIO that steer us away from our mission of college access and transform TRIO into a pipeline for employment training.

This pivot began with Talent Search and is now being implemented in TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers. It is only a matter of time before they come after each of the TRIO Programs. On top of this, the Administration has, yet again, called for the elimination of TRIO in FY2027.

Your voice is critical to assuring TRIO's future! Please join the senior leadership and government relations team of the Council for Opportunity in Education for a special meeting on Wednesday, April 15 at 5:00 p.m. ET. During the alumni community conversation, you will receive an update on the latest threats impacting TRIO and learn how you can help defend current students and programs.

Please register for the community call using link below.

We look forward to speaking with you next week

Yours in TRIO,

Kimberly Jones
President
Council for Opportunity in Education

A special meeting for all TRIO alumni to provide an update on the latest threats impacting TRIO and how you can help defend current students and programs.

10/31/2025

In celebration of First-Generation College Week, the FGC Student Org invites you to what promises to be a very engaging event on Thursday, November 6 at 5PM in Reeve 306!

Ready to be entertained, riveted, and inspired by the topic of networking? No one can do it better than acclaimed speaker David Coleman!

Bonus: Raffel for four amazing prizes!

09/23/2025

Join us for the Showcase in the Culver Family Welcome Center on Thursday, September 25 anytime between 4-6PM to celebrate our 2025 McNair and Beckman Scholars!

The 2025 McNair and Beckman Scholars Showcase from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 25 at Culver Family Welcome Center will feature research from 11 UWO McNair Scholars and four Beckman Scholars.

09/21/2025

Y'all! It's that time of year again! The UW Oshkosh McNair & Beckman Programs will be hosting the annual McNair Showcase on Thursday, September 25 from 4 to 6 PM in the Culver Family Welcome Center. 15 Scholars will be presenting their research.

This year's research posters represent a range of topics including arts integration in education for better learning outcomes, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the field of accounting, innovative approaches to protecting firefighters from cardiac events, the importance of the blood-brain barrier in protecting brain health, and the role geological formations can play in our water quality. Unique to this year’s group of scholars is the fact that a number examined the ubiquitous problem of plastics in our environment. You will find scholars approaching the problem from the molecular level—trying to find ways to break microplastics down so that they can be consumed by bacteria—to using extant materials to create sustainable alternatives to plastics.

09/14/2025

Dear UWO McNair Alumni, Current Scholars, and Allies,

As an Amercian citizen, I post this urgent request on this Sunday!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! McNair's fiscal year ends on September 30 and the Department of Education has still not released our grant award funds (allocated by the previous Congress). PLEASE FLOOD YOUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE WITH CALLS REQUESTING THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF OUR GRANT AWARDS. Use this link to find the correct phone number https://www.congressweb.com/CFOE/legislators Tell them what the TRIO has done for you and those you know. TRIO is not a hand out, it is a hand up! TRIOworks!

The Council on Opportunity in Education reports that over 40% of TRIO Programs remain unfunded. This includes McNair, one of the smallest of the seven TRIO Programs. As of writing this e-mail most Upward Bound Programs have had to sutter their offices as their FY ended on August 31. Several recieved cancellation notices. The fact that programs are being cancelled is a not a good sign for McNair.

PLEASE ACT NOW & CALL EVERYDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH IF NECESSARY.

With gratitude,
Cordelia

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/09/12/trump-administration-withholds-millions-trio-programs

Nonprofits that advocate for first-gen students say that without the federally funded programs, college could become unattainable for hundreds of thousands of students.

08/06/2025

Y'all it's been a summer! We took eleven McNair scholars and three Beckman Scholars to the WiSys Spark Symposium in Madison, where ten scholars presented their research. Such an amazing group! Smart, professional, dedicated, and kind individuals!

07/26/2025