Graduate school preparation from the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program: A systematic review

Authors

  • Rachel Renbarger Baylor University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/hepe.v5i1.1139

Keywords:

McNair Scholars Program, systematic review, underrepresented students, doctoral students, graduate students

Abstract

Underrepresented students attain a lower proportion of graduate degrees in the United States (US), demonstrating inequity in higher education. The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program has been providing underrepresented students with supports to increase their ability to attain a graduate degree. A systematic literature review identified that the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program promotes student growth in personal, social, and academic areas, as well as assist students enter graduate school. Few articles mentioned issues with the program but include students’ difficulties with socialization and the transition into graduate school. Limitations of the collected studies and possibilities for future research examining this program are included

References

Balz, F. J., & Esten, M. R. (1998). Fulfilling private dreams, serving public priorities: An analysis of TRIO students’ successes at independent colleges and universities. The Journal of Negro Education, 67, 333–345. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2668134

Bancroft, S. F., Benson, S. K., & Johnson-Whitt, E. (2016). McNair scholars' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate experience: A pilot study. Mid-Western Educational Researcher, 28(1). http://www.mwera.org/MWER/volumes/v28/issue1/v28n1-Bancroft-FEATURE-ARTICLE.pdf

Barbour, R. S. (2001). Checklists for improving rigour in qualitative research: A case of the tail wagging the dog? BMJ: British Medical Journal, 322(7294), 1115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.322.7294.1115

Baum, S., & Steele, P. (2017). Who goes to graduate school and who succeeds? Washington, DC: Access Group. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/who-goes-graduate-school-and-who-succeeds

Booth, A., Sutton, A., & Papaioannou, D. (2012). Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. London: SAGE.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Byrd-Johnson, L. (2017). Applications for new awards: Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Retrieved from: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/02/21/2017-03366/applications-for-new-awards-ronald-e-mcnair-postbaccalaureate-achievement-program

Carter, D. F. (2006). Key issues in the persistence of underrepresented minority students. New Directions for Institutional Research, (130), 33–46.

Corcoran, R. (2017). Independent evaluation in educational research. Retrieved from https://irinstitutes.org/importance-independent-evaluation-educational-interventions/

Council for Opportunity in Education (COE). (2017). COE Statement on White House proposal to eliminate Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement and Education Opportunity Centers TRIO programs. Retrieved from: http://www.coenet.org/press_releases_052317.shtml

Cruz, I. (2015). Reimagining the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program through the lens of intellectual entrepreneurship. Planning for Higher Education, 43(2), 33–39.

Davies, D., & Dodd, J. (2002). Qualitative research and the question of rigor. Qualitative Health Research, 12(2), 279–289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/104973230201200211

Davis, D. J. (2010). The academic influence of mentoring upon African American undergraduate aspirants to the professoriate. The Urban Review, 42(2), 143–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-009-0122-5

Dixon-Woods, M., & Sutton, A. (2003). Systematic review. In M. Lewis-Beck, A. E. Bryman, & T. F. Liao (Eds.) SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods (Vol. 3, pp. 1110-1111). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Dixon-Woods, M., Agarwal, S., Jones, D., Young, B., & Sutton, A. (2005). Synthesizing qualitative and quantitative evidence: A review of possible methods. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 10(1), 45-53.

Engle, J. (2007). Postsecondary access and success for first-generation college students. American Academic, 3(1), 25–48.

Ethington, C. A., & Smart, J. C. (1986). Persistence to graduate education. Research in Higher Education, 24(3), 287–303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00992076

Fifolt, M., Engler, J., & Abbott, G. (2014). Bridging STEM professions for McNair Scholars through faculty mentoring and academic preparation. College and University, 89(3), 24–33.

Freeman, M., DeMarrais, K., Preissle, J., Roulston, K., & St. Pierre, E. A. (2007). Standards of evidence in qualitative research: An incitement to discourse. Educational Researcher, 36(1), 25–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0013189X06298009

Gallardo, G. E. (2009). The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Black Collegian, 39(2), 64–71.

Gittens, C. B. (2014). The McNair program as a socializing influence on doctoral degree attainment. Peabody Journal of Education, 89(3), 368–379. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2014.913450

Graham, L. (2011). Learning a new world: Reflections on being a first-generation college student and the influence of TRIO programs. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2011(127), 33–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.455

Greene, K. (2007). Alumni perceptions of the McNair scholars program at Kansas universities (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest.

Grimmett, M. A. S., & Bliss, J. R. (1998). Assessing federal TRIO McNair program participants’ expectations and satisfaction with projects. Journal of Negro Education, 67(4), 404.

Hammersley, M. (2003). Literature Review. In M. Lewis-Beck, A. E. Bryman, & T. F. Liao (Eds.) SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods (Vol. 2, pp. 577-578). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Hammersley, M. (2007). The issue of quality in qualitative research. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 30(3), 287–305. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9780857024565.d11

Huerta, A. L. (2013). First-generation college students and undergraduate research: Narrative inquiry into the University of Arizona’s Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program and the phenomenon of student transformation (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Arizona, Tucson.

Humphrey, J., Carey, N., & Mansfield, W. (2002). A profile of the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program: 1999-2000. Mathematica Policy Research. Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/p/mpr/mprres/bae10815e27d4033aa413b9e31d0eac0.html

Ishiyama, J. T., & Hopkins, V. M. (2003). Assessing the impact of the McNair Program on students at a public liberal arts university. Opportunity Outlook, 20–24.

Jean, R. (2011). Bootstraps: Federal TRIO programs, if funded, could help close income gap. New England Journal of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.nebhe.org/thejournal/bootstraps-federal-trio-programs-if-funded-could-help-close-income-gap/

Jones, M. T., Barlow, A. E., & Villarejo, M. (2010). Importance of undergraduate research for minority persistence and achievement in biology. The Journal of Higher Education, 81(1), 82-115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2010.11778971

King, S. E., & Chepyator-Thomson, J. R. (1996). Factors affecting the enrollment and persistence of African-American doctoral students. Physical Educator, 53(4), 170–180.

Kim, Y. M. (2011). Minorities in higher education (24th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education. https://diversity.ucsc.edu/resources/images/ace_report.pdf

Kniffin, K. M. (2007). Accessibility to the PhD and professoriate for first-generation college graduates: Review and implications for students, faculty, and campus policies. American Academic, 3, 49-79.

MacPhee, D., Farro, S., & Canetto, S. S. (2013). Academic self‐efficacy and performance of underrepresented STEM majors: Gender, ethnic, and social class patterns. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 13(1), 347-369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/asap.12033

Mansfield, W., Sargent, K. D., Cahalan, M. W., Belle, R. L., Jr, & Bergeron, F. (2002). A profile of the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program: 1998-99 with selected data from 1997-98 and 1996-97. Mathematica Policy Research. Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/p/mpr/mprres/fd1c5b2f63fd437cae85f7382136959b.html

McCoy, A., Wilkinson, A., Jackson, R. (2008). Educational and employment outcomes of Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program alumni. US Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation. and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service. https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/mcnair/mcnair.pdf

National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. (2011). Expanding underrepresented minority participation: America's science and technology talent at the crossroads. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12984.

National Center for Educational Statistics. (n.d.). Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. [Data file]. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. 2017. Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2015. Special Report NSF 17-306. Arlington, VA. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17306/.

Nnadozie, E., Ishiyama, J., & Chon, J. (2001). Undergraduate research internships and graduate school success. Journal of College Student Development, 42(2), 145.

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2016). Funding status. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/funding.html

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2017a). Federal TRIO programs home page. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2017b). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/faq.html#q8

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2017c). Purpose. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/index.html

Office of the Press Secretary. (2017). Off-camera briefing of the FY18 budget by office of management and budget Director Mick Mulvaney. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/22/camera-briefing-fy18-budge-omb-director-mulvaney

Okahana, H., Feaster, K., & Allum, J. (2016). Graduate enrollment and degrees: 2005 to 2015. Washington, DC: Council of Graduate Schools. https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Graduate%20Enrollment%20%20Degrees%20Fall%202015%20Final.pdf

Olive, T. (2010). Desire for higher education in first-generation Hispanic college students. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 5(1), 377–389. http://dx.doi.org/10.18848/1833-1882/CGP/v05i01/53091

Ong, M., Wright, C., Espinosa, L., & Orfield, G. (2011). Inside the double bind: A synthesis of empirical research on undergraduate and graduate women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 172-209. http://dx.doi.org/10.17763/haer.81.2.t022245n7x4752v2

Parker, K. D. (2003). Achieving diversity in graduate education: Impact of the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Negro Educational Review, 54(1), 47–50.

Posselt, J. R., & Black, K. R. (2012). Developing the research identities and aspirations of first-generation college students. International Journal for Researcher Development; Leeds, 3(1), 26–48. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17597511211278634

Renbarger, R., & Beaujean, A. A. (2020). A meta-analysis of graduate school enrollment from stu-dents in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program. Education Sciences, 10(1), 1-15.

Seburn, M., Chan, T., Kirshstein, R. (2005). A profile of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, 1997-1998 through 2001-2002. US Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/mcnairprofile1997-2002.pdf

Smith, B. (2013). Mentoring at-risk students through the hidden curriculum of higher education. Lexington Books.

Smith, J. K., & Hodkinson, P. (2005). Relativism, criteria, and politics. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed., pp. 915-932).

Sowell, R., Allum, J., & Okahana, H. (2015). Doctoral initiative on minority attrition and completion. Washington, DC: Council of Graduate Schools. https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/DIMAC_2015_final_report_PR.pdf

Sparkes, A. C., & Smith, B. (2009). Judging the quality of qualitative inquiry: Criteriology and relativism in action. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(5), 491–497. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.02.006

Sverdlik, A., Hall, N. C., McAlpine, L., & Hubbard, K. (2018). The PhD experience: A review of the factors influencing doctoral students’ completion, achievement, and well-being. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 13, 361-388. https://doi.org/10.28945/4113

Thayer, P. B. (2000). Retention of students from first generation and low income backgrounds. Council for Opportunity in Education, 1025 Vermont Ave. Retrieved from http://www.pellinstitute.org/downloads/trio_clearinghouse-Thayer_May_2000.pdf

Thomas, E. P. (1994). Taking the first steps toward graduate education: A report on the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. OCLC: 425262026. Retrieved from ERIC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED440588

Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45

Tinto, V. (2012). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Tracy, S. J. (2010). Qualitative quality: Eight “big-tent” criteria for excellent qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(10), 837-851. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1077800410383121

Downloads

Published

2019-12-31

Issue

Section

Research Papers

How to Cite

Graduate school preparation from the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program: A systematic review. (2019). Higher Education Politics and Economics, 5(1), 33-53. https://doi.org/10.32674/hepe.v5i1.1139