EWU McNair PhD's

EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown Accepted to Multiple PhD Programs

04/19/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown! Madelyn has been accepted to two more PhD programs, including the University of Toronto, Canada’s leading postsecondary research institution, with a five-year funding package, and the University of Minnesota with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship Six-Year Support Package.

Madelyn has accepted the offer from the University of Minnesota, where she will be advised by Jean O’Brien, an American historian of White Earth Band of Ojibwe ancestry who specializes in northeastern Woodlands American Indian history, and David Chang, a Native Hawaiian historian of indigenous people, colonialism, borders and migration.

Madelyn is a scholar of Indigenous History. In EWU’s McNair program, she worked on her 2019 summer research project with Lecturer SimHayKin S. Jack, a Clinical Cultural Specialist at Colville Confederated Tribes and PhD Candidate at University of California, Davis and Dr. Christina Torres Garcia, now Assistant Professor and Director of the Latino, Latin American Studies Program at Central Washington University. Madelyn’s research focused on the the historic Eurocentric discrimination against [Indigenous] Traditional Ecological Knowledge and its benefits in forest and wildfire management, proposing that that these care techniques, specifically the acceptance of fire as a viable influence in forest health, should be taken into consideration when utilizing preventative measures against human-caused events. While a student at EWU, Madelyn was the recipient of the 2018 Gingolyx Village Government scholarship for academic excellence and a member of both the Native American Student Association and Phi Alpha Theta. Madelyn is currently completing her Masters in History at the University of Oregon.

The EWU McNair staff are delighted to hear about Madelyn’s ongoing achievements and we know she will make an impact in her field. Click here to read more about Madelyn and her research.

EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown Accepted to University of Georgia PhD Program

02/28/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown! Madelyn has been accepted to the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences doctoral program in the Department of History. Madelyn was awarded full funding in the form of a Teaching Assistantship, with the University committed to renewing this award for a maximum of six years in the doctoral program. Recipients are selected through a competitive process, and assistantships are awarded only to the most qualified individuals.

The EWU McNair staff are delighted to hear about Madelyn’s ongoing achievements and we know she will make an impact in her field. Click here to read more about Madelyn and her research.

EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown Accepted to University of Oregon PhD Program

02/15/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Madelyn Brown! Madelyn has been accepted to the University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences doctoral program in the Department of History. In this program, she would be advised by Marsha Weisiger, who serves as the Julie and Rocky Dixon Chair of U.S. Western History and the Co-Director, Center for Environmental Futures.

Madelyn was offered full funding for five years. Madelyn was also selected by the Division of Graduate Studies to become a 2022-23 Promising Scholar, a reflection of her accomplishments and the strength of her application. As a member of the Promising Scholars cohort, Madelyn would receive additional funding and have the opportunity to be involved in community building and professional development activities facilitated by the Division of Graduate Studies. This includes free access to the National Center on Faculty Development and Diversity’s workshops, mentoring network opportunities, and career center.

The EWU McNair staff are delighted to hear about Madelyn’s ongoing achievements and we know she will make an impact in her field. Click here to read more about Madelyn and her research.

EWU McNair Orientation: Honors Program

10/27/2021 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

McNair will be holding an orientation meeting for students in EWU's Honors Program on Wednesday November 3 at 3pm, in our offices at 107 Monroe Hall.

The EWU TRIO McNair Scholar Program is seeking students who would like to do a summer research internship guided by a Faculty Mentor and attend graduate school after graduation! The federally-funded TRIO Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program at EWU supports first-generation and low-income and/or racially under-represented students in higher education who want to go on to get their PhD. McNair provides coaching and academic support to prepare students for graduate school and to complete competitive grad school applications, including a paid summer research internship! Each fall McNair seeks sophomores and juniors (and maybe seniors - ask us!) to join the McNair family so we can help you achieve your dreams.

We'd love to offer specialized orientation sessions to other departments and campus organizations - please get in touch with questions or requests by emailing Bryn Tennyson at btennyson1@ewu.edu

Students who can't make this orientation session can schedule a one-on-one appointment, in person or on Zoom, or just stop by our offices at 107 Monroe Hall any time Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. See you soon!

Ready to apply? Just click here to get started! > McNair Eligibility Questionnaire

McNair Orientation, Honors Edition, November 3 at 3pm, 107 Monroe Hall, EWU

The Ongoing Legacy of EWU McNair Director Doctora Christina Torres García

08/12/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

After 12 years of dedicated service as EWU’s McNair Director Doctora (Dra.) Christina Torres García has been selected by Central Washington University (CWU) through a national search process to be the Assistant Professor in the Communications Department and Director of their Latino & Latin American Studies Program (LLAS) called El Centro Latinx. Dra. Torres García has been a leader at EWU, regionally, and nationally serving low-income first-generation and underrepresented students. Her dedication went beyond just McNair Scholars to strengthening support across the university for all students at EWU, so it’s no surprise to anyone who has worked with her that Central chose her to join their faculty and staff.

Dra. Torres García spent her childhood in Mexico and migrated to the US as a teen, following her farm-working parents to Washington State. In 1999, she became an EWU McNair Scholar herself. Named for Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the second African American to fly in space and who passed in the ill-fated U.S. Challenger space shuttle, the TRIO McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program selects first-generation and low-income college students, and/or those from groups underrepresented at the doctoral level, to introduce them to academic research and provide them with effective strategies for getting into and graduating from PhD programs.

EWU McNair Alumna Dra. Christina Torres Garcia was the Clear Choice for McNair Director

Dr. Margaret O’Connell, Biology Professor and McNair board committee member since the first EWU McNair grant was funded in 1996, remembers, “I first ‘met’ Christina when I read her application to a very early EWU McNair cohort, and I remember the committee’s immediate vote to accept her. Our assessment was confirmed as she delved into her McNair undergraduate research and went on to earn her PhD.” Dra. Torres García first earned her MBA and then a PhD in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education at WSU, making her uniquely qualified to lead Eastern’s McNair program. Dr. O’Connell confirmed this as she reflected on her experience with the McNair program:

It has been a profound honor and a tremendous delight to have been associated with EWU’s McNair Scholars Program since its inception. I serve on the program’s selection committee and have read the application of every McNair Scholar. I have mentored McNair Scholars, I served on the search committee for Program Director when the former director retired, and I have been a steadfast cheerleader for the program – recruiting students, writing letters of support for grant applications, and celebrating the perfect scores received on those grant applications. In all these activities, I have worked closely with Dr. Christina Torres García. Christina’s strong sense of giving back to community led her to apply to be the Director of the McNair Program and, again, her selection was a clear choice" - Dr. Margaret O'Connell

Dr. Margaret O'Connell

Dra. Torres García has not only recruited and supported well over 100 EWU McNair Scholars, including nearly half of the 41 EWU McNair Scholars who have attained their PhD so far, but she’s always going above and beyond for students within and outside of the program. At the beginning of COVID, she provided potatoes and onions to students in need. As the pandemic continued, she saw the structural obstacles that students from underserved populations had to navigate during their graduate application process and the inequities in taking the GRE at home, such as students having little to no access to quiet and private space for testing. In response, she assisted in securing the temporary waiver of standardized graduate testing requirements at Eastern. And these are just a few recent examples!

Left to Right: McNair alum Isaura Gallegos: MS in Genetics and Cell Biology at WSU, current PhD student in Education and Human Learning and Development at Harvard; McNair alum Deseure Deberry: MA in Justice Studies, Arizona State University; McNair alum Dr. Charise Deberry, MA in Sociology at WSU, PhD in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education, WSU, currently University of Minnesota Morris McNair Assistant Director; McNair alum Dr. Maria Morales: PhD in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education from WSU, current faculty at the Evergreen State College; Dra. Christina Torres García; Maria Reyna, TRIO Student Support Services alum, Master’s in Social Work from EWU, currently Director New Student Transitions & Family Programs at EWU.

A Powerful Collaborator and Student Advocate

Throughout her time at EWU, Dra. Torres García built strong relationships with faculty research mentors from all colleges and collaborated in enacting the best mentoring approaches. She worked with Deans, the Provost, and the President to arrange McNair faculty mentor’s summer compensation, summer credits for McNair Scholars, and free transcripts. She has also worked closely with the Writer’s Center, Plus, the Library, the Digital Commons, Records and Registration and a multitude of other student support programs on campus. Additionally, she’s provided resources and helped create community with students in the Multicultural Center and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP).

During her tenure as McNair Director, Dra. Torres García wrote two competitive federally funded grants in collaboration with Cynthia Dukich, which received maximum scores in both competitions (2012, 2017). This was especially notable given that in 2012 nearly 25% of McNair programs lost funding. Dra. Torres García credits her success with grant writing and program development to, “the healthy partnerships and mentoring I have cultivated with McNair and TRIO directors across the nation including the Washington State TRIO Association (WSTA), the Northwest Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (NAEOP), and the Council for Opportunity in Education’s (COE).” All of this has culminated in Dra. Torres García leading one of the most successful McNair programs in the region.

My leadership style is influenced by Indigenous philosophy; I consider myself a servant leader grounded in a holistic and humanistic approach. I focus on supporting and collaborating with others, contributing in insightful ways for the betterment of students and colleagues in my unit, university, and beyond.” - Dra. Torres García

Doctora Christina Torres García with families of EWU McNair Scholars at the 2019 Spring Gathering.

Following this philosophy, Dra. Torres García has contributed to Eastern in a multitude of other ways. While teaching Chicana/o Studies in 2011, she modernized a minor that had not been revised since the 2000s by cross-listing courses with Communication and Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies. In 2018, she co-chair and organized an all-day event featuring panel and round table discussions focused on best practices in serving students of color by faculty, community leaders, administrators, and other professionals across the state. This event, EWU Inaugural Cinco de Mayo Latino Forum, was a great success and led her to pursue research and writing on how we can restructure the educational system to become more just, equitable, and inclusive as colleges and universities move towards becoming Hispanic Serving Institutions. In addition, she collaborated with the Honors Program to assess and restructure their course curricula to incorporate civic responsibility and social justice elements and developed a Research Methods course centered on Social Justice. Dr. O’Connell brilliantly summarized Dra. Torres García’s success and powerful impact at Eastern:

As Director of the McNair Scholars Program, Christina has skillfully balanced the individual needs of each student with the overarching goals and requirements of the McNair Program. She can challenge students out of their comfort zone but is always there to support. One important component of that support is communication. Christina has been conscientious about fostering clear communication between the McNair Scholars, their mentors, and the McNair Office. She celebrates the success of current and former McNair Scholars with sincere joy and communicates this joy to the university community. A Ronald E. McNair quote is ‘before you can make a dream come true, you must first have one.’ Christina had a dream for herself and has helped so many EWU students find theirs.” - Dr. Margaret O'Connell

Dra Torres Garcia celebrating the 2018 EWU graduation of McNair scholar Felix Beltran, who is currently completing his dissertation for his PhD in Political Science from Purdue.

Dra. Torres García celebrating the 2018 EWU graduation of McNair scholar Felix Beltran, who is currently completing his dissertation for his PhD in Political Science from Purdue.

A Respected Leader, Locally, Regionally, and Nationally

Outside Eastern, Dra Torres García has also contributed to regional and national work for low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students. As a TRIO peer-reviewer for the (NAEOP), an organization that trains members to simulate a U.S. Department of Education audit for federal funding programs, Dra. Torres García evaluated the student learning objectives, identified areas of improvement, and documented evidence of project services on TRIO Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), Student Support Services (SSS), SSS-STEM, and McNair. Through this position, she has created strong relations among TRIO directors across Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

Furthermore, she served a three-year term as the WSTA president and had the opportunity to work with approximately 200 outstanding TRIO directors and staff across the state. She has also worked closely with the COE while advocating for Veteran, Undocumented, DACAmented, and TRIO students by educating Senators, State representatives, and other members of Congress on nationwide initiatives for more than ten years.

Ongoing Academic Research in Equity, Chicana Feminist Epistemology, and Higher Education

As if all of this wasn’t enough, Dra. Torres García has also continued research and writing throughout her work. Recently, the Oxford Research Encyclopedias invited her to write an article about “Chicana Feminist Epistemology in Higher Education” to be included in their Race and Education issue. She has also written “DACAmented students’ Testimonios about their Educational Journey Against the Backdrop of Racist Nativist Discourse in Washington State,” submitted to the Journal Race, Ethnicity, and Education, and “Being Brown in the time of Trump: The Tactics of Dehumanizing (Im)migrants” which is now undergoing peer-review at the University of Arizona Press.

She is also conducting ongoing research with EWU McNair Alumna, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and McNair coordinator at Heritage University, Dr. Laura Zamudio-Orozco, examining how race, gender, and class shape STEM research mentor-mentee relationships. Moreover, in coordination with the Pell Institute and the Council for Opportunity in Education, Dra. Torres García is guiding a state-wide research study on first-generation, low-income students' challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this affects their college aspirations.

A Force for Positive Change Who Will Be Greatly Missed

Needless to say, losing Dra. Torres García from the Eastern community will be significant. She will be particularly missed by EWU McNair students and staff. Maria Reyna, current Director of New Student Transitions and Family Programming at Eastern remembers how proud she felt to see Christina dancing and teaching ballet folklorico to EWU students. Seeing traditional Mexican folk dancing showcased on a college campus made Maria feel like she belonged. About this first connection, Maria states, “Meeting Christina as a fellow student formed the basis of a friendship and professional relationship that has lasted to this day. I know the dedication she has given to our students will continue at Central, and she will be greatly missed.” Central students, faculty, and the institution itself will be incredibly lucky to have her join them.

The McNair Program will stay in good hands with Cynthia Dukich becoming the Interim Director as of September 1st. Cynthia, current Assistant Director of McNair, says of her work with Dra. Torres Garcia over the last 12 years:

Maria Reyna, Director of New Student Transitions & Family Programs

Maria Reyna, TRIO Student Support Services alum, Master’s in Social Work from EWU, currently Director New Student Transitions & Family Programs at EWU.

McNair Assistant Director Cynthia Dukich and Outgoing McNair Director Dra. Christina Torres García

Good friends Cynthia Dukich, McNair Assistant Director and incoming Interim Director of McNair; and Dra. Christina Torres Garcia, Outgoing McNair Director

It is one of the great privileges in my life to have worked with Christina as a colleague and a friend for all these years. I have learned so much from her, as I have watched her determined pursuit of excellence, commitment to growth, and collaborative approach to everything she does. Although I am very excited for her opportunity to apply her talents, knowledge and compassion to supporting student success as faculty and LLAS program director at Central, I know I speak for many at EWU when I say I am very sad she is leaving and that I will miss her very much.” - Cynthia Dukich, McNair Assistant Director

Even though it is hard to see her go, as always, Dra. Torres García can be counted on to be supportive to any who reach out to her, even from afar. And, there is no doubt she will continue to be a force for positive change in the region and beyond.

Dra. Christina Torres Garcia with McNair Certificates for McNair Scholars and Graduates at the 2019 Spring Gathering.

EWU McNair Alumna Dra. Christina Torres García Invited to Write for Oxford Research Encyclopedias

06/18/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Alumna and EWU McNair Director Dra. Christina Torres García who was invited to write an article about Chicana feminist epistemology in higher education for Oxford Research Encyclopedias to be included in their Race and Education issue. In addition, Dra. Torres García has been hard at work at research and writing in multiple other areas, including: DACAmented students’ Testimonios about their Educational Journey Against the Backdrop of Racist Nativist Discourse in Washington State, submitted to the Journal Race, Ethnicity, and Education; Being Brown in the time of Trump: The Tactics of Dehumanizing (Im)migrants which is now undergoing peer-review at the University of Arizona press; ongoing co-research with EWU McNair Alumna Dr. Laura Zamudio-Orozco examining how race, gender, and class shape STEM research mentor-mentee relationships; and in coordination with the Pell Institute and the Council for Opportunity in Education, is researching first-generation, low-income students' challenges and obstacles during the COVID-19 and how this affects their college aspirations.

Chicana feminist epistemology in higher education is an extensive manuscript that suggests democratizing and diversifying the Western Canon of thought in higher education research. Using the work of decolonial philosophers, Dra. Torres García illustrates how Westernized Universities’ epistemological foundations present a form of Eurocentric fundamentalism. She presents an evolution of the contributions of Chicanas from the 19th to the present and describes how their work has been excluded from the Western canon of thought in higher education. She shows how Chicana feminists have constructed their own epistemic foundations, methodologies, and how they are disrupting the boundaries of how knowledge is created. Because the Latinx population is increasing rapidly, giving rise to more Hispanic Serving Institutions around the nation, her research is critical. It ultimately recommends incorporating Chicana feminist epistemologies into educational research.

Dra. Torres García's current research with Dr. Zamudio-Orozco examining mentor-mentee relationships stems from gaps in the field.

Mentoring is a widely studied concept presented as a vital component for undergraduate students’ research and their graduate school journeys. However, little research examines the effectiveness of mentoring experiences from the perspective of first-generation, low-income students.”

They aim to bring students’ testimonios to the forefront to illustrate how they struggle to navigate the intersections of race, class, and gender and how this shapes the power dynamics within the mentor-mentee relationships.

Dra. Torres García's research with the Pell Institute and Council for Opportunity in Education to find out the short-term and potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the decisions and life experiences of low-income and first-generation college students uses mixed methods involving national surveys to increase our empathetic understanding of student actions, and outcomes for this student population and higher education. Two of our graduating McNair Scholars, Alexandria Coronado and Lizeth Bañuelos, have also supported this research. Both completed their own McNair research projects during their EWU McNair Summer Research Internship and into the 2020-2021 school year on related topics. Alexandria, with the mentorship of Dr. Lindsey Upton, completed the research paper: Impacts of COVID-19 on Food and Housing Student Resources at Universities in the State of Washington. Lizeth, with the mentorship of Dr. Aryn Ziehnert, completed the research paper: First-Generation Students' Academic Experience: The Role of Institutional Supports during a Pandemic. Both students have been accepted to multiple graduate programs and will attend graduate school starting the fall of 2021!

EWU McNair is incredibly proud of all of Dra. Torres García's work. She not only exemplifies outstanding research, but also incorporates a social justice lens in all of her work with an eye to improve higher education and better meet the needs of all students. Like so many of our EWU McNair alumni, Dra. Torres García gives back to her community both in her everyday work and in her research. Recently EWU McNair had the chance to showcase similar approaches by other McNair alumni in our Social Justice in Research Panel. Click here to learn more about EWU McNair’s other alumni accomplishments! Our EWU McNair Scholars continue to show the power of McNair on students, higher education, and changing the world!

Congratulations again to Dra. Christina Torres García!