Congratulations to new McNair Scholar Monique Castellano/s! Monique was selected by the McNair Scholars’ selection committee on the basis of her passion for research, commitment to attaining a PhD, and overall potential for success in graduate school.
The federally-funded TRIO Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program at EWU selects motivated and talented juniors and seniors who are first-generation and low-income college students, and/or 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.
Monique Tori Castellano/s is a Mexican-American first generation student at Eastern Washington University. She is on a STEM track to pursue a major in forensic science, and currently holds a minor in Spanish. Her past experiences in her field include working in a plant pathology lab by looking at viruses and bacteria within soil and plants at a microscopic level, and working at a covid testing site dealing with hazardous biological waste. Monique Tori is a past selected member of the Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement Program (MESA) at Columbia Basin College. MESA provides support for underrepresented students pursuing a degree in STEM. Monique is passionate about representation within her field, and expressing herself with color. She loves to spend any extra time she has thrifting, cooking with her abuela, and exploring Spokane. She will conduct her 2024 McNair Summer Research Internship alongside her EWU faculty research mentor, Dr. Ben Lundgren.
We look forward to accompanying Monique as her research unfolds!
