Trio McNair Scholar Program

EWU McNair Spring Celebration 2023

On May 25, 2023, we gathered to celebrate our McNair Scholars! It was a joy to spend the evening with the McNair Scholars, Faculty Mentors, family and friends at the Spokane Club. Please enjoy these photo highlights, then keep scrolling to view the event program, and continue below to learn more about all that our scholars have accomplished in the 2022-2023 school year.

2023 Graduating McNair Scholars

Marisa Janke

Marisa Kaye Janke graduated in Spring 2023 with a BA in Philosophy, and a minor in French. Marisa’s intellectual passions are founded in the arts. In high school she studied viola privately with Dr. Philip Baldwin (Whitworth University) and was a member of the Spokane Youth Orchestra and other local groups. She earned her Associate of Arts … Read more

Read More

Quentin Young

Quentin N. Young graduated from Eastern Washington University with a BS in Applied Developmental Psychology and minors in Africana studies and Coaching. He is interested in becoming a sports psychologist and opening up his own private practices and sport facilities. Quentin’s goal is to break down barriers as a Black man in a predominately white … Read more

Read More

Bakima Ssebanakitta

Bakima Ssebanakitta graduated in Spring 2023 with a BA in Psychology through the Honors Program. Ssebanakitta has seven years of experience in professional life coaching, mediation, and end-of-life facilitation applications. Pursuing a path towards a PhD in Psychology, Ssebanakitta plans to expand into tenured professorship and private counseling practice. In counseling, her aim is to … Read more

Read More

Haili Poss

Haili Poss, a first-generation student, graduated from Eastern Washington University Winter Quarter 2023 with a BA in Psychology and a BA in Criminal Justice, and a minor in Sociology. She has a wide array of research interests including the impact of alternative/recreational drugs on mental health, and the impact of exercise on mental health, attitudes towards … Read more

Read More

Badradin Mohammed

Badradin Mohammed graduated from Eastern Washington University in Spring 2023 with a BA in International Affairs, with an emphasis on global security processes, and a minor in Political Science. He is the president of the International Affairs Community and a member of the PoliSci Book Club. His research is focused on Water Security and economic development … Read more

Read More

Monica Miranda

Monica Miranda graduated from Eastern Washington University with a BS Applied Developmental Psychology and a minor in Spanish, as well as a certificate in Child and Family Support. She wants to research the psychology of Latinx and Hispanic communities. In the summer of 2022, under the guidance of Dr. Shanna Davis, she explored the psychological … Read more

Read More

Arcelia Madrigal

Arcelia Madrigal, a first-generation college student, graduated from Eastern Washington University in Spring 2023 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Special Education, as well as a certificate in Social Emotional Learning for Educational Equity. At EWU, Arcelia received the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award and the Soaring Eagles Scholarship. Arcelia is also the … Read more

Read More

Katie Gower

Katie Gower graduated from Eastern Washington University in Fall 2022 with a BA in Political Science with minors in Philosophy and Sociology. Katie is a first-generation, Honors student. Born and raised in Spokane, she graduated from Spokane Falls Community College with a transfer Associate of Arts Degree in 2020. Her research interests range from political theory … Read more

Read More

Malek Chreiki

Malek Zein Chreiki graduated from Eastern Washington University in Winter 2023, with a BS in Biology with Biotech Option and a BA in Physics along with a minor in Organic Chemistry. His goal is to earn a PhD in molecular biology to research and develop novo genetic engineering biotech products. His focus is to work with … Read more

Read More

Serena Camacho

Serena M. Camacho graduated in 2023 with a BS in Health Psychology from Eastern Washington University. Prior to transferring to EWU Serena received her Associates in Applied Science from Spokane Falls Community College where she made the President’s/Vice President’s list every quarter of attendance. Her research interest are in trauma based healing, family counseling, mental … Read more

Read More

Ian Campuzano

Ian Campuzano will be graduating Eastern Washington University in the Spring of 2023, double majoring in Psychology and Health Psychology. Ian is an active member of the Psi Chi International Honor society. He is interested in cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. For his 2021 McNair Summer Research internship, under the mentorship of Dr. Jillene Seiver, he … Read more

Read More

2023 Graduate School Acceptances

EWU McNair Scholar Malek Chreiki Accepted to MSU Doctoral Program in Chemical Engineering

By Liina Koivula | 06/13/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Arcelia Madrigal Accepted to Gonzaga University’s Ed.S. in School Psychology Program

By Liina Koivula | 04/12/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Quentin Young Accepted to Grand Canyon University’s MS in Industrial & Organizational Psychology

By Liina Koivula | 03/23/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Quentin Young Accepted to Industrial-Organizational Psychology MA at Seattle Pacific University

By Liina Koivula | 03/17/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Arcelia Madrigal Accepted to Eastern Washington University’s Educational Specialist School Psychology Program

By Liina Koivula | 03/14/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Bakima Ssebanakitta Accepted to Gonzaga’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

By Liina Koivula | 03/03/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Arcelia Madrigal Accepted to University of Washington Tacoma’s Educational Specialist in School Psychology Program

By Liina Koivula | 03/01/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Bakima Ssebanakitta Accepted to Eastern Washington University MS in Counseling Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/28/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Badradin Mohammed Accepted to Penn State Master of International Affairs Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/24/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Serena Camacho Accepted to Washington State University PhD in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/23/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Monica Miranda Accepted to Pacific University Master in Applied Psychological Science

By Liina Koivula | 02/21/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Bakima Ssebanakitta Accepted to Seattle Pacific University PhD Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/21/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Badradin Mohammed Accepted to Florida International University Doctoral Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/14/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Arcelia Madrigal Accepted to University of Oregon’s Master’s Program in School Psychology

By Liina Koivula | 02/08/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Badradin Mohammed Accepted to University of Maryland Doctoral Program

By Liina Koivula | 02/02/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Badradin Mohammed Accepted to George Mason University MS Program

By Liina Koivula | 01/25/2023

2022-2023 New and Continuing EWU McNair Scholars

Saul Bautista

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Saul Bautista is a Senior at Eastern Washington University majoring in History. He earned his AA degree at Spokane Falls Community College. He is currently studying the historical socio-political climate of Latinoamerica’s diverse cultures. For his research project in the summer of 2022, he worked under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph Lenti to do deep … Read more

Irie Browning

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Irie Browning is an undergraduate at Eastern Washington University pursuing a major in Philosophy and a minor in English Literature. Though she finds nearly every aspect of philosophy fascinating, her areas of special interest are literary ethics, action theory, American pragmatism, and ancient Greek philosophy (particularly the works of Aristotle). She is a past president … Read more

Thomas Cyphers

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

tommyboiZ (they/them/their) is a transfer student at Eastern Washington University, double majoring in Philosophy and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. They transferred from Spokane Community College after completing their AA-DTA for business. tommy has a plethora of scholarly interests which culminate into a unique holistic approach that emphasizes unity through understanding difference. With a focus … Read more

Alexander Dodson

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Alexander Dodson is majoring in Psychology at Eastern Washington University. He is the Treasurer and President-Elect of EWU’s chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Alexander has been a Dean’s List student for every quarter he has attended Eastern Washington University. He is also a research assistant for Dr. Phil Watkins studying … Read more

Claudio Escalante

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Juan Claudio Escalante is a first-generation undergraduate student at Eastern Washington University. Originally from Kennewick, WA, Claudio obtained his Associate of Arts and Science from Colombia Basin College in 2020 before transferring to EWU. He is majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish. In the winter of 2022, his research interests expanded when he … Read more

Marianna Fischer

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Marianna Fischer is a first-generation undergraduate at Eastern Washington University who is pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering Technology with a specialized interest in robotics. While obtaining an associate’s degree from Spokane Community College she had hands-on experience with AC/DC circuits in a lab setting and this helped grow her passion for robotics. She is … Read more

Devin Mumey

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Devin Mumey is an undergraduate at Eastern Washington University working towards a major in Biology with a focus on Plant Sciences and a minor in Chemistry. He is interested in studying hybrid fruits and crossbreeding, as well as disease resistance. For his 2022 McNair Summer Research Internship, he worked with Dr. Jessica Allen collecting and … Read more

Richard Murphy

By Tennyson, Bryn | 05/26/2022

Richard Murphy is an undergraduate student at Eastern Washington University. His three declared majors are Philosophy, Political Science, and International Affairs with an emphasis on Global Socio-Economic Development. Richard is also pursuing a minor in Spanish. By moving around a lot as a youth, living in urban, suburban, and rural communities in the Pacific Northwest, … Read more

Tiago Correia

By Liina Koivula | 03/17/2023

Tiago Correia Tiago Correia is a first-generation, low-income student working towards a Bachelor of Science in mathematics at Eastern Washington University. His research interests are in group theory and topology. He plans to one day attend a PhD program in mathematics. After that, he aims to do postdoctoral research and become a professor at an … Read more

Kelly Parke

By Liina Koivula | 04/05/2023

Kelly Parke is a first-generation undergraduate student at Eastern Washington University pursuing a degree in Anthropology with  minors in Disability Studies and Sexuality & Queer Studies. She currently works as an office aide for the History, Anthropology, and Modern Languages department and has maintained a quarterly Dean’s List status since beginning at EWU. Kelly’s research … Read more

Sylvia Kennerly

By Liina Koivula | 04/05/2023

Sylvia Kennerly is an aspiring researcher majoring in Biochemistry at Eastern Washington University. Growing up in Seward, Alaska, Sylvia developed a fascination with science at an early age that has evolved to her interest in the intricacies of cellular pathways and the role of biochemistry in human health. Driven by her curiosity, Sylvia engaged in a research project … Read more

Terreca DeFehr

By Liina Koivula | 04/05/2023

Terreca DeFehr will graduate from Eastern Washington University in 2024, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Industrial and Organizational psychology. She is a first-generation college student. Her summer 2023 research analyzed an existing data set, “Work-Family And Family-Work Conflict As A Function Of Role Commitment And Core Self-Evaluation” with Dr. Jill Seiver … Read more

Brendan Roof

By Liina Koivula | 04/05/2023

Brendan R. Roof is a first-generation student graduating in Spring 2024 from Eastern Washington University with a major in English Studies with a minor in International Affairs. He was raised in Ketchikan, Alaska and Memphis, Tennessee. He is interested in researching the pre-colonial traditions, customs, and socio-political history across Philippine literature, familial dynamics and themes in Pan-Asian … Read more

Makenna Tabino

By Liina Koivula | 04/07/2023

Makenna Tabino will graduate from Eastern Washington University with a B.S. in Biology (Wildlife Management Track). As a Running Start student, she spent her last two years of high school attending EWU as a full-time student. She is passionate about ecology and conservation, especially in regards to wetlands. Some of her interests include restoration ecology, wetland management, and … Read more

Mary Belton

By Liina Koivula | 04/14/2023

Mary Belton is a first-generation college student at Eastern Washington University majoring in English Secondary Education with a minor in English as a Second Language. Mary decided to major in Secondary English Education as she is passionate about teaching and helping others, especially children, achieve their educational goals. As a first-generation college student herself, Mary … Read more

Mai Peregrina

By Liina Koivula | 04/14/2023

Mai Peregrina is majoring in Psychology at Eastern Washington University. She is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and is the President of the Panhellenic Council here at EWU. For her upcoming McNair Research Project she will be working with Dr. Islam-Zwart as her mentor. Mai plans to research how students from her institution … Read more

Alejandro Torres-Gonzalez

By Liina Koivula | 04/25/2023

Alejandro Torres obtained his associate of Arts and Science degree from Wenatchee Valley College in 2021, before transferring to Eastern Washington University for his Biology degree. His research interests are botany, restoration ecology, and conservation. In the fall of 2022, he was offered the opportunity to volunteer with Dr. Rebecca Brown and Chris Bonsignore of … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Mai Peregrina Honored with EWU Board of Trustees Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 11/20/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Makenna Tabino Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 11/07/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Alexander Dodson Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 11/07/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Irie Browning Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 11/02/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Alejandro Torres-Gonzalez Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 11/02/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Sylvia Kennerly Completes McNair Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 10/27/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Tiago Correia Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 10/27/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Richard Murphy Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 10/24/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Terreca DeFehr Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 10/19/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Brendan Roof Completes Summer Research Internship

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 10/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Brendan Roof Honored with Nick Begich Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 10/04/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Brendan Roof Honored with Carol Kabat Baumann Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/28/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Kelly Parke Honored with Robert & Joan Audree Morgan Nelson Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Mary Belton Honored with Soaring Eagles Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Devin Mumey Honored with Soaring Eagles Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholars Receive Grants, Awards, Honors

By Liina Koivula | 06/20/2023

McNair Scholars Present Research to EWU Board of Trustees

By Liina Koivula | 06/19/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Tiago Correia Selected for REU at CWU

By Liina Koivula | 06/18/2023

McNair Scholars Connect with Research Librarians

By Liina Koivula | 06/16/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Marianna Fischer Attends the Viterbi STEP Workshop at USC

By Liina Koivula | 06/15/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Irie Browning Receives the Golden Eagle Award

By Liina Koivula | 06/14/2023

17 McNair Scholars Present at EWU’s 2023 Student Research & Creative Works Symposium

By Liina Koivula | 06/10/2023

Makenna Tabino Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 06/09/2023

Tiago Correia Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 06/07/2023

Mai Peregrina Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 06/06/2023

Kelly Parke Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 06/02/2023

Terreca DeFehr Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 05/30/2023

Alejandro Torres-Gonzalez Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 05/25/2023

Mary Belton Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 05/16/2023

Sylvia Kennerly Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 05/11/2023

Brendan Roof Selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

By Liina Koivula | 05/04/2023

2022-2023 EWU McNair Scholar Awards

McNair Scholar Devin Mumey Honored with CSTEM Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fund Award

By Ssebanakitta, Bakima | 12/01/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Mai Peregrina Honored with EWU Board of Trustees Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 11/20/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Brendan Roof Honored with Nick Begich Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 10/04/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Brendan Roof Honored with Carol Kabat Baumann Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/28/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Kelly Parke Honored with Robert & Joan Audree Morgan Nelson Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Mary Belton Honored with Soaring Eagles Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Devin Mumey Honored with Soaring Eagles Scholarship

By Jaeger, Corinne | 07/18/2023

EWU McNair Scholars Receive Grants, Awards, Honors

By Liina Koivula | 06/20/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Irie Browning Receives the Golden Eagle Award

By Liina Koivula | 06/14/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Bakima Ssebanakitta recognized as Outstanding Senior

By Liina Koivula | 05/04/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Serena Camacho Awarded WSU Scholarship

By Liina Koivula | 05/03/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Arcelia Madrigal Receives the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award

By Liina Koivula | 05/02/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Claudio Escalante Accepted to SROP at Purdue

By Liina Koivula | 03/16/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Marianna Fischer Receives CSTEM Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fund Award

By Liina Koivula | 02/07/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Terreca DeFehr Receives Eagles for Recovery Scholarship

By Liina Koivula | 01/26/2023

EWU McNair Scholar Devin Mumey Awarded Clawson-Youngs Environmental-Studies Award

By Liina Koivula | 01/24/2023

2022 & 2023 Summer Research EWU McNair Faculty Mentors

EWU McNair and our scholars rely on the exceptional support from EWU McNair faculty mentors. Mentors start meeting regularly with students in the spring to get to know them and provide them guidance on beginning the research process, including recommending articles and planning surveys and IRBs. Next, they work with students directly on their research projects for the summer quarter. This may be field or lab work, surveys, interviews, and/or additional reading. Mentors then continue their guidance into the fall, sometimes in additional ongoing research or on completion of the research projects that take longer than just the summer, as well as through the application process. Finally, mentors write the most important letters of recommendation in the student's graduate school applications.

 

A huge thank you to all of our mentors!

2022 -2023 EWU McNair Advisory Committee

Thank you so much to our McNair advisory committee! These faculty provide support and guidance to EWU McNair throughout year. One of their significant roles in this regard is the selection of new McNair Scholars. Each fall EWU McNair recruits students who are interested in becoming a McNair Scholar. Then applications are reviewed by the committee, which consists of EWU professors who volunteer their time. This year's committee members included Dr. Judd Case from the Biology department, Dr. Martín Meráz García and Dr. Miguel Novella from the Chicana/o/x studies program, Dr. Stephen Tsikalas from the Geology department, and Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart from the Psychology department, along with Rebecca Clark and Cori Jaeger of the EWU McNair Scholars Program. EWU McNair extends a huge thank you to this committee. Our work would not be possible without you.

Thank you for reviewing the year with us!

Past Spring Gatherings

2022     2021     2020     2019     2018     2017

2016     2015     2014     2013     2012     2011

2010     2009      2008     2007     2006     2005