The McNair Voice

The 15^th annual SAEOPP McNair Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia this year. This is a major change from years past because the SAEOPP McNair Conference has been held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. This year the conference was co-hosted by the McNair Programs at Georgia State University and Morehouse College. The conference started on Thursday with a powerful theatrical performance entitled Peaches by the world renowned Progress Theatre. The performance was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel located on the historic Morehouse College campus. During the day on Friday the McNair scholars had a chance to present their posters. Friday night the gap between the past and the present of the McNair Program was bridged with an alumni reception. The purpose of the reception was for the new McNair scholars to get advice and words of wisdom from former McNair scholars who understand the challenges that the new scholars are facing. On Saturday it was time for the scholars with shy personalities to leave them at the door because it was time to do oral presentations. A McNair conference would not be complete without a Graduate School Fair. The Graduate School fair at this conference had an added twist. This grad fair did in fact have tables set up where the students could stop by a speak with the recruiters and get information on the schools but the students also had a chance to sit down and have lunch with recruiters from the school they were most interested in. This approach allowed students the chance to get more face time with the recruiters as well as the chance to interact on a more personal level. When Sunday came around most of the scholars were beat from the long days and short nights, but there was still unfinished business that had to be settled. The conference organizers did not want the efforts of the scholars that gave exceptional posters and oral presentations to go unnoticed or unrewarded, so there was an awards ceremony. The highlight of Sunday and perhaps the conference was the keynote speech that was given by Mrs. Cheryl McNair the widow of Dr. Ronald E. McNair.