The McNair Scholars Program, officially known as the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, is a federally funded TRIO initiative by the U.S. Department of Education. Its primary goal is to prepare undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Participants are typically first-generation college students with financial need or members of groups traditionally underrepresented in graduate education who have demonstrated strong academic potential.