Impact of TRIO Brunch: How McNair Transforms Access to Graduate Education and Beyond

About the event

McNair Faculty Mentor Panel: From Policy to Practice

This panel brings together experienced McNair Faculty Mentors to examine how federally funded grants shape undergraduate research and graduate school preparation. Panelists will discuss how broad federal policy goals are translated into day-to-day mentoring practices on campus. The conversation will focus on practical strategies faculty use to support students as they navigate research experiences and prepare for graduate study. 

Panelists:

Dr. Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson is a Regents Professor in the Department of Sociology and a long-time McNair Faculty Mentor. Her research focuses on adolescence, the transition to adulthood, and the ways social institutions shape life trajectories. Dr. Johnson is deeply committed to access and opportunity in higher education, helping students connect research, theory, and lived experience as they prepare for graduate study.

Dr. David Makin is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and a McNair Faculty Mentor who has mentored several McNair Scholars. His scholarship examines policing, crime prevention, and justice system reform, with an emphasis on applied research. Dr. Makin supports undergraduate researchers who may be navigating academic systems for the first time, helping them build strong research skills, confidence, and a clear pathway toward advanced degrees.

Dr. Erica Crespi is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and a former McNair Faculty Mentor. Her research focuses on developmental biology and the mechanisms that shape behavior and physiology. Dr. Crespi has a strong record of mentoring students from diverse educational and personal backgrounds and has previously guided McNair Scholars in developing research identities and becoming competitive applicants to graduate and professional programs.