Scholar Achievements

Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program

The McNair Program alongside the remarkable efforts of Fresno State faculty has historically been very successful in assisting students to gain acceptance to academic doctoral programs nationwide. It is even more remarkable to note the quality of the institutions to which Fresno State McNair students have been admitted in recent years. Attesting to the quality of these students' preparation to enter such stellar programs were the full funding level packages that each McNair scholar received.

• One of only 156 McNair Programs nationwide--exemplary performance throughout its 20-year presence on campus
• Over 500 McNair scholars have participated from 1993-2016, an average of 30 per year
• Over 200 different CSUF faculty mentors from 1993-2016
• Provides a mentoring network that is faculty and student centered
• 31 McNair Scholars currently enrolled in doctoral programs; over 50 have earned a doctoral degree
• To date, 98% of eligible McNair scholars have graduated with their baccalaureate degree
• To date, 85% of eligible McNair scholars have been admitted to graduate school

1994 Cohort

Eloisa Fuentes - University of San Francisco, M.D. Program (graduated Spring 2003)

Jacq Wilson - Hastings College of Law, J.D. Program(graduated Spring 2000)

1995 Cohort

Yury Kostin - California State University, Fresno, Ed.D. (graduated Spring 2003)

Mary Lopez - University of San Francisco, D. Pharm. (graduated Spring 2001)

1996 Cohort

James Cornish - Texas A&M University, Ph.D. in English/Rhetoric (graduated Spring 2004)

Kathryn McKenzie - Oregon College of Naturopathic Medicine (graduated Spring 2001)

Erica Piedra - UC Davis, Ph.D. in French Studies (graduated Fall 2006)

Ezequias Simon - UC Irvine, Ph.D. in Math (graduated Spring 2003)

Ghia Xiong - Alliant University, Psy. D. (graduated Spring 2010)

1997 Cohort

Lou Ann Ali - Louisiana State University, Ph.D. in Plant Science (graduated Spring 2009)

Hakim Allen - Boston College, J.D./M.A. Philosophy Program (graduated Spring 2001)

Antonio Arreguin - University of Arizona, Ph.D. in Spanish Lit.(graduated Spring 2002)

Saphon Hok - UC Davis, Ph.D. in Chemistry (graduated Spring 2004)

Derrick Mitchell - Johns Hopkins University, M.D. Program(graduated Spring 2002)

Will Soto - New Mexico State University, Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology (graduated Fall 2009)

Ellen Woo - Washington State University, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (graduated Summer 2006)

1998 Cohort

Justin Bain - Syracuse University, Ph.D. in English Composition (graduated Fall 2006)

Richard Huizar - U.C., Santa Barbara, Ph.D. in Political Science (graduated Spring 2011)

Darlene Kretchmer - University of Northern Colorado, Ph.D. in Music (graduated Spring 2002)

Tera Muir - Washington State University, Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (graduated Fall 2004)

Bernard Navarro - University of Oregon, Ph.D. in Sociology (graduated Spring 2008)

Kennard Nears - North Carolina State University, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Summer 2007)

1999 Cohort

Andrea Coronado - Virginia Commonwealth University, Ph.D. in Chemistry (graduated Fall 2003)

Carole Dorham - University of Oregon, PhD. in Psychology (graduated Fall 2005)

Jason Federmeyer - Stanford University, Ph.D. in Music Composition (graduated Spring 2009)

Iris Ruiz- U.C. San Diego, Ph.D. in English (graduated Fall 2010)

Kuhio Walters - University of New Hampshire, Ph.D. in Rhetoric (graduated Spring 2008)

Jean Wong - U.C., Riverside, Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology (graduated Spring 2004)

2000 Cohort

Marie Garcia - Temple University, Ph.D. in Criminology (graduated Spring 2008)

Pa Her - Virginia Tech, Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology (graduated Spring 2008)

Lori Orosco - Johns Hopkins University, Ph.D. in Biology (graduated Summer 2010)

Tiffany Rice - Arizona State University, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Fall 2006)

Matilda Soria - Fresno State, Ed.D. (graduated Spring 2011)

Linda Torres - University of California, San Diego, Ph.D. in English (graduated Spring 2011)

2001 Cohort

Argelia Lara - U.C. L.A., Ph.D. in Education (graduated Spring 2013)

Pedro Nava - U.C.L.A., Ph.D. in Education (graduated Fall 2012)

2002 Cohort

Mitchell Casados - University of Wisconsin, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Spring 2011)

John Paul Nuno - University of Texas, El Paso, Ph.D. in History (graduated Fall 2010)

Brian O'Roak - Yale University, Ph.D. in Biology (graduated Spring 2009)

Valerie Romero - University of Nevada, Reno, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Spring 2009)

2003 Cohort

Rozy Brar - U.C. Berkeley, Ph.D. in Math Education (graduated Fall 2010)

Matthew Garrett-U.C.S.F., Pharm.D.  (graduated Spring 2008)

Alicia Riveria-U.C.S.B., Ph.D. in History (graduated Summer 2014)

Kristen Spencer- Auburn University, Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (began Fall 2007 - ABD)

Jason Terry- New Mexico State University, Ph.D. in Computer Science (graduated Fall 2013)

Nicholas Valdez - U.C. Riverside, Ph.D. in Literature (graduated Spring 2008)

2004 Cohort

Tonya Atkins, U.C.Davis, Ph.D. in Synthetic Chemistry (graduated Spring 2012)

Maria Sophia Corona - University of California, Berkeley, J.D. (graduated Fall 2012)

Christine Montanez - Fresno State, Ed.D. (graduated Spring 2011)

Mari Sanchez - U.C. Riverside, Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology (graduated Spring 2011)

Adam Smith - Walden University, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Spring 2014)

Joseph Teller - Notre Dame University, Ph.D. in English (graduated Spring 2010)

Morghan Young - Stanford University, Ph.D. in Education (graduated Spring 2011)

2005 Cohort

Edward Castillo - U.C. Berkeley, Ph.D. in Slavic Studies (began Fall 200 - ABD)

Elijah Freeman - University of Pacific, DPT (graduated Spring 2008)

Narda Ligotti - University of Nebraska, Ph.D. in Nursing (began Fall 2007 - ABD)

2006 Cohort

Hilary Casner - University of Arkansas, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (graduated Spring 2013)

Guiseppe Getto - Michigan State University, Ph.D. in English Composition (graduated Summer 2011)

Bethany Jones - Alliant University, Ph.D. in Psychology (graduated Fall 2010)

Enrique Lopez - Stanford University, Ph.D. in Science Education (graduated Spring 2012)

Gilbert Lopez - Harvard University, Ph.D. in Pubic Health (began Fall 2013)

Felix Perez - U.C. L.A., Ph.D. in Chemistry (graduated Spring 2012)

Tona Soto - U.C. Davis, MD in Health Science (graduated Spring 2014)

Kennedy Vu - University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. in Chemistry (began Fall 2013)

2007 Cohort

Charity Agomuo - St. John's University, Ph.D. in Education (began Fall 2013)

Daniel Caeton - U.C. Davis, Ph.D. in Cultural Studies (began Fall 2007 - ABD)

Luke Martinez - University of Pittsburgh, Ph.D. in History (began Fall 2011)

Mike Oliver - Johns Hopkins University, Ph.D. in Cognitive Science (began Fall 2007 - ABD)

Sarah Rios - University of California, Santa Barbara, Ph.D. in Education (graduated Spring 2016)

Janet Saenz - Texas A&M University, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (graduated Fall 2013)

2008 Cohort

Elvia Rodriguez - University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. in History (graduated Spring 2013)

Lucia Rubio - U.C.S.F., Pharm.D. (graduated Spring 2011)

2009 Cohort

Alberto Aguilera - University of California, Davis, Ph.D. in Public Health (graduated Fall 2015)

Dennis Sisco-Taylor - University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. in Educational Psych. (graduated Spring 2014)

Philip Viera - University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology (graduated Spring 2014)

2010 Cohort

Whitney Jenkins - San Diego State University, J.D./Ph.D. (began fall 2013)

Jamie San Andres - Northeastern University, Ph.D. in Environmental Sociology (began Fall 2014)

2011 Cohort

Vincent Aguirre - Texas A&M University, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2012)

Ruben Castaneda - University of California, Merced, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2012)

Yekta Karimi - Columbia University, Ph.D. in Economics (began Fall 2013)

Brittany Rudd Huber- Indiana University, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2011)

Jamie Peabody - University of Kansas, Ph.D. in Math (began Fall 2013)

Ashley Yaugher - Texas A&M University, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2011)

2012 Cohort

Shayla Duran - University of California, Davis, Ph.D. in Chemistry (began Fall 2012)

Cayella Castaneda - Ball State University, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2012)

Marie Lerma - Ohio State University, Ph.D. in Women's Studies (began Fall 2014)

Jesse Mendiola - Washington State University, Ph.D. in Environmental Sociology (began Fall 2015)

2013 Cohort

Erin Alvarez - Michigan State University, Ph.D. in English (began Fall 2013)

Hannah Andrews - University of Arizona, Ph.D. in Sociology (began Fall 2013)

Javier Garcia - University of California, Davis, Ph.D. in Biology (began Fall 2016)

Manny Jacquez - Ohio State University, Ph.D in English Drama (began Fall 2013)

Andres Nevarez - University of Texas Southwestern, Ph.D. in Biology (began Fall 2014)

2014 Cohort

Elaina Aceves - University of Iowa, Ph.D. in Mathematics (began Fall 2016)

Jennifer Bernard - University of Nebraska, Ph.D. in Economics (began Fall 2014)

Danielle Baker - University of Arkansas, Ph.D. in Psychology (began (fall 2015)

Maria Ortega - Brown University, Ph.D. in Sociology (began fall 2014)

Kyla Rankin - University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. in Psychology (began Fall 2015)

2015 Cohort

Ryan Ditchfield - Iowa State, Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology (began Fall 2016)

Kristin Lacey - Boston University, Ph.D. in English (began Fall 2015)