Lander Student to Present Research at National Meeting

March 1, 2006 -- Gary King of Lander, a University of Wyoming psychology and women’s studies senior, has been selected to present his research project in April during the National Conference of Undergraduate Research at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

The son of Bob and Becky King of Lander, King is a research intern with the UW McNair Scholars Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The program prepares students from traditionally under-represented groups to be successful in Ph.D. degree programs.

King, who will graduate in May, says he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in counseling. He has been in the McNair Scholars Program since last summer, directed by Scott Freng, a faculty member in the UW Department of Psychology. Their research project is “Examining Locus of Causality Among People Recovering from Alcoholism.”

McNair Scholars Program services include a paid research internship totaling $3,600, mentorship from UW faculty members, Graduate Record Examination preparation classes, academic support and tutoring, and assistance with the graduate school application process, says Susan Stoddard, assistant project director.

“Being a McNair Scholar has enabled me to realize my potential as a non-traditional student,” King says. “Without this program I would not have had the opportunity to conduct research work or be introduced to the opportunities and advantages of going on to graduate school.”

He says the program’s main benefit is working with a research mentor, such as Freng.

“It has been a very satisfying experience to learn from Professor Freng. I look at him as an individual and not as a professor. He is interested in sharing his knowledge with me,” he adds. “It brought academics to a more humanistic level to me.”

Students are eligible to apply if they are first-generation college students (neither parent has a four-year college degree) and meet income guidelines, or if they are members of a Native American, Hispanic, or African American ethnic group. Students must also have completed 48 credit hours by the end of the 2005 fall semester and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Interested students should e-mail Stoddard at sjs@uwyo.edu or Zackie Salmon at nomlas@uwyo.edu, call (307) 766-6189, or visit Rooms 311-313 of Knight Hall.

Photo

McNair Scholar -- Gary King of Lander, left, a University of Wyoming psychology and women's studies senior, reviews his research project with Scott Freng, lecturer in the UW Department of Psychology. King, an intern with the UW McNair Scholars Program, has been selected to present his research project in April during the National Conference of Undergraduate Research at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Their research project is "Examining Locus of Causality Among People Recovering from Alcoholism." (UW Photo)

Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006