U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced $51.7 million in 189 new grant awards to institutions of higher education across the United States as part of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair). The program provides grants to universities and colleges for projects designed to provide disadvantaged college students effective preparation for doctoral studies. The announcement delivers on Secretary Cardona’s priorities to expand equitable access to education and make higher education more inclusive and affordable. Through McNair grant funding, projects at institutions of higher education provide students opportunities for research or other scholarly activities, such as summer internships and seminars. McNair-funded initiatives also prepare students for doctoral study through tutoring, academic counseling, and assistance with securing admission to and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate programs. McNair projects may also provide services designed to improve financial and economic literacy of students, mentoring programs, and exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students. The McNair program is one of seven federal TRIO programs, targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs. Among the McNair grantees include: Northeastern Illinois University, Knox College, DePaul University, the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Roosevelt University.