Graphic Design Sophomore Derrick Lathan was recently named a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Named for the deceased astronaut, Ronald McNair, LSU’s Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program prepares first generation college students for doctoral studies. The program provides 30 sophomore, junior and senior college students from Louisiana State University, Southern University, and Southeastern Louisiana University with funding, information and experiences to engage them in research to facilitate graduate studies.

Lathan will attend workshops this semester and conduct research with a faculty member on campus this summer. Workshops will include information on selecting the right graduate school, putting forth a strong application, understanding the proper methodology to conduct research, and successfully managing money as a graduate student, among other topics. At the end of the process, Lathan will present his research project during a conference or to a panel.

“During my interview I mentioned that I prefer works of art that shed light upon issues that are overlooked in society such as homelessness, single-parent households, and the stress and peer pressure young people experience today,” Lathan says. “Director Joe Givens brought up the term ‘visual cultural studies,’ and this is the strongest contender for the basis of my research.”

The McNair program provides housing and a meal plan for each scholar during the summer while also providing a generous stipend. “I am very grateful for being selected into such a prestigious program,” says Lathan, who first learned of the program through the Black Male Leadership Initiative (BMLI).

For more information about the McNair program, visit: http://uiswcmsweb.prod.lsu.edu/universitycollege/UC_RMP/About/About%20Us/item12713.html

For further information about the College of Art + Design, contact: Renée Smith (225) 772-6296 /rbache2@lsu.edu