THIS BILL AND TWO OTHERS RELATED
TO TRANSGENDER SPORTS
RESTRICTIONS.
ALSO AT THE CAPITOL, REPUBLICANS
COULD WITHHOLD PAY RAISES FOR
STATE EMPLOYEES OVER DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION POSITIONS AT THE
UNIVERSITIES OF WISCONSIN, BUT
FEDERAL DOLLARS CONTINUE TO FUND
A PROGRAM OFFERED AT SEVEN OF
THE UNIVERSITIES THAT HELPS
UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS
NAVIGATE HIGHER ADDICTION.
ADITI DEBNATH HAS MORE ON THAT
PROGRAM'S IMPACT ON THE
UW-OSHKOSH CAMPUS.
>> ORIGINALLY WHEN I WENT INTO
McNAIR, I WANTED TO BE A
MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR.
I WANTED TO DRAW PICTURES FOR
TEXTBOOKS, THOSE POSTERS YOU SEE
IN DOCTORS' OFFICES BECAUSE I
REALLY LIKE TO DRAW, BUT NOW I'M
NOT TRYING TO DO THAT AT ALL.
NOW I'M TRYING TO GET A Ph.D.
IN BIOTECHNOLOGY.
>> Reporter: DOMINIC IS A
UW-OSHKOSH McNAIR SCHOLAR.
HE JUST COMPLETED THE PROGRAM
SUMMER RESEARCH WHICH CULMINATES
IN A PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF HIS
FINDINGS.
>> McNAIR IS REALLY A ONE-STOP
SHOP FOR FIRST GENERATION
UNDERREPRESENTED AND LOW INCOME
STUDENTS.
>> Reporter: THIS FEDERALLY
FUNDED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IS
DEEMED A SUCCESS BY THOSE IN IT.
EVEN AS REPUBLICANS IN THE
LEGISLATURE WANT TO PROHIBIT
STATE FUNDED PROGRAMS AIMED AT
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
THE McNAIR PROGRAM GRANTS ITS
SCHOLARS $4,000 TO CONDUCT THEIR
OWN RESEARCH AND RECEIVE
ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP FROM A
FACULTY MEMBER.
>> RESEARCH I'LL BE PROTECT
TODAY IS ON BACTERIA AND LAKE
WINNEBAGO.
>> BRITNEY DUPREE BE ALSO DIDN'T
KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT BEFORE
BECOMING A McNAIR SCHOLAR.
>> I WAS LOOKING AT PRAIRIE
RESTORATION AROUND CENTRAL
WISCONSIN.
>> Reporter: THE PROGRAM'S
DIRECTOR, CORDELIA, SAYS
McNAIR IS PART OF A PIPELINE
OF PROGRAMS THAT HELPS STUDENTS
FROM DISADVANTAGED PROGRAMS BE
SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE.
>> IT HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF
HUGE SUCCESS, IT HAS BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT IN WASHINGTON.
>> Reporter: BOWLUS IS
REFERRING TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
FUNDING DESIGNATED TO PROMOTE
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
IN EDUCATION.
>> OF THE APPROXIMATELY 200
STUDENTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH
OUR PROGRAM IN THE LAST 16
YEARS, 60 PEST OF THEM ARE
EITHER -- 60% OF THEM ARE EITHER
IN GRADUATE SCHOOLS OR HAVE
CAREERS.
>> Reporter: THIS YEAR,
UW-OSHKOSH WILL RECEIVE $260,000
FROM McNAIR AND IS ONE OF
SEVEN UNIVERSITIES IN WISCONSIN
THAT OFFERS THE PROGRAM.
>> THEY'RE IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THEY ENRICH THE UNIVERSITY.
>> Reporter: PROGRAM
COORDINATOR AT UW-OSHKOSH,
DR. BELYNDA PINKSTON, ADVISES
McNAIR SCHOLARS THROUGH EACH
STEP OF THE PROGRAM.
>> WE MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO
FOCUS ON PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR
OUR SCHOLARS AND PROVIDING AN
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY FEEL
SUPPORTED AND WHICH THEY FEEL
SEEN AND HEARD.
>> Reporter: BEYOND THAT,
PROGRAMS LIKE McNAIR GIVE
STUDENTS THE SPACE TO CONNECT
WITH PEERS THAT HAVE SIMILAR
EXPERIENCES AND INSPIRE THE NEXT
GENERATION.
>> I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB KIND
OF OF REPRESENTING WHAT
EDUCATION CAN DO FOR PEOPLE AND
WHERE IT CAN LEAD.
>> Reporter: HIS MOTHER,
BLANCA JUAREZ, TRAVELED TO
OSHKOSH TO SEE HIS PRESENTATION.
>> I'M A REALLY, REALLY PROUD
MAMA BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S DOING
WHAT'S IN HIS HEART.
HE REALLY WANTS TO DO IT, HE
WANTS TO CLEAN THE LAKE, AND
HOPEFULLY OLDER STUDENTS
CONTINUE WITH THIS PROGRAM AND
WITH THIS PROGRAM THAT THEY
CHOSE THIS SUMMER.
>> DR. PINKSTON, WHO ONCE WAS A
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE
STUDENT, SAYS PROMOTING
DIVERSITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION
IS JUST AS BENEFICIAL TO A
COMMUNITY AS IT IS TO EACH
STUDENT.
>> AND SO IT'S NOT JUST
INTRINSIC, WHAT AM I GOING TO
GET OUT OF THIS.
IT'S ABOUT HOW CAN I GIVE BACK,
AND WE HELP CULTIVATE THAT
DESIRE IN THEM TO GIVE BACK.
>> Reporter: FOR BRITNEY
DUPREE AND HER MOTHER, McNAIR
REALLY IS ABOUT ENABLING THE
NEXT GENERATION.
>> I AM A PERSON ABOUT SCHOOL.
I WOULD SUPPORT HER IN ANY WAY.
I AM SO PROUD OF HER AND WHAT
SHE'S ACHIEVED SO FAR.
>> Reporter: FOR "HERE & NOW,"