This dissertation addressed the underrepresentation of African American women attaining doctoral degrees at universities across the nation. It also explored the McNair Scholars Program, and the role the program played in preparing African American female students for graduate school and completion of the doctoral degree. In line with the…

In a recent paper in the "Journal of Human Resources," Dynarski (2008) used data from the 1 percent 2000 Census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files to demonstrate that merit scholarship programs in Georgia and Arkansas increased the stock of college-educated individuals in those states. This paper replicates the results in Dynarski…

The underrepresentation of women in technical fields is a widely acknowledged national problem, limiting both the raw size of the talent pool and the diversity of experiences and perspectives of those who will design solutions to key problems facing society. Empowering women to succeed in these fields is clearly one important component of any…

Proposals for education reform generally focus on teachers and curricula. The most important factor in education may be the student himself or herself. A growing number of states, including Georgia, Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts, have established programs that provide financial rewards in the form of merit scholarships for college for…