"After being granted the opportunity to present at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium as a McNair Scholar, I can confidently say that this experience was the first time in my life I have ever felt academically validated for my hard work by my faculty and peers."   --Blu Mackey

Blu Mackey is a senior at the University of Oregon majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration and Product Design. After graduating she plans to continue her studies in hopes of later being accepted to both a Master's and PhD program to further her psychology expertise. 

Blu encourages anyone considering participating in the Undergraduate Research Symposium to not hesitate at the opportunity.  "Not only was I able to practice my public speaking skills, but I was able to learn the importance of research and find confidence in myself and my scholarly abilities. Furthermore, I was able to connect with various UO faculty which has allowed me to build professional relationships and gain further insight into the process of conducting research. I would definitely recommend that every student registers to participate in the symposium before graduating as they will also have the opportunity to present their own research interests, feel academically validated, and gain a true sense of optimism in their scholarly journey.”