A Full Circle Moment: McNair Scholars Return to Cal Poly Pomona as Faculty

Two McNair Scholars, Dr. Sekani Robinson and Dr. Alejandro Zermeño, recently returned to Cal Poly Pomona as Assistant Professors of Sociology. The McNair Scholars Program, which is federally funded, seeks to increase the number of first-generation, low-income and/or underrepresented students in doctoral programs and ultimately, increase diversity among faculty.  

Dr. Robinson and Dr. Zermeño attribute their success as doctoral students to mentorship from CPP faculty and their time as McNair Scholars. Dr. Robinson, whose scholarly research interests focus on the lived experiences of Black ballerinas, shared, “I don’t think I would’ve made it through graduate school if I wasn’t encouraged while at CPP and in McNair to look at my hobbies as possible research sites. Once I did that, it made me so much more excited to learn and teach because I can teach about topics that I am genuinely passionate about and now I get to be back in the space that initially provided this freedom and inspiration.” Reflecting on their experiences in the McNair Scholars Program, Dr. Zermeño and Dr. Robinson recognized the support they received throughout the program and now want to provide the same support to their students at Cal Poly Pomona. 

Dr. Zermeño, who earned his Ph.D. at UC Merced, wants to encourage students to think about pursuing undergraduate research and take advantage of the research opportunities available to them. Dr. Alejandro Morales, Director of the McNair Scholars Program and Professor of Psychology expressed pride at their return when he stated, “It is inspiring - two of our own McNair Scholars are back as professors. They are both living examples of the strong mentorship, the research experiences, and ongoing encouragement they received from faculty to pursue doctoral degrees. Alejandro and Sekani serve as role models to current McNair Scholars and CPP students at large. Students can see themselves in them and consider a career as professors at universities like Cal Poly Pomona. Representation matters.”

Growing up as the son of undocumented immigrants from Michoacan and Chihuahua, Mexico, Alejandro experienced life in a low-income household and community in Los Angeles.  He fondly remembers his time as an undergraduate, “I have good memories of just hanging out and working in study groups at the library, Bronco Student Center, and the Native American Cultural Center with classmates and friends. I also loved attending the Annual Pumpkin Festival and other campus cultural events, such as Day of the Dead and seeing the traditional Aztec Dancers, ceremonial altars, painted faces, listening to music, and enjoying delicious foods.”  Sekani, whose mom immigrated from Panama, grew up in San Diego and Los Angeles and identified several memorable moments from her time as an undergraduate at CPP, including taking the Beer and Culture course with her friends, spending time at the African American Student Center, traveling to an undergraduate research conference at UC Berkeley, and living in the dorms.

When asked what made them want to return to work at Cal Poly Pomona Dr. Robinson, who completed her PhD program at UC Santa Barbara, said, “CPP contributed to my trajectory and to be able to come back and hopefully inspire and assist students on their trajectory means so much to me. It feels like home.” Dr. Zermeño shared, “Coming back as a faculty member means that I get to work alongside and collaborate with amazing faculty doing important critical work addressing issues of inequality and social justice among racial/ethnic communities. It also means I get to teach a diverse student population, many of whom are first-generation college students, just like me. Being here means I have important responsibilities to be of service as a teacher and mentor to my students, to the Sociology Department, CLASS, and the University, and to advance critical research on race/ethnicity, health disparities, and Indigenous Latinx experiences.” 

Dr. Anjana Narayan, Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology, emphasizes their important contributions as she stated, “We are extremely proud of Dr. Robinson and Dr. Zermeño. They add to the diversity of our department which since its establishment as an independent department in 2018, has been majority women and majority faculty of color. They also bring intellectual diversity to our department, possessing a range of timely teaching and research interests, which include indigenous resurgence and health outcomes among Mexican Americans, and the impact of race and gender on Black women in ballet. Finally, they understand our students and their deep connection to our department and campus is instrumental in how they approach their teaching and mentorship.”

CLASS is thrilled to celebrate the homecoming of these two McNair scholars.

About the McNair Scholars Program

The Cal Poly Pomona McNair Scholars Program prepares eligible undergraduate students for PhD programs by promoting student success through undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and a series of skill building workshops. The program aims to increase the number of first-generation, low income and/or underrepresented students in PhD programs, and eventually, to increase diversity among faculty at higher education institutions across the country. 

McNair Scholars are provided with opportunities to participate in research activities during the academic year and summer. Scholars attend our McNair Course (CPU 4750 and CPU 4760) seminars and workshops on topics related to graduate school preparation, conduct research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and have the chance to present their research at conferences. 

To learn more about the McNair Scholars Program visit their website, https://www.cpp.edu/mcnair/index.shtml 

By: Ashley Bagwell