Brandt Berghuis is in his fifth year, finishing a degree in crop and weed science-biotechnology, all while competing on the track team and conducting research as a McNair Scholar.

Berghuis is in Washington D.C. until Wednesday, representing TRIO and the McNair Scholars Program, but I had the opportunity to meet with him before he left North Dakota State to discuss the programs and his work.

The following has been edited for content and clarity.

Could you give a quick overview of the McNair Scholars Program?

Berghuis: The McNair Scholars Program is aimed at undergraduate students; it helps them prepare for graduate school. They do everything from providing mentoring, to research opportunities, to graduate school visits. It gives a leg up to those who plan on pursuing doctoral study.

What are the other benefits of the program?

You get to connect with professors on campus — I have a primary and a secondary mentor, both of whom work in plant pathology. The mentors help you get lined up with an undergraduate research project.

McNair has also been a great opportunity for learning the process of scientific writing. I thought I was a good writer before, but the program has definitely been instrumental in learning a new style of writing. Along with your research, you get the opportunity to present to others on your research — I’ve presented here in Fargo and in Maryland.

Could you tell me a little about your research?

Before getting into the McNair program, I worked in plant pathology during the summers. I garden, and I found a disease in some of my plants — it was rust on beans. So I took some samples into my work, and my boss thought it would be a good idea to isolate the samples.

At that time, I didn’t know I would be going into plant pathology research, but after joining McNair and getting involved on the research side of things, I’m doing my project on bean rust. We isolate different samples so we can determine the race of the pathogens — understanding the differences between strains can be helpful for treatment options, or for knowing how susceptible a certain variety is to a pathogen.

So, funnily enough, some of the samples for my research are actually from my own garden.

Why will you be in D.C. from March 6-9?

TRIO operates here on campus and helps low income or underrepresented students — it offers counseling, one-on-one tutoring, along with some study strategy courses.

I’ve been in TRIO since I came to college. And now I’ve been in the McNair program since last year, which is for students who plan on pursuing graduate study. I will be in D.C. to talk to North Dakota’s senators (and hopefully Minnesota’s senators) to explain how the programs have benefited me and how they could benefit other students. I’ve had a great experience with the programs; it definitely won’t be hard to have good things to say.

You are also on NDSU’s track and field team. Could you tell me about how you fit that in with your studies and research?

I’ve been on the track and field team ever since I came to NDSU. They haven’t sent me home yet (laughs). I love it — we have awesome coaches, an amazing team to practice with every day. It’s one of the highlights of my days. Balancing track with everything else definitely keeps you disciplined, but it’s totally worth it.

I get to do the sport I love.

Any final thoughts on the McNair Scholars Program?

It can honestly be a huge asset. When you read the brochure, you see, “Oh, it can help me with this and this.” But when you actually get involved with the program and get into the research, it’s amazing how many doors open up and how many connections you make. For anyone who is interested in the program, Anna Sheppard is a great resource for any questions.

Berghuis is planning on pursuing a doctorate in plant pathology after he graduates. He hopes to have the opportunity to work in the academic world.