Williams was also a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP). Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Chicago.

“The internships were much more than good academic experiences,” says Williams. “They were great life experiences too. They gave me opportunities to be in new places with new people, new technology and new opportunities for research.”

According to Karen Wendling, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, having an internship is key to student success in the sciences.

“Undergraduate internship experiences have been shown to improve retention and are an important ‘bridge’ into graduate school and industry jobs,” says Wendling. “For the undergraduate student, internships can serve as an important tool in deciding on a future career. If the internship is a positive experience (which it usually is), the student will then focus on a specific career goal and begin working in that direction.”