This spring, four TLU graduates received degrees in biochemistry. An astonishing seventy-five percent of them—three out of the four—will be going straight to grad school to pursue their PhDs. All three graduated TLU with honors.

Eduarda Stein Christ will be heading to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—one of the top ten schools in the nation for chemistry, known to produce many leading scholars in the field. “At the moment, I am interested in inorganic chemistry and materials science, but I am not a hundred percent sure yet about what labs and projects I would be doing/joining,” she said. “That is something to think about in the summer before I start my first semester!”

Gabriel Martinez will be settling in at the University of Texas at San Antonio this fall, where he plans to study synthetic chemistry. He says TLU prepared him well for this new chapter. “The small classes allowed me to get to know my professors better, which helped me develop my chemistry knowledge and go to REUs (Research Experiences for Undergraduates).”

Hailee McCulloch will also be attending UTSA this fall. She plans to delve into the field of drug discovery, researching treatments for cancer, taking with her all she learned during her years at TLU. “Each professor has taught me various skills and techniques that I believe have prepared me to take the next steps in my academic career.”

“I am incredibly proud of our outstanding chemistry graduates!” said Dr. Alison Bray, associate professor and chair of the chemistry department at TLU. “While at TLU, they demonstrated exceptional dedication, talent, and academic excellence. Now, they are taking the next step in their journeys by pursuing prestigious PhD programs in Texas and Illinois. I can't wait to see all they accomplish as they continue to make their mark in the world of science.”