CAREER REACTIONS
STEVENSON ’ S DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY DEVELOPS THE FORMULA FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
On a Thursday afternoon in April , Stevenson Chemistry and Biochemisty students and faculty gather in a Manning Academic Center ( MAC ) classroom for Cookies with Chemists . Launched four years ago , this is a popular weekly event . There are cookies , of course , but also games — logic games , strategy games , board games — piled on the desks . Students and faculty pull up chairs and begin to play . Cookies with Chemists isn ’ t really just about the games , or even the cookies , as the banter and laughter quickly demonstrates . It ’ s about community between faculty and students , between peers , and even between current students and alumni .
“ Cookies with Chemists is fun , so the students come back week after week ,” says Jeremy Burkett , Ph . D ., who has taught at Stevenson since 2015 and was recently promoted to Chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department . “ Week after week , students develop relationships with their professors and each other .” These supportive relationships , Burkett explains , help students feel comfortable reaching out to their professors if they find themselves struggling with a test , scheduling conflict , or even life and career decisions .
Building a close-knit community and human relationships , Burkett stresses , is the entry point for students ’ understanding that help and a dedication to their continued academic and professional success is always there for them . “ It ’ s hard for me to put into words ,” he says , “ how much this department cares about students and cares about the curriculum .”
THE CENTRAL SCIENCE Stevenson ’ s Chemistry program graduated its first students in 1998 and officially became the Chemistry Department in 2002 . Following the national trend in the sciences for interdisciplinary study and majors , the Biochemistry major was approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission ( MHEC ) in 2013 . The department now operates as the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and , since the founding of both programs , has graduated more than 350 Chemistry and Biochemistry majors .
“ Our students go onto a wide variety of careers in various health , food , and scientific industries ,” says Ellen Roskes , Ph . D ., Dean of Chemistry , Mathematics , and Physics in Stevenson ’ s Beverly K . Fine School of the Sciences . “ That includes our Master of Science program and careers in forensic science ; graduate school in chemistry and biochemistry ; and graduate professional schools , including medical school , pharmacy school , physician assistant , physical therapy , and dentistry .”
Roskes says that generally speaking , “ Chemists are people who like solving puzzles and challenges throughout their lives .” Maybe it ’ s for more than just community and fun that Stevenson students and faculty meet weekly for the Cookies with Chemists gaming . From the challenges of a popular strategy game to the challenges of human life — from health to the environment , from criminal investigations to cures for diseases — chemistry and Stevenson-trained chemists and biochemists play an important role in exploring and finding solutions to many life issues .
“ Chemistry is called the central science ,” Roskes says . “ It stands between physics and biology , and therefore touches everything in nature from the inanimate to living systems .”
FLEXIBILITY AND FIT This year , the Department launched a redesign of the major — a look back to the future , so to speak , on what the program does best to update curricula , mentoring , and academic experiences to strengthen career pathways for students .
“ We asked ourselves , ‘ Where do our students end up in their career paths after college , and what do they need to be poised for success after graduation ,’” Burkett explains “ We ’ re ensuring that our curriculum matches not only what they need to know but also the skills and mindset that students will need to pursue further education or careers in chemistry .”
In redesigning the program , Burkett and his colleagues considered three factors . First , they surveyed recent alumni , collecting data about what courses most benefited them . Then they developed a Department Advisory Board . The board includes employers , and Burkett and fellow faculty asked them , “ What is it you want from your job applicants ?” These conversations helped the program assess how to make students ready for the job market post-graduation . Finally , Stevenson took a look at peer institutions ’ chemistry programs .
The main takeaway from all this research ? One word : Flexibility .
Now , students can custom design the program to fit their specific career needs . For example , a student with an interest in food science will take courses geared toward that job market , which would differ from
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