After Lewis & Clark

Chemistry graduates from Lewis & Clark have embarked on a variety of paths. In the past few years, Lewis & Clark chemistry graduates have gone on to positions with companies such as Schrödinger and FEI, and some have even joined Teach for America. Many have gone on to graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry at institutions such as the University of Washington, the University of California San Francisco, the University of California Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin, and many more. Other students have gone on to study medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy at institutions such as Northwestern University and Oregon Health & Science University. Listed below are just a few examples of what our graduates have been up to after Lewis & Clark College.

Alumni Profiles

Alli Akagi, ‘09
Chemical Biology Ph.D. program at Caltech

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

Prior to starting my graduate studies, I was a Teach For America corps member in Chicago for two years. I taught high school chemistry and biology while also earning my M.A. in teaching from National-Louis University. The Lewis & Clark chemistry department has the best professors I’ve ever had the opportunity to take classes from. Their commitment to education and each student’s success goes above and beyond anything else I’ve seen. Not only did they prepare me for my graduate studies by helping me master content and theory, but they helped me develop strong skills in presentation, communication and leadership. I would not be where I am today without the L&C chemistry department.

 

Kyle Thompson, ‘09
•    Adjunct faculty at Lewis & Clark College
•    Visual artist
•    Co-founder and director at 12128 in   Portland, OR
•    Commercial fisherman, Gulf of Alaska 

I came out of my undergraduate studies at Lewis & Clark as a product of both the art and chemistry departments. I’m still dedicated to these extremes of the intellectual spectrum, and I divide my time between working in the Chemistry Department and furthering my artistic practice. The past few years since graduating have been productive. With three other LC alumni, I have developed an exhibition space for contemporary art on a 135-foot decommissioned crabbing vessel. This space—which goes by the name of 12128 and is moored near Sauvie Island—has been successful on both a local and national scale, and we continue to show challenging work from young, progressive artists.

Lewis & Clark fostered the type of intellectual thought that I thrive on—varied, collaborative, and energetic. I gained a lot from the ability to develop connections between disparate fields of study. The chemistry and art departments are fully engaged with their students, and the faculty that comprise each are passionate, wildly creative, and inspiring. This was an enormous benefit to my undergraduate studies, and it is now a great pleasure to work alongside such people. Lewis & Clark does a wonderful job of maintaining an open exchange of thought, with collaborative efforts between departments and classes that span more than one distinct field of study. It has made a lasting impact on the way that I perceive intellectual communication; I draw heavily on chemical and physical theory in my artistic work, and also encourage creative, abstract thought in the classes that I teach. This commutative quality is a beautiful feature of the academic environment at Lewis & Clark.

 

Curtis Smith, ‘10
Inspection Technician with Genentech, Inc. 

Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Pi Sigma

After graduating in December 2010, I spent time coaching Track & Field here at Lewis & Clark and helped organize multiple Track & Field events during the summer. I started with Genentech in June 2011 in their marketed packaging division and was hired on full-time in January 2012 to my current position.  My education at Lewis & Clark provided me with the skills to critically analyze situations, to creatively solve problems, and to communicate effectively with many types of people. My experience in athletics also taught me leadership skills and teamwork, skills I use every day in what I do.

 

Peter Ray, ‘10
Inspection Technician at Genentech Inc., a biotech pharmaceutical company located in Hillsboro 

After graduation I was an intern at FEI Company, in Hillsboro. FEI is a leading diversified scientific instrumentation company. It is a premier provider of electron and ion beam microscopes, which provide powerful instruments for nanoscale applications across many industries. At FEI I was a research and development intern in the Beam Technology Department, doing research on the Schottky emitters used for the electron sources in the microscopes. After the FEI internship I started at Genentech as a regular employee as a final drug inspector, providing quality assurance and compliance with FDA regulations.

My L&C education has provided me a great scientific background, allowing me to excel in many diversified industry settings, ranging from materials science to pharmaceuticals. The heavy hands-on lab setting at L&C has developed a strong familiarity with high tech instruments that are widely used in industry. The fellow chemistry alumni coworkers that I have had the privilege to work with have all been great innovators and Pioneers, while becoming valuable assets for companies.

 

Devon Baker, ‘11
M.D. program at University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix Campus 

After I graduated from Lewis & Clark, I spent the year working for the City of Beaverton and volunteering at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. I also took the MCAT after I graduated. I think that the L&C chemistry education prepared me for the subjects on the MCAT. I spent a lot of time studying but also felt that I had good background knowledge in the subjects covered on the test. The L&C chemistry program also provided research experience, which impressed the admissions committee at the University of Arizona.