At 10 p.m., when many college students have called it a day, Sara Cate Finks ’27 is still waiting on worms.
The rising Kalamazoo College senior and distance swimmer isn’t pulling a late night because of an upcoming exam. The microscopic C. elegans she studies operate on their own biological clock, meaning experiments happen when they’re ready, not when it’s convenient.
It’s the kind of schedule that might overwhelm some students. But for Finks, and a growing number of student-athletes at K spending their summers in chemistry labs, it’s simply another example of the discipline, adaptability and persistence they’ve already learned through athletics.
Finks works in the research group of Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry, known affectionately to his students as Dr. D. Her project uses microscopic worms to study neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. By tracking how the worms respond to their environment, she can measure changes in memory and determine whether experimental drugs might reverse the effects of disease-related genetic mutations.
Her path to the project began with a simple question from Williams after she completed his organic chemistry course.
“How do you feel about worms?” He asked.
“Worms are fine,” Finks replied.
That answer launched a research experience that now shapes her summers, informs her academic future and serves as the foundation for her Senior Integrated Project.
Finks’ willingness to adapt to unpredictable schedules is one reason Williams believes student-athletes often thrive in research environments.
“It’s beneficial because it just gives us another perspective on the student experience and how students are actually making the most out of the K-Plan as a whole,” Williams said. Their presence in the lab, he added, also helps other students see what’s possible when they pursue multiple passions at K.
Just a few feet away from Finks, two fellow student-athletes also are hard at work in the Williams lab.
Julia Kozal ’27, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, is synthesizing an asymmetric maleimide derivative, a natural-product compound connected to antimicrobial resistance. Her goal is to create four versions of the molecule and test how small structural changes influence its ability to combat bacteria.
Landrie Fridsma ’27, a softball player, is spending her second summer in Williams’ lab synthesizing chromone compounds that may help protect neurons from damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The compounds are designed to interact with receptors in the brain that help prevent harmful calcium buildup linked to neurodegeneration.
Although their projects differ, all three students share something beyond chemistry: experience balancing demanding commitments.
Ask Williams what sets student-athletes apart in the lab, and time management comes immediately to mind. In a research environment where experiments, reactions and data collection often unfold simultaneously, Williams said athletes arrive with an understanding of how to organize their schedules and remain productive amid competing priorities.
The students see the connection, too. Fridsma, who regularly spends full days in the lab during the summer, credits softball with teaching her persistence as much as planning. She also values the collaborative atmosphere among her fellow researchers.
With several student-athletes working in the lab, questions often get answered through conversations with peers before anyone seeks out Williams. Kozal traces her own approach to research directly to lessons learned on the lacrosse field.
“I am a very goal-oriented person, so having that and having determination, and not really wanting to quit ever is helpful,” she said.
Long days in the lab don’t feel unusual, she added. The same mindset that gets her through early morning practices helps her push through difficult experiments.
Finks sees a similar connection between swimming and science. Having competed for 18 years, she says athletics taught her to finish what she starts.
“Once I start a project, I need to get to the end of it,” she said. “It’s the same thing with swimming. Once I start a race, I have to finish that race. There’s no stopping halfway through.”
For Williams, their experiences illustrate the opportunities K students have to pursue multiple interests without having to choose between them—including demanding research and college athletics.
“Our students get a chance to do both,” Williams said.
Beyond the science itself, all three students describe the lab as a community built on mentorship, trust and encouragement.
Kozal returned to Williams’ lab for a second summer because she wanted to continue a project she had already begun. She credits him with helping students become more independent and confident researchers. Fridsma agrees.
“He definitely pulls the best out of each and every one of us, and he takes the time to learn all of us and how we perform best,” she said.
Williams sees those relationships as one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“I think they add an aspect of diversity to my lab in particular,” he said of his student-athletes. “It’s a lot of fun.”
For Finks, Kozal and Fridsma, the summer has reinforced a lesson they first learned through athletics: meaningful progress rarely happens all at once. Sometimes it’s measured in a faster race. Sometimes it’s measured in a successful experiment. And sometimes it’s measured at 10 p.m., waiting for a tray of microscopic worms to be ready.
