by Mary Spiller
November 22, 2025
Dr. Williams has built a career that combines rigorous research, education, and an unwavering commitment to expanding representation in her field.
If Dr. As RoDina L. Williams looks back on her academic beginnings at Illinois State University, she remembers a place that nurtured her ambition and helped define her purpose. In an interview with Illinois State University on November 19, Williams spoke about her journey. Williams is now recognized as the first Black person in Illinois to earn a Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) degree. She has built a career that combines rigorous research, training, and an unwavering commitment to expanding representation in her field.
“Illinois State really made me who I am as a person,” she said. “It was here that I discovered my passion and love for research, realized the importance of mentorship, and gained the confidence to achieve higher goals than I previously thought possible.”
Williams began her journey as a transfer student and was drawn to the university's strong kinesiology program and consistent faculty support. The sense of community remained so strong that she later returned to complete a second bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science. “When I came back, I felt the same sense of community and purpose,” she remembers. “That consistency says a lot about what kind of place ISU is.”
Throughout her studies, faculty members played a critical role in shaping her academic career. She refers to Dr. Pete Smith from the School of Kinesiology and Recreation as the first person to introduce it into formal research. She said, Dr. Dale Brown helped her understand how linking lessons to lived experiences made learning “easier to learn and more memorable.” She even jokes that she “borrowed” his teaching style because it resonated with her and her students.
Her transition into medical laboratory science provided another level of mentorship. Williams says Dr. Lori Woeste helped her to understand the interconnectedness of the many sub-areas of the discipline. And Dr. Beverly Barham, a longtime mentor, continually encouraged her to pursue opportunities that would advance her in the field.
Completing her DCLS degree became both a milestone and a responsibility. “It means a lot to me to be the first Black person in Illinois to earn a doctorate in clinical laboratory science,” she said. She emphasizes that the achievement goes beyond personal achievement – it's about creating space for young scientists who rarely find themselves in laboratory medicine. “There are still very few Black professionals, and this lack of representation can make it difficult for students of color to see themselves in their field. So for me, this degree was about opening doors and showing what's possible.”
For Williams, mentoring is a core part of her mission. “My success is not only a reflection of my hard work, but also a testament to the power of representation in a field where professionals of color remain significantly underrepresented,” she said. Your involvement with the Black Colleagues Association at Illinois State is one way you can continue to give back.
Outside of her academic and professional responsibilities, she strives to balance being a scientist, mother, and advocate. “I learned that balance doesn't always mean everything being perfectly even; it means being present where I am,” she said. Her son Kien John keeps this perspective grounded. She laughs that her family reminds her that she doesn't always have to be “Dr. Williams” – sometimes she just has to be RoDina.
Today, Williams directs medical laboratory programs at the City Colleges of Chicago and oversees educational, clinical and administrative operations. When asked to summarize her journey, she chose three words: “Challenging, rewarding, honored.” And for her, Illinois State remains a cornerstone of that journey – a place that shaped her, supported her and set the stage for everything that followed.
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