by Mary Spiller
November 22, 2025
Dr. Williams has built a career that blends rigorous research, education, and an unwavering commitment to expanding representation in her field.
When Dr. RoDina L. Williams looks back on her academic beginnings at Illinois State University, she recalls a place that nurtured her ambition and helped define her purpose. In an interview with Illinois State University on Nov. 19, Williams opened up about her journey. Now recognized as the first Black person in Illinois to earn a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS), Williams has built a career that blends rigorous research, education, and an unwavering commitment to expanding representation in her field.
“Illinois State truly shaped who I am as a person,” she said. “It’s where I discovered my passion and love for research, appreciated the importance of mentorship, and gained the self-assurance to aim higher than I previously thought I could.”
Williams began her journey as a transfer student, drawn to the university’s strong kinesiology program and the steady support she felt from faculty. The sense of community remained so powerful that she later returned to complete a second bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science. “I found the same sense of community and purpose when I returned,” she recalled. “That constancy said a lot about the type of place ISU is.”
Throughout her studies, faculty members played a pivotal role in shaping her academic path. She credits Dr. Pete Smith from the School of Kinesiology and Recreation as the first person to introduce her to formal research. Dr. Dale Brown, she said, helped her understand how connecting 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 offered another layer of mentorship. Williams says Dr. Lori Woeste helped her grasp the interconnectedness of the discipline’s many subspecialties. And Dr. Beverly Barham, a long-standing mentor, continually encouraged her to pursue opportunities that pushed her forward in the field.
Achieving 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 receive a doctorate in clinical laboratory science,” she said. She emphasizes that the achievement goes beyond personal accomplishment—it’s about making space for young scientists who rarely see themselves reflected in laboratory medicine. “There are still very few Black professionals, and that lack of representation can make it hard for students of color to see themselves in the field. So, for me, earning this degree was about opening doors and showing what is possible.”
Williams sees mentorship as central to 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. Her involvement with the Black Colleagues Association at Illinois State is one way she continues to give back.
Outside her academic and professional duties, she strives for balance as a scholar, mother, and advocate. “I’ve learned that balance doesn’t always mean everything is perfectly even; it means being present where I am,” she said. Her son, Kien John, keeps that perspective grounded. She laughs that her family reminds her she doesn’t always have to be “Dr. Williams”—sometimes she simply needs to be RoDina.
Today, Williams leads medical laboratory programs at City Colleges of Chicago, overseeing educational, clinical, and administrative operations. Asked to summarize her path, 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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