UChicago Molecular Engineering first-year Kevin Gibek first heard about the Pritzker Scholars program when his older brother was visiting colleges.
Although his brother went elsewhere, Gibek was taken with what he had heard about a program that could help him take full advantage of all that UChicago Engineering offered.
“What made me decide eventually on Chicago was the uniqueness of the molecular engineering program,” Gibek said. “It's not offered really anywhere else in the world.”
Gibek was one of only six UChicago undergraduates recently named to the Class of 2028 cohort of Pritzker Scholars. The competitive program offers funding for summer internships as well as mentoring from University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) faculty, customized 1:1 advising from Career Advancement’s Careers in Engineering adviser and access to career programming including workshops, alumni talks, and employer events.
“It's an amazing opportunity for UChicago students who are interested in engineering to get very tailored and exclusive access to select opportunities within UChicago PME to help further their engineering careers,” said Deputy Director of Career Advancement for STEM and Entrepreneurship Programs, Brittany Wisniewski. “They're able to get an open-door look into what opportunities are available for engineering students, turning those into a summer research opportunity or funded internship where they can take their careers to the next level.”
The six members of the Class of 2028 cohort – Gibek, Olivia Demarco-Kramer, Dara Benyacar, Yohana Eshetu, Hector Suarez and Josephine Davis – recently kicked off their entrance into the program with a special luncheon with UChicago PME Dean Nadya Mason, asking questions about building a life in engineering from someone who has been there.
“I always enjoy speaking with young people just beginning their journey in STEM,” Mason said. “They have an excitement that's infectious, and they give me hope for the future. Programs like the Pritzker Scholars support these young scientists at this critical stage, giving them the guidance and structure to best explore the opportunities the University and UChicago PME offer.”
Eshetu said that since starting her studies, her interests have moved into the university’s quantum offerings, housed in PME’s interdisciplinary quantum theme.
“I originally always wanted to study mechanical engineering, but once I got accepted into UChicago, I started to take a deeper look into their molecular engineering program at UChicago PME,” she said. “I saw that the program was new and that they were giving us a lot more leverage and hands-on opportunities compared to other engineering schools. That's what drew me here compared to all the other top engineering schools.”
One bit of advice Mason had was to enjoy all the university’s intellectual and social opportunities from poetry to ScavHunt, creating well-rounded thinkers poised to excel beyond the classroom.
“There are a lot of things to do at the University of Chicago, and Dean Mason gave great advice,” Benyacar said. “Take advantage of it and use this time to learn.”
“UChicago Engineering is a special place because of its interdisciplinary focus on real-world issues,” said UChicago PME Director of Undergraduate Studies Mark Stoykovich. “Pritzker Scholars, the Engineering Fellows Program, Careers in Engineering and our other offerings for undergraduates look beyond the classroom. We’re designed to help these young scientists change the world.”