Ever since his first theatrical performance in elementary school, Williams, a senior in physics, hasn’t been able to shake his thirst for the stage. A four-year member of UMR’s Perfect 10 improv group, Williams shines in the spotlight. Maybe that’s how he became interested in lasers.

Williams, who calls Affton, Mo., home, is spending his summer researching in Aachen, Germany, at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology, where he gets to “blow stuff up" with a laser.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve tried to be just like my brother -- who is six years older -- only better," Williams says. “One of the best lessons he’s taught me is that ‘C’ students really do run the world, meaning grades aren’t the ultimate measure of a person’s success. Sounds hokey, but it’s true."

This spring, Williams took advantage of a study abroad opportunity, spending his spare time visiting places with UMR connections -- like Stonehenge and Dublin (on St. Patrick’s Day, no less).

Juggling time commitments isn’t new for Williams, who uses the improv group to take a break from math and science and to prove that “there are people on campus who can think with both sides of their brain."

“Extracurricular activities become a double-edged sword in that they are almost required sometimes to keep your sanity, but also become one more deadline to meet, and one more meeting to go to," Williams explains. “Handling all of this, which hopefully most college students try to do, is one of the most important lessons you can learn in college."