Sherwin-Williams Internship Builds Valuable Professional Relationships

Third-year Cleveland State University chemistry major Alyssa Kancler had the opportunity to intern with Sherwin-Williams’ Materials Science team over the summer.

What she learned will go a long way in helping shape her future.

“What stood out most to me about being on the Materials Science team was how versatile the team was and how thorough they were,” said Kancler. “I got to work and talk with a multitude of different teams in the building on a day-to-day basis.”

Kancler’s experience was made possible through the Sherwin-Williams Career Accelerator Chemistry Learning Community, a cohort-based program developed in partnership between Sherwin-Williams, JobsOhio, and Cleveland State University. The Chemistry cohort is run by the College of Arts and Sciences. 

The program is designed to equip undergraduate chemistry students with professional skills, industry connections, and career readiness needed to compete for and succeed in competitive corporate internships. Following a successful inaugural cohort, the program is continuing and expanding its reach.

Kancler said being on the Materials Science team at Sherwin-Williams taught her how chemistry can be applied in the real world. 

“Professionally, I gained experience working with people across different teams and becoming more confident in working independently and solving problems on my own,” she said. “My experience also helped me realize that I really enjoy the hands on, applied side of my degree more than the academic research side. Because of that experience, I now see myself pursuing a career in industry after graduation rather than continuing primarily in academia.”

This kind of professional clarity is one of the defining outcomes of the Learning Community experience. 

“Through structured workshops, mock interviews, networking panels with industry professionals, intentional work on personal branding and career planning, the program deliberately bridges the gap between academic preparation and professional readiness,” said Dr. Mekki Bayachou, Associate Dean and faculty advisor of the Sherwin-Williams Career Accelerator Chemistry Learning Community at CSU. “We want them to arrive with confidence and ready to contribute to the workplace from day one,” he added.

Kancler also stressed that a good mentor at the internship site makes all the difference.

“My mentor Aaron Soya was phenomenal and took the time to explain everything thoroughly as opposed to just completing the tasks,” she said. “The mentorship was another thing that made my experience at Sherwin-Williams so valuable.”

The mentorship Kancler experienced at Sherwin-Williams did not begin on her first day at the company. It began in the classroom, where cohort students engaged with industry mentors, participated in structured sessions and learned how to build and sustain professional relationships long before they join an internship opportunity.

“CSU gave me the opportunity to network with professors and classmates that had different backgrounds which helped me become more confident communicating and building professional relationships in the field,” said Kancler.

Kancler’s story is one example from one cohort. With the continued support of Sherwin-Williams and JobsOhio, Cleveland State University is committed to growing this initiative. “Our goal is to blur the lines between the classroom and the workplace,” said Dr. Bayachou.  “Work-ready graduates are not built in the classrooms alone. They need the deliberate investment from universities and industry partners.”