Cameron Butka always knew he wanted to go to a small school that was close to home. “It’s kind of a funny story,” says Butka of Scranton, Pennsylvania. “The minute I walked on campus, it felt like the right fit. I always felt I was in the right spot.”
At Wilkes, Butka thrived, not only as a biochemistry major but as an exceptional student-athlete. His wrestling career is record-breaking, as he finished his senior year with the most wins in Wilkes program history (137), a new record for the most wins in a single season (42), four NCAA Division III Men’s Scholar All-American Awards and recognition on the national stage – not once, but twice.
In March, Butka finished second in the nation at 197-pounds at the 2025 NCAA Championships, his second straight year earning All-American honors, after finishing fourth in the NCAA Championships as a junior in 2024.
“It hasn’t really set in yet,” says Butka of his athletic success. “I set really high standards for myself. While I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, I’m still processing it.”
Butka cites the support of his mentor and coach, Jon Laudenslager ’99, as a key driver. “I placed eighth in the state in high school, but when I came here, Coach Jon told me that I had the potential to become All-American and nationally ranked,” says Butka. “I didn’t believe him at first, but working hard really paid off for me.”
“He came in, put his head down and got to work,” said Laudenslauger. “He always fine tunes his approach and tries things to get better and that is what ultimately got him to national championships.”
In the weight room and at practice, Butka emerged as a disciplined and determined athlete, as well as a natural leader. His highly organized approach to balancing his studies with his involvement in athletics did not go unnoticed by his mentors and coaches.
“Not only does he treat all of his classmates with respect and is approachable, but he applies a high level of discipline to everything,” says Don Mencer, professor of chemistry and department co-chair.
In addition to his participation in men’s wrestling, Butka’s also a member of the Chemistry Club, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and the Student Assessment Subcommittee. As for making the most of his time, Butka says it came with practice.
“It’s only gotten easier as I’ve progressed at Wilkes. I wouldn’t have been as successful as I was in my career if it weren’t for wrestling,” says Butka. “It really challenged me to be efficient with my time and to manage and balance all of my commitments.”
Being highly disciplined came in handy as Butka collaborated alongside faculty and student colleagues on a number of research projects throughout his time at Wilkes. With Megan Youmans, associate professor and chemistry co-chair, Butka worked on a project modeling sulfite oxidase, which is critical for amino acid metabolism. Advanced research skills like these benefit students by preparing them to succeed both in the industry and in graduate school.
“We’ve seen students come out of Wilkes and take on senior lab roles,” says Mencer of the University’s approach to nurturing competent and confident scientists. “We get students ready to participate in research group conversations and to actually do research so they can hit the ground running when they go on to graduate school. They’re well-equipped for the next level.”
Now that he has graduated, Butka will begin a PhD program in chemistry, focusing on medicinal chemistry and natural product synthesis at the University of Pittsburgh. He hopes that once he finishes his PhD, he’ll be able to combine the discipline he demonstrated in his athletic career with the knowledge and research skills he learned at Wilkes to advance the creation of new therapies in the pharmaceutical industry.
“You’re playing with the building blocks of life. If I can use that skill to make drugs that can help people with medical conditions where there is no cure, I can’t think of a better way to use what I’ve learned,” says Butka. “At Wilkes, I did way more than I ever thought I was capable of.”