Zeke Gillette
Student, Class of 2025
Hometown
Klamath Basin
gillette_ezekiel

Extracurricular Activities

Oregon Tech Nuclear Medicine Club President, Freewill Church of God in Christ Volunteer and Member

A Little Bit About Me

I am a junior in the Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Program and current president of the Nuclear Medicine Club. I was born and raised in the Klamath Basin and chose to stay here until the completion of my degree program. Unfortunately, my parents did not have the same opportunity that I have to pursue a degree so I will be the first in my family. It is something that we are all proud of. College certainly is not easy (especially in the competitive program I am currently in). When I am not immersed in my studies, you can often find me hiking or hunting in the scenic areas surrounding Klamath Falls.

Why I Chose Oregon Tech and My Major

I am a local to Klamath Falls, so that was my first deciding factor that steered me toward Oregon Tech. Additionally, Oregon Tech offered a degree in the same pathway that I wanted to pursue a career in, medical imaging. Oregon Tech also offered smaller class sizes in a bachelor's degree program that did not compare to many other colleges in the Pacific Northwest. The amount of software, equipment brands, and practices we are exposed to is, in my opinion, unique.

My Influential Professors

Richard Hoylman, Vannessa Bennett and Shirlee Templeton have been my most influential professors on campus. In addition to my program professors, Richard Carson and Bobbi Kowash have been beneficial in helping me decide on nuclear medicine. The professors in the MIT programs value the experience of their students. When the equipment was not working, they worked and found ways to ensure we still learned and experienced the curriculum in a way that increased understanding.

My Greatest Learning Experience At Oregon Tech

The unique individual experiences students are able to have in the classroom. During my first year in the nuclear medicine program, I was fully immersed into the field of nuclear medicine. I feel like my experience would have been different at another university offering the same degree. The professors here care and value the experience that they provide students.

My Plans After Graduation

After obtaining my degree, I would like to practice Nuclear Medicine at a rural hospital or clinic. If that is unavailable at the time of my graduation, I would like to work at a hospital or research center that specializes in theranostics. Theranostics makes use of specific biomarkers to target and kill various cancers while leaving normal healthy cells unharmed. It's extremely fascinating and close to home for me to be involved in a growing and changing career path that has the potential to make such a difference in a patient's life.