Radiation therapy student receives scholarship from Elekta, ASRT Foundation

Jeremiah Reeves began researching health care careers during his senior year of high school and came across radiation therapy. The more he explored, the more he envisioned a career in a field with plenty of opportunities for career advancement.

Reeves came to Augusta University four years ago to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy through AU’s College of Allied Health Sciences. Once his cohort began clinical rotations, he knew he had found the profession he wanted to pursue.

Now a senior, Reeves is gearing up for his final stretch of classes and preparing to take the board exams. He’s also the recipient of a distinguished scholarship for students training to become a radiation therapist.

“Being able to work alongside the therapists and the doctors in that environment and getting to interact with patients sealed it for me,” Reeves said. “I knew this was where I am supposed to be. I know we are helping people and are doing good work.”

Reeves gives a lot of credit to his professors for how well they have prepared him and his classmates for the job ahead. They have challenged him to find new methods to study while expanding his knowledge about physics and cancer management and how they affect the body.

Reeves is also grateful for his mentor, Kevin Kindle, assistant professor and program director of Radiation Therapy. Reeves said Kindle is someone who “has this energy and a way that he carries himself that lets you know it’s OK to come to him with questions or concerns.

“Also, seeing another African American male in this field is a positive because it is not super diverse, but seeing him in this field and being able to talk about his and my experiences and being able to bounce ideas off of each other, it’s been great,” Reeves said.

According to the demographic surveys by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), African American males make up about 2% of the overall radiation therapy workforce.

Kindle, who is entering his fifth year as a faculty member at AU in the Department of Allied Health Professions, said Reeves has a tremendous work ethic and has proven to be a lifelong learner. Kindle has continually notified his students of potential scholarship opportunities, including several with Elekta, Inc., an international company focused on precision radiation therapy.

“He has the skills and qualities we look for in a radiation therapist; he’s very empathetic, communicates very well and is a great listener,” Kindle said. “He listens and then is able to execute. Being part of this program, he has been able to develop his patient care skills.”

In 2006, the Elekta Radiation Therapy Scholarship was established in partnership with the ASRT Foundation to assist six U.S. students financially as they study to become radiation therapists.

Reeves applied for and received a $5,000 scholarship. He knew he was under consideration for the scholarship when he was notified that ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, EdD, wanted to meet to further discuss his application.

“I knew it was a good thing, but I was also like, ‘OK, maybe they just want to learn something more about what I said in my application,’” Reeves said. “Shortly after the introductions, Dr. Pergola told me that I had been awarded the scholarship. It meant a lot that she took time out of her day to give me the good news herself.”

“It’s an honor to work with him and watch him grow. He never takes anything for granted and is always seeking more opportunities to learn more about the profession that he has chosen to go into,” Kindle said. “It’s always nice to have the opportunity to pass on some of the knowledge that I received, not just to him but everyone else that has come through our program.”