Blending Science, Service, and Innovation

“Francis Tuttle opens doors in ways that you won’t even expect, but you have to be willing to walk through them."

Ilakiya Raghavendiran’s path to medicine has been defined not just by academic ambition but also by a consistent commitment to serving others. Along with preparing for her future career, Raghavendiran can be found building tools and conducting research to improve cancer care, tutoring elementary students, mentoring her peers, and more. 

With a clear goal of becoming a physician who blends scientific precision with compassion for her patients, Raghavendiran has sought out opportunities that allow her to grow, lead, innovate, and give back. One such opportunity is attending Francis Tuttle Technology Center, where she is part of both the Biosciences and Medicine Academy (BSMA) and the Entrepreneurship Program on the Danforth Campus.

The Edmond Santa Fe High School senior decided to attend Francis Tuttle to examine medicine more closely and determine what parts of healthcare excited her the most. She was also drawn to the hands-on and meaningful learning, close-knit community, smaller class sizes, and supportive environment.

“It’s a place where you’re trusted with responsibility and pushed to grow,” she explained. “I’ve also loved being surrounded by people who are as serious about their goals and teachers who truly invest in you.”

BSMA and Entrepreneurship have played a complementary role in her personal and professional growth. In BSMA, Raghavendiran has built strong lab fundamentals and learned to work with precision, safety, and consistency. Her time in Entrepreneurship has taught her to pitch, plan, problem-solve, and think strategically. These skills have translated to her work beyond the classroom as she oversees a nonprofit and a biomedical technology startup. 

Raghavendiran is the founder of The Humaniteen Scholars Foundation. This student-run nonprofit trains high school volunteers to provide free weekly one-on-one tutoring to Title I elementary students in Oklahoma, providing extra support to students in underserved communities. Currently, Santa Fe High School students tutor Charles Haskell Elementary students, and Raghavendiran said the organization is working on expanding access to serve more schools across the state. Additionally, she offers free SAT and ACT tutoring to the high school volunteers, drawing from her own experience of earning a 36 on the ACT. 

After presenting at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s Radiation Oncology Research Retreat in 2024, Raghavendiran took what she’d learned and feedback from mentors and co-founded HighQ. The startup creates software that helps speed up the cancer treatment process by making the clinical work more efficient. 

“Being in Entrepreneurship gave me the platform to develop that business, and I was able to combine those skills with the scientific foundation I developed in BSMA and that clinical perspective,” Raghavendiran shared. “Doing both of these at the same time at times can be intense, but it’s made me very disciplined and more confident in who I’m becoming.” 

After graduation, Raghavendiran plans to attend college on a pre-med track that focuses on interdisciplinary areas of study. 

“Long term, I want to become a physician who is both technically exacting and conscientiously human,” Raghavendiran shared. “I want to provide patient-centered care while also addressing health inequities as a physician advocate focused on understanding the social determinants of health.” 

Outside of the classroom, Raghavendiran is involved in student leadership and service activities, staying active in HOSA and DECA, including as a DECA vice president at the state level. 

She is also part of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Teen Leaders Program and stays connected to her culture through artistic expression. Raghavendiran has trained for 13 years in South Indian Classical Carnatic music and regularly performs, sings, and dances at school and community events. She also teaches younger students, which she said “has been a meaningful way to share my culture while mentoring young learners.” 

Additionally, Raghavendiran volunteers at a neuroscience and aging lab through the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and assists with research projects through the Stephenson Cancer Center, where she contributed to a clinical case report on a rare type of sweat gland cancer that was published last fall.

For Raghavendiran, her time at Francis Tuttle has provided a foundation that supports all of her experiences as she grows her interests in science, service, and leadership into purposeful, real-world work. 

“Francis Tuttle has prepared me to really step into new spaces with confidence,” Raghavendiran said. “I've learned how to think. I've learned how to learn, and while learning how to communicate professionally, I learned how to manage expectations and stay consistent under pressure. It's helped me build both competence and maturity, and I’ve learned that combination matters everywhere.

“Francis Tuttle opens doors in ways that you won’t even expect, but you have to be willing to walk through them,” she continued. “Try things even when you think you’re not ready, ask questions, use your instructors as mentors, and take initiative. You’ll leave with strong skills and a clearer sense of what you’re capable of.”