Alec Goulet
Class of 2014
Alec at Dundonald Castle in Kilmarnock Scotland, where he got a private tour from his cousin who works there, while visiting for her wedding.
What have you done since you graduated?
"I went to Northwestern Connecticut Community College and took classes in general education. I then entered the nursing program at NCCC and got my EMT license during one of my first semesters. I worked as an EMT, volunteering with Winsted Ambulance and then I started working for VINTECH, which serves some of the surrounding towns. I graduated from the nursing program at NCCC in 2018. I met my wife Rachel when we were enrolled in the nursing program. We got married in October of 2020.

Beyond that, I started my nursing career in Anchorage, Alaska at Alaska Regional Hospital. I have currently been working as a Charge Nurse on the Medical Oncology Unit at Alaska Regional Hospital and I have enjoyed working here.

I moved up to Alaska because my grandparents live here. When I first moved up here I lived with them for about a year. My fiancé then moved to Alaska and we moved into our own place in October at the time of our wedding.

We live in Anchorage, which has a big city vibe. It doesn't give you the small hometown feeling like Winsted does. Anchorage has a population of 300,000, so it's definitely different from Winsted." 
Alec and his wife Rachel on their wedding day.
What do you remember from your time at Gilbert?:
"I remember all of my friends. I always was involved with sports, including track and field, cross country, and I played baseball for my first year. I stuck with track and field for my remaining three years. I also took part in the swim team. Sports was a big part of my Gilbert experience."

Do you have any other family members who also attended Gilbert?:
"My dad, Cy (Class of 1983) and my brother, Cameron (class of 2016) graduated from Gilbert."

What lessons from Gilbert did you apply to the real world?:
"To be hard working. I remember taking an AP class with Mr. Cooke. It was a great class that prepared me for nursing and getting into the nursing program. Mr. Cooke helped to support me a lot. His brother was a nurse, so he pushed me to continue on with that path."

Why did you get into nursing?:
"A combination of a few things. My grandmother on my dad's side was a nurse, and she always talked about it. It was one of those things that she always spoke very positively about. My dad was also interested in the medical field because he was a paramedic. He worked with the ambulance service as a volunteer in Winsted for a little while. That is what got my toe in the water with the medical field. I didn't know if I wanted to be an EMT as a long-term career path, but it was a good foot in the door."
Alec at the top of Hilltop, which overlooks Anchorage. 
What advice would you give current students?:
"Look at long-term career paths and go for something that you really like and enjoy, and then stick with it. I think one of my biggest and most important takeaways is not to underestimate your local community college. You do not have to go to the fanciest school to get the education you need, so many classes can be taken at our local community college. I was fortunate enough to graduate from NCCC with my nursing degree totally debt-free. This is not a luxury most students can claim. I work alongside many people who still have tremendous debt, but we still hold the same title."
Rachel and Alec at their pinning ceremony for nursing.