Dr. Fred Gletten Endowed Chair in Biological Sciences
The Dr. Fred Gletten Endowed Chair in Biological Sciences was established through an estate gift from Dr. Fred Gletten '71. Dr. Gletten's gift honors the foundation in science he received at Illinois State and will support the scholarly work of a distinguished biology faculty member. Gletten came to Illinois State in 1968 on a football scholarship. He majored in biology and initially aspired to become a high school biology teacher and football coach. After graduating with a degree in biological sciences, Gletten completed a master's degree in microbiology and a medical degree at Howard University. He later completed an internship, residency, and fellowship in gastroenterology at UCLA Wadsworth V.A. Hospital. After finishing comprehensive training, Gletten taught for more than 20 years as an assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCLA. He also established a successful medical practice in Los Angeles alongside two other gastroenterologists.