![\"Keaton](\"http:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/03\/Headshot_Keaton_Van_Thof_2024-scaled-1-240x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Keaton Van Thof arrived at NECC following an unexpected pivot. The 2012 graduate had initially attended an out-of-state university after high school, but did not find the sense of direction there that he hoped for. A move back to his hometown led him to explore more local options, and it wasn\u2019t long before he settled in at NECC.<\/p>\nHere on campus, Van Thof found the space and time he needed to explore what his future might look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cNECC gave me the time to realize what field I wanted to be working in,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat did I enjoy? What wouldn\u2019t feel like work to me? Studying at NECC helped shape my decision to work in eyecare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van Thof went on to earn an associate degree in biology, and from therecontinued his journey at Boston University. Now, several degrees and certifications later, Van Thof serves as the surgical specialist director at Glaukos Corporation, where he develops technologies that treat a range of retinal diseases.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am extremely passionate about what I do and love the fact that I can share this with others to change the world of eyecare,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Interested in hearing more on this story? Check out Van Thof\u2019s full interview here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":32743,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"issue":[769],"magazine-location":[662],"class_list":["post-34702","alumnecc","type-alumnecc","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","issue-spring-2026","magazine-location-magazine-other-list"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNECC Helped Me Get There - Keaton Van Thof \u201912 - NECC News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/alumnecc\/necc-helped-me-get-there-keaton-van-thof-12\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NECC Helped Me Get There - Keaton Van Thof \u201912 - NECC News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Occupation: Surgical Specialist Director for Glaukos Corporation Keaton Van Thof arrived at NECC following an unexpected pivot. 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![\"Keaton](\"http:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/03\/Headshot_Keaton_Van_Thof_2024-scaled-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Keaton Van Thof arrived at NECC following an unexpected pivot. The 2012 graduate had initially attended an out-of-state university after high school, but did not find the sense of direction there that he hoped for. A move back to his hometown led him to explore more local options, and it wasn\u2019t long before he settled in at NECC.<\/p>\n