COD Alumnus Joins UIC at Chicago’s COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Team

College of DuPage alumnus Adrian Raygoza was working on his master’s degree in public health at Boston University when he got a call from a former supervisor inviting him to work at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine as a project manager for their COVID-19 rapid response team. In addition, he was asked to work as a clinical research coordinator for Chicago’s first COVID-19 vaccine trial.

When the pandemic hit, UIC College of Medicine was the only site in Chicago selected to launch biotech company Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine trial. The trial, being administered by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, will enroll up to 30,000 individuals for testing with a priority on high-risk groups, individuals with pre-existing conditions and the elderly.

In Raygoza’s dual role, it’s not lost on him that UIC’s vaccine trial could be life-changing.

“This vaccine may help change the world and put an end to this global pandemic,” he said. “But I have to think of this as just a normal job. I come in every day, and I work hard managing field testing, collecting data, managing logistics and helping with community outreach. I can’t let the pressure of what this might mean for our future seep into my work. I have to focus on the task at hand. Where can I help?”

The road to working in public health has been a long, and at times challenging, for Raygoza with many pivots along the way.

After high school, Raygoza enlisted into the U.S. Army, where he became a sergeant and served for 10 years.

“During the height of the war in Afghanistan, I felt called to serve my country,” he said. “Once my service ended, I realized I could only go so far without a college education. That’s what enticed me to come to COD to explore what my educational options were. It was also notable that COD has a magnificent track record of serving military veterans.”

Raygoza enrolled at COD with an interest in criminal justice, but he was surprised to find that his science classes immediately peaked his interest.

“After being in Afghanistan, I was still in a very militaristic mindset,” he said. “I thought criminal justice was the right path for me, but when I started my classes at COD, I realized there were a lot of similarities between my science and criminal justice classes. They both involve researching and investigating, which is what I have developed a passion for. When I became unsure of what path to take after graduation, my COD professors helped me in my decision to pursue science. They led me down the path that I’m on today by setting good examples with their own career paths.”

Raygoza graduated from COD in 2017 with an Associate in Arts degree in criminal justice. He transferred to UIC, where he recently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences. During his undergraduate years, he began working as a research assistant for UIC’s Division of Infectious Disease. He worked alongside teams of seasoned researchers who mentored and taught him how to conduct professional clinical research. He helped play an integral role in numerous vaccine trials, most notably a global HIV vaccine clinical trial.

Despite his current workload, Raygoza is working towards a master’s degree online at Boston University School of Public Health. He credits his passion to continue his education to many of his COD professors, including Biology Professor James Ludden.

“I did a study abroad trip with Professor Ludden in Canada for an ecological field research class, and during our week-long excursion, he encouraged me to go as far in my education as possible,” Raygoza said. “I didn’t even have my associate degree yet, but he knew I had the potential and the passion to do great things. A fire was lit in me after that.”

Ludden said Raygoza has a graceful way of pushing himself to achieve his life goals and is dedicated to helping others and society as a whole in the process.

“What amazes me about Adrian is how he has used his indomitable spirit to accomplish so much in the three short years since he took my course,” he said. “He has channeled his lifetime of experiences into a force of good in our desperate society. I'm not surprised that he is now pursuing an advanced degree and has loftier career ambitions. The sky is the limit for Adrian. He is a remarkable individual who continues to impress me with his academic accomplishments and scholarly pursuits.”

In addition to Raygoza’s professional achievements, he is a nationally certified peer recovery support specialist for Veterans Prevail, a cognitive behavioral change platform where military veterans help each other overcome challenges post-service.

“Through my work with other military veterans, I am able to share my experiences and find common ground that can help them process their time in war zones and life post-service,” he said. “There were many challenges for me after I served in Afghanistan. I have found it mutually beneficial to hear others’ struggles and personally relate to their stories.”

After completing his work on the vaccine trial team and earning his master’s degree, Raygoza, interested in a long-standing career in clinical research, plans to pursue a doctorate degree program in public health.

“There is still a lot that I want to accomplish,” he said. “I’m nowhere near my end game professionally. I want to get as far as I possibly can. No one would have predicted a global pandemic, but my global experience has prepared me to play a role in potentially ending the largest health crisis we have faced as a nation since 1918. I found my love for science at COD, and I will always credit my experience there to starting me on a career path that I am truly passionate about.”