Faith and resilience lead Radiro to a future in biomedical research
Kim Chaudoin |
For Vivi Radiro, walking across the graduation stage in May was more than the completion of a degree.
It was the culmination of a journey marked by perseverance, shaped by faith and family, and rooted in a promise made years ago thousands of miles away.
Radiro, who is from Kisumu, Kenya, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Lipscomb University in May. The milestone, she said, represents not only years of academic work, but also the challenges she has overcome and the purpose she has discovered along the way.
“Completing my undergraduate degree means so much more to me than just finishing classes,” said Radiro. “It represents years of hard work, sacrifice, growth and perseverance. There were moments when the journey felt difficult, but standing at this point reminds me that every challenge was worth it.”
Radiro’s interest in biology began during one of the most difficult seasons of her life. Her mother was sick for three years, and during that time, understanding the source of her illness was a challenge. That experience sparked Radiro’s desire to learn more about the human body and diseases that can be difficult to diagnose or treat.
“That was when I knew I wanted to major in biology,” she said. “I wanted an education that would allow me to make a real impact in someone’s life, and biology felt like the path that could help me do that.”
Long before Radiro enrolled at Lipscomb, the university was already part of her story.
Alumna Jen Radler (MS ’17) traveled to Kenya on a Lipscomb mission trip and met Radiro’s mother only a few weeks before her death. Radler took her to the hospital and, before Radiro’s mother died, promised that she would make sure her daughter received a good education.
“She kept that promise,” said Radiro. “After my mom passed away, Jen took me in and became my mom. To many people, she is Jen Radler, but to me, she is simply Mom. I will always be deeply grateful for the love, sacrifice and faithfulness she has shown me and for the way God used that connection to change my life.”
That connection made Lipscomb feel familiar even before Radiro became a student. She attended the university’s Summer Scholars program in 2019, an experience that helped her envision herself as part of the Lipscomb community.
“I felt genuinely seen, welcomed and encouraged, and it gave me a glimpse of the kind of community I wanted to be part of,” she said. “From that point on, I knew Lipscomb was a place where I could grow academically, personally and spiritually.”
As a student, Radiro found that growth in classrooms, laboratories, leadership roles and relationships. She was involved in research in the biology department, served as a Student Alumni Ambassador and later became a resident assistant. Each opportunity, she said, shaped her in different ways and taught her about leadership, service and community.
“My Lipscomb experience has truly been transformative,” Radiro said. “It has challenged me academically, stretched me as a leader and helped me grow in confidence.”
One of the most meaningful parts of her undergraduate experience was her work in molecular biology research in Associate Professor Amanda Williams-Bleiler’s lab, where Radiro studied Crohn’s colitis and intestinal wound healing. Her project focused on the role of Human Defensin 5, a peptide typically associated with immune defense, and how it may affect wound healing in colonic epithelial cells.
Using normal colon cells, Radiro examined how different concentrations of HD5 influence cellular repair and protein expression related to wound healing.
“This research has been especially meaningful to me because it allowed me to explore how molecular mechanisms can contribute to disease processes in a very hands-on way,” she said.
Radiro presented her findings at Lipscomb’s Student Scholars Symposium, where she received the Outstanding Presentation Award. The experience, she said, deepened her passion for science and reinforced the importance of curiosity, persistence and discovery.
Her time at Lipscomb also strengthened her faith. Being in a Christ-centered environment, Radiro said, helped her see how faith and learning can work together rather than exist separately. Through classes, conversations and the people around her, she was challenged to think more deeply about trusting God in every area of life.
“There were seasons in college that were difficult, and in those moments, my faith became even more personal and real to me,” she said. “I learned to depend on God not just in the good moments but in the uncertain ones too.”
For Radiro, graduation is especially meaningful as a first-generation college student. It is a reminder, she said, of how far she has come and of the people, opportunities and faith that carried her here.
“Reaching graduation means so much to me because it represents not only academic achievement but also everything I have had to overcome to get here,” she said. “It is a reminder that even through loss and hardship, God can still bring beauty, purpose and hope out of the journey.”
After graduation, Radiro hopes to continue building experience in biomedical or clinical research. Long term, she plans to pursue a doctorate in cancer or immunology and continue making an impact through science, service and care for others.
“I am excited for the next step and open to the opportunities God places in front of me,” reflected Radiro, “knowing that this degree is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new chapter.”