Father Daughter Duo Pursue Same Degree at UNCW

A father and daughter, Steve Cada and Aidyn Cada, are experiencing the academic journey side by side. They are taking the same classes, studying for the same exams and pursing the same degree at UNC Wilmington. Steve, who lives in Raleigh, is in the Master of Science in Clinical Research and Product Development program. Aidyn, who also resides in Raleigh, completed her Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Research Operations in December and immediately applied to the MS program, gaining acceptance in January.

In 1996, Steve earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Winona State University, where he met his wife, Karie. Afterward, Karie became a clinical research associate (CRA), while Steve chose to become a stay-at-home father. Several years later, Steve teamed up with Karie and started Cada Scientific Research Consultants, an independent consulting group to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry focused on phase II-IV clinical trials. Karie focused on the clinical research aspect while Steve played a supporting role on the business side.

Karie was diagnosed with a rare, but aggressive form of cancer – cholangiocarcinoma – in December 2021 and passed away in October 2022. Aidyn and Steve decided to pursue a graduate degree in clinical research at UNCW to open up new professional opportunities and honor Karie’s legacy. “I think about her daily,” Steve said. “There are different things that she's taught me and she's still helping me to this day and helping me learn.”

Throughout this process, Steve and Aidyn have found themselves taking the same classes, a situation that both father and daughter have found amusing. "We thought that was fun. We like to compare grades and ask each other what we got on this or that,” Steve said. For him, returning to an educational environment for the first time in over many years has proven to be a challenging experience. “I hadn’t written a paper in 20 years,” Steve said. “I had to relearn how to properly cite sources and structure academic work,” he said. Aidyn, more accustomed to these skills, has been able to assist her father in navigating these tools. “It was a bit overwhelming, but I made it through,” Steve said.

On the flipside, Steve has been able to offer his real-world experience within the clinical research industry to Aidyn. One of these many experiences include a deep involvement in preparing clinical trial documentation for FDA approval, such as the anti-depressant drug Zoloft. "It’s an amazing feeling to see this come to the market after all the work we did behind the scenes. You know you played a part in helping improve people’s lives," he said.

Looking ahead to the future, Steve and Aidyn are setting goals and crafting plans for their next steps. Steve plans to continue working in clinical research, potentially as a CRA or in project management. Aidyn is considering roles as a clinical research coordinator with the goal of eventually taking over the company that her parents built two decades ago. “It's nice to look to the future with my mom in my back pocket pushing me to do it. I know she'd be proud of me,” Aidyn said.