When thinking about life after high school, Jeff Ragauskis ’11 planned to pursue music in college. As a cellist, he had applied to several music programs in hopes of becoming a professional musician, but decided to change course in his senior year. He says, “Music is a tough industry to make it in, which is a weird thing to confront at 18.” He adds, “Valpo was close to home and offered an opportunity to be still involved heavily with music in things like the Symphony, while still allowing me to explore what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It’s okay not to know those things at such a young age.”
Once at Valpo, Ragauskis jumped in with both feet, taking about 25 credit hours each semester and joining a variety of campus clubs and organizations. His parents affectionately dubbed him “Mr. Valpo” as he was rarely available for phone calls due to his busy schedule. Eventually, though, in his senior year, his schedule slowed a bit, and that’s when he met his future wife, Rachel, who was in the nursing program. When it was all said and done, Jeff graduated with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science, with minors in business administration, economics, and math.
After graduation, Jeff continued his education by earning an MBA from St. Xavier University. He ultimately began a career underwriting medical malpractice insurance, which provided an interesting parallel to his wife’s job as a nurse. Jeff and Rachel were married shortly after Rachel graduated from Valpo in 2012. They share two children, Kyle and Erin. Ragauskis says, “It’s hard not to think about all that Valpo has given to me, not just in a professional capacity, but on a personal level as well. I met my mentor on campus, who helped me get my first real job in insurance, and of course, I met my wife there too.” He adds, “The biggest achievements and the things I am most proud of in my life are because I found them at Valpo.”
One thing Jeff had long before Valpo, though, is a lifelong passion for the Chicago Cubs. Born and raised in the South suburbs of Chicago, deep in White Sox territory, Ragauskis hails from a family of Cubs fans, even becoming known for his fandom while a student at Valpo. He says, “I was known as the ‘Cubs guy’ on campus. I even attended a symphony rehearsal wearing a Cubs hat with lights on it on Opening Day. Not surprisingly, I was asked to remove it, which I expected.”
In 2024, Jeff put his passion for baseball to work and launched Bricks Behind the Ivy, the ultimate podcast for die-hard Chicago Cubs fans. The show features insightful analysis, weekly in-season recaps, and fan-focused discussions about all things Cubs. Ragauskis even dives into some personal stories with his listeners, revealing that he recently went through the loss of his job as a data analyst at Grubhub due to mass layoffs. “When the pandemic hit, I collapsed emotionally. There was no baseball, no movies, no live music–all things that I used as outlets in my life. At that point, I was still working in medical malpractice insurance, so I decided to make a career change to data analytics.” He explains, “Around that time, I also started going to therapy, where I received a diagnosis of ADHD and anxiety. I try to be very open with people about my struggles in hopes that it might help someone.” Ragauskis has recently returned to the insurance industry, bringing a fresh perspective and a sense of healing.
Not only does Jeff’s podcast endeavors help serve as a creative outlet for his fandom, but it has also opened up a new community for him. He says, “I’ve learned a lot about myself and I have a lot to say about a lot of things–and now my wife doesn’t have to listen to me talk about the Cubs 24/7.” Adding, “The podcast has opened up a whole new baseball community for me. Growing up in the South suburbs, I didn’t have many friends who were Cubs fans, so this has been really rewarding.”
Looking towards the future, Ragauskis hopes that the Bricks Behind the Ivy podcast will one day support his Cubs hobby. The recording area in his basement is home to an entire collection of Cubs memorabilia, including 28 baseball jerseys and 59 hats–and counting. “I love to buy Cubs stuff, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. If I could fund going to a game a few times a year and purchasing one or two extra things, I would be so happy.” He says, “Coming down here and seeing all of these things, it’s an instant dopamine hit for me.”
In addition to his podcast aspirations, Jeff also welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Valpo alumni in creating something special. He says, “I would love to create a Bricks Behind the Ivy roast with the team over at Yaggy Road. Their coffee is amazing, and I love what they do.” He concludes, “Being able to bring people together through Valpo and the podcast would be a huge accomplishment.”
Bricks Behind the Ivy is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can also catch video episodes on YouTube @bleacher_bunch_network.
