Love is in the air at the U

Since its founding, the University of Miami has been the backdrop to countless love stories. Each couple’s story is unique. For some ’Canes, it was love at first sight; for others, their romances blossomed during walks across campus, at football games, over a shared passion for music, while studying abroad, and when interviewing for med school. What they all share is an affinity and appreciation for the University that brought them together.

Hover over the images below to read alumni-submitted stories of luck, fate, and falling in love at the U.

I am so thankful the U gave me an incredible education and my forever person!

Nina Tinsley, B.A. ’21

“Mak and I met on interview day for medical school. When he first asked me on a date, I (embarrassingly) said no. A few months later, I decided to ask him out this time. We’ve been together ever since! Our wedding will be in May of 2025.”
- Submitted by: Adriana Baez, B.S. ’19, J.D. and M.D. Candidate, Class of 2025; and Mak Djulbegovic, M.D. ’23

“Scott and I met in 1993 when ZTA and LXA were paired up for the Homecoming Parade. Our first date was the next day at the Homecoming Ball! We’ve been together ever since (26 years married, and 30 years total!). Now, two of our daughters are ’Canes! Scott’s parents also met at the U—in the lobby of Hecht!”
- Submitted by: Cristie Pecoraro Carter, B.S.C. ’95, and Scott Carter, B.B.A. ’95, J.D. ’99

“We were both in music fraternities (Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha) and involved in Frost Band of the Hour, Symphonic Winds, and pep band. When he proposed our senior year on Miami Beach, we were serenaded by his Phi Mu Alpha brothers as they sang a custom arrangement of ‘Marry You’ by Bruno Mars.”
- Submitted by: Alana Wegfahrt Dombrosky, B.A. ’15, and Bradly Dombrosky, B.A.M. ’15

“We met on a Thursday night in the Grove through a mutual friend. When he asked me on a date, I initially said no because I was busy with exams, volunteering, etc. Today, we are married and have a son named Sebastian (yes, for the Ibis), with another on the way! You can look for our brick on the Love Bridge on campus.”
- Submitted by: Jessica Corpancho Feldman, B.B.A. ’11, and Casey Feldman, B.B.A. ’10, J.D. ’13

“We were walking from the Watsco Center to Shalala and struck up a conversation. He lived two doors down and would visit me every night to play card games or just talk. He asked me out at the on-campus Subway (the epitome of romance!) the second week of classes, and we've been inseparable ever since.”
- Submitted by: Katerina Fernandez, B.A. ’23, and Nathan Fitzpatrick, B.S.M.A.S. ’23

“We met on my very first day of grad school. I was a student in Dr. Rothman’s film history class, and Scott was his graduate assistant. We had an instant connection. We also had a slight problem: he thought my name was Lindsey and I thought his was Justin! We didn’t learn the truth until about two months into getting to know each other.”
- Submitted by: Sarah Hartman-Naar, M.F.A. ’19, and Scott Naar, M.F.A. ’18

“Sterling and I met when we were partnered up on the first day of classes, and it blossomed into love. We tied the knot in 2023, and it was all made possible by the U.”
- Submitted by: Ashley Nettles Jackson, B.A. ’18, and Sterling Jackson, B.B.A. ’18

“We met at the UM v. Rutgers game on September 5, 2001. We have since traveled the world together, survived long-distance, and recently settled here in South Florida. We have been together for 22 years (married for 15 years!) and are now raising a mini-’Cane to bleed orange and green.”
- Submitted by: Rebecca Stead Schulze, B.S.Ed. ’03, and Matthew Schulze, B.S. ’02

“We met at first-year year orientation during a showing of “Jaws” in the pool. We dated all through college, went long-distance a few years after, and eventually got married in Miami on the 10th anniversary of our first date! We are happy to celebrate 15 years together (5 years married) as lifelong ’Canes!”
- Submitted by: Elena Kasparis, B.B.A. ’13, and Christopher Sterwald, B.S. ’13

“We met at a close friend’s birthday party. We talked all night—about our families, majors, and how we ended up at the U. Two weeks later, we started dating, and the rest is history! I am so thankful the U gave me an incredible education and my forever person!”
- Submitted by: Nina Tinsley, B.A. ’21, and Kason Kreis, B.S. ’21

“We shared a neurobiology class and became great friends. When I studied abroad in Spain, he wrote me an email every day. We started dating, got engaged, and married two weeks after graduating medical school together!”
- Submitted by: Kiran Sethi Venincasa, B.S. ’11, M.D. ’15, and Vincent Venincasa, B.S. ’12, M.D. ’15

“We met in 2001 during our [respective] first and third years. Now, we’re married with two kids!”
- Submitted by: Dana Davis Viggiano, B.A. ’05, and David Viggiano, B.S. ’04, M.S.E.C.E. ’08

“We met in August 2004. I was a junior, and Eric was a freshman. This was before social media, so I’d make a point to bump into him around campus. We got married in 2008!”
- Submitted by: Kate Mathis Walford, B.S.C. ’06, M.S.Ed. ’08, and Eric Walford, B.S. ’08, M.D. ’12

“A few weeks into my first year, I was sitting on a bench at Dooly when I looked up and locked eyes with a rather cute blue-eyed boy in a tank top. He stopped in his tracks, came over to me, stuck out his hand, and introduced himself. He later proposed to me on that very bench.”
- Submitted by: Mia Lama Williams, B.S.I.E. ’20, and Nicholas Williams, B.B.A. ’17

“We met our first week of first year only to find out that we had actually grown up a few minutes away from each other. We were in the same friend group all four years of college but didn’t start dating until after graduation. We’ve been married for almost two years now.”
- Submitted by: Vicky Pereira Wine, B.S.Ed. ’15, and Harry Wine, B.S. ’15

“Dad (Howard, B.B.A. ’72) often jokes that he married Mom (Lynn, B.A. ’73) because she was a diehard ’Canes fan who had her own football season tickets. They recently celebrated their 50th anniversary at the Love Bridge. My sister and I surprised them with their own brick. It was the most fitting place we could think of to commemorate their love.”
- Submitted by: Joel Zusman, B.B.A. ’04, M.B.A. ’06, and Kim Zusman Haller, M.S.Ed. ’00

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