Welcome to #UCFLoveStory2025!

We met at UCF in April 2015 at a Diversified Greek Council event…after unknowingly crossing paths more than once. What started as a “summer loving, had me a blast” kind of summer turned into a lifetime. Over 10 years later, we’re married, first-time homeowners, and raising two amazing kids together.

It was my first semester at UCF in fall 2020 (yikes!), and I had just gotten off an awful date. I was feeling pretty low, but luckily my emotional support animal, Sully, still needed his nightly walk. I heard that some online friends were getting a drink at Burger U and decided it would be fun to take my dog to meet them. I also knew that the online friend I had grown closest to, Garrett, would be there. Since we had never met in person before, I decided to go, even though the walk from Libra was long.

At Burger U, I met up with my friends, and Sully promptly hid his nose right in Garrett’s crotch. I bumbled through apologies, explaining that he does that to me because it calms both of us (having an ESA with his own anxiety is great). Garrett couldn’t stop laughing. There were milkshakes, friends and this metalhead I couldn’t get my mind off of. We bonded over video games, science and psychology. We went on to serve as president and vice president of the D20 Knights for a couple of years. UCF brought us together to start it all. Our fifth anniversary is Feb. 6, and I can’t wait to marry the love of my life one day.

In the summer of 2005, it was instant chemistry when we first met. More than 20 years later, we haven’t stopped talking to each other. On our 10th anniversary, Sept. 11, 2015, we were married, and over the past 20 years we have been raising two beautiful children, Nirali and Hanif Jr., along with Domino, our oldest fur baby. One of our fondest memories is attending student union student nights during our college days.

My wife and I met at the end of 1970 while looking up our final grades on a list posted on a classroom door. It was our first quarter — not semesters back then — at what was then Florida Technological University.

We both lived in the original dorms, which didn’t have names, just letters: A and B for women and C and D for men. Dorm life made dating easier, especially since many of us didn’t have cars. We enjoyed on-campus movies, canoe rides, borrowed bicycles, hiking trails and ping-pong tables.

About 4½ years later, we were married. We later moved to the suburbs of Atlanta in 1989 and raised six children — four born in Central Florida and two after our move. Today, we have two granddaughters. Last year, we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a Disney cruise and stopped by campus to see how much it has changed. While we didn’t have cellphones or the internet back then, those FTU years remain some of the best memories of our lives.

Daniel and I met in a Burnett Honors College symposium called Caribbean Literature and Politics. I was starting my junior year as an English major, and he was beginning his senior year as a finance major. I took the class for the literature; he was in it for the politics. If it weren’t for that symposium, we never would have met.

We partnered for a project and made jerk chicken, and I knew this was more than just a cute guy. He knew I taught spin classes at what was then the brand-new Recreation Center, so he took a class with a friend. It was more intense than he expected, and he had to leave early feeling sick. I followed to check on him, and I guess his strategy worked — because he got a date.

We’ve been together ever since. I returned to UCF for my doctorate, graduating in 2011, and I fondly remember bringing toys and a play mat into the library quiet rooms while working on my dissertation and starting our family. Today, we have two boys, ages 15 and 16, have been married 21 years, and have attended most home football games — and many away games — ever since. If it weren’t for our alma mater, we wouldn’t have the life we have now. Charge On!

It was a humid evening during Homecoming Week 2015, and Minions was playing on a big inflatable screen on Memory Mall for Movie Knight. I brought a blanket for my friend and me to sit on, but we changed our minds about staying. She had friends hanging out in the nearby Towers residence halls, so I followed her there.

She knocked on the door, and Brandon answered. My friend said, “Hi, I brought a friend,” and walked in. I stood in the hallway briefly, completely taken aback — and the rest is history. Ten years later, we are married, have traveled the world and have so much more to look forward to.

I was just 18 years old in February 2022 and going through a really rough time. I had recently ended a toxic talking stage and changed rooms on campus because of bad roommates. I felt overwhelmed, lonely and honestly just needed something good to happen.

One day, I went to Reflection Pond and sat down, hoping for a miracle. As I was about to sit, I smiled at a cute guy walking behind me. I quickly looked away — and then, out of nowhere, he came up and asked how I was doing. We started talking, and even though it was short, I felt something deep inside, like my wish had just come true.

When I found out I was a computer science major and he was a computer engineering major, we bonded even more. It felt unreal, like something straight out of a Hallmark movie. We exchanged socials, and soon after, he asked me out on a bowling date. That night, we shared our first kiss at the bowling alley. Two months later, in April 2022, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

I never thought I’d find my true love at Reflection Pond, but he is the best thing that ever happened to me. We’re almost 3.7 years strong now, and I truly hope he’s the man I’ll one day marry.

Freshman year, we were both in the Libra Parking Garage elevator. We were both in Marching Knights, and I saw his instrument and asked if he was in band. I later saw him at rehearsal — I think it was the Broadway show rehearsal — and he was standing in front of me. He gave me his Snapchat.

We were friends for 2½ years before we finally started dating, and we’ve been together for almost 1½ years now. It was truly a slow burn, but I’m so thankful UCF and Marching Knights brought us together.

I met the love of my life in 2006 while working at the Oviedo Target store. Ryan worked on the sales floor, and I worked in the pharmacy. I mentioned a book I was reading for my UCF English class, The Kite Runner. Weeks later, he came back having read it, too. That’s when our relationship began.

Ironically, we attended the same middle and high schools — Jackson Heights and Oviedo. We met up on campus to study together and eat at Knightro’s, and we were inseparable. Early in our relationship, Ryan was in Drum Corps, and I was working with the UCF Marine Turtle Research program over the summer. He eventually went off to FIEA, and I went to dietitian school.

We tied the knot in 2010 and are celebrating nearly 20 years together this year. Ryan has worked for various video game companies, and I have been a registered dietitian in hospitals and nursing homes. Today, we have two children, ages 6 and 8, at Carillon Elementary School, and have recently moved back to this side of town — just 5 minutes from UCF. We’ve started riding our bikes back to campus to reminisce and recharge, grabbing lunch and checking out the bookstore. We also bring our kids to campus for sporting events. I love that our love story started because of UCF and that we are still part of the culture.

Michael and I met while we were both involved in the Student Government Association in 2018. From being on rival sides of an SGA presidential election to him being my cheerleader through my own Senate elections, we’ve been inseparable ever since. Nearly eight years later, we are now engaged and looking forward to continuing to cheer for UCF from the alumni section as we build our future together.

We were both Environmental Studies majors. He volunteered at the UCF Arboretum while I was an intern. We realized we had a class together and then, the following semester, ended up having multiple classes together. We’ve been together for more than a year now, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

Cristopher and I first met at a UCF basketball game in November 2021. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

My husband and I met at Rosen College of Hospitality Management. We had a class together my first semester there and interacted a few times through group projects. During my second semester at Rosen, we had another class together and recognized each other on the first day. We didn’t talk much after that until our class went on a tour of the Rosen hotel next door.

We started talking during the tour and eventually stopped paying attention completely, engulfed in our own conversation. After the tour, he walked me to my car and asked for my number. We met up at Halloween Horror Nights that night, and the rest is history. We recently got married in September 2024, and he is my best friend in the whole world. I’m so grateful UCF brought us together.

We met during the pandemic in 2020 when a mutual friend put us in a group chat with other UCF sports fans so that we could all pass the time in lockdown talking about all things UCF. We spoke in that chat daily for months and finally in December 2020 we met in person for the first time at a UCF basketball game (which we won!) followed by watching the UCF football bowl game (which we lost…) at a local bar. The next week, we went on our first official date and have been together ever since. On April 30th, 2024 (and many football and basketball games later!) we got engaged on a bench on UCF’s Memory Mall. On May 18th, 2025, we had our black and gold themed wedding with our bridesmaids wearing Canaveral Blue for a nod to the Citronauts. We look forward to many years attending UCF sports game as husband and wife!

Jose and I met in 2017 while attending UCF’s traditional nursing program. With a class of 100 women and 15 men, it was easy to spot his confidence, kindness, and charm from across the room! After playing footsies underneath the table during clinical post-conference and a few late-night study sessions, I knew he was the one for me. We graduated together with our BSNs in 2019 and married May 18th, 2024! Our time together at UCF was so special to us, we asked our critical care professor, Dr. Brian Peach, to officiate our wedding. It was so meaningful to have him marry us, as he was there from the beginning of our love story! We also had six of our nursing school forever friends stand by us at the alter on our big day (shoutout to Amy, Casey, Kim, Sam, Melissa, and Jocelyn!) Jose and I are now happily married with two cats, working as perioperative nurses in Orlando. We owe everything to UCF. Go Knights! Charge on!

I first met Armand in 2019 through the Filipino Student Association (FSA) at UCF. We had mutual friends, but we never really interacted. That all changed when a group of our friends decided to create a video series for fun, and Armand and I were asked to be part of it. We played characters who were childhood neighbors, supposed to grow closer as the story progressed. Unfortunately, the project was never finished, and that meant our characters never got their happy ending on-screen. But even though the project ended, it was the beginning of our story. I always thought Armand was cute, but it wasn’t until a friend mentioned it to him that he reached out to me, and we started texting. Things quickly grew from there. Not long after, we went on our first date, and since then, so much has happened.

I graduated from UCF with my nursing degree in 2021, and Armand graduated in 2022 with his degree in biomedical sciences. Through late-night study sessions, big milestones, and life changes, we’ve always supported each other in our dreams and goals. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so grateful for every step of it. Shoutout to our matchmaker friends—you know who you are! I’m so thankful for UCF FSA and the incredible people it brought into my life. Through those friendships, I met Armand, and what began as a fun project turned into something truly special. I’m excited to see where this adventure takes us next.

Clay played basketball for UCF and spotted Sarah in the stands. Mutual friends arranged a meet up at the Knight’s Out Pub. They began dating and these college sweethearts married in 1992. They have two children, Carson ’18 ’22MFA and Maggie  ’20. They are season ticket holders and members of the Shareholders Society.

Our love story began in 2003, during our sophomore year at UCF, when we crossed paths for the first time at Sky60 in downtown Orlando. We were both new hires working weekends together and during our downtime or between customers, we would crack inside jokes and engage in small talk. Within a couple of months, he asked me to go on a date; we decided on cheeseburgers and margaritas at Margaritaville, Universal (our names can be found etched on one of the trees inside). When the bill arrived, we weren’t ready to end the night together, so we continued our path down I-Drive ending up at the bowling alley (it is up for discussion on who won those games but I still have the socks!). The next morning, I called my sister, Alexis (c/o ’03), and told her that I was going to marry him one day (she thought I was absolutely crazy). Fast forward twenty-two years and three future Knights later, we will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary this March! Cheers to being crazy!

We met at UCF through a club we both joined. We quickly became running partners and would get all our runs in on campus. We became close friends through all our runs and started hanging out more. After a year of being friends he asked me out in one of the parking garages on campus and we got engaged 6 months later. Our favorite campus spots were the Reflecting pond and walking to Gringos and getting to participate in the UCF race and going to football games. We have been married for almost two years as of April. Every year we meet our friends for Space Game and at last year’s game we announced to our friends that a new little Knight’s fan was due in May 2025!

Kyra and I officially met in January 2013, so a little over 12 years ago. Prior to meeting, we’d occasionally see one another around campus as I frequented her job a few times. I quickly learned that she and I both lived at the Pointe at Central too. One Friday afternoon, after a long week of school, she and I both were on the bus together. I had an elaborate plan to get her attention once we exited and it DID NOT work. However, as fate would have it, I saw her later that evening; walking across the street from Campus Crossing as the mist of the rain was falling, I noticed someone from a distance. Hurried in my walking I noticed it was Kyra climbing the stairs with her same friend from earlier. It was a literally a movie-like experience, like a prince on his way to rescue the princess from the tallest room in the highest castle lol. So, from a distance I yelled “Hey, I know you!,” not romantic, but very effective at the time. She stopped long enough for me to walk closer and reveal who this loud, yet determined person was. I repeated more softly, “Hey, I know you” and she slowly stepped closer to me while navigating those yellow-chipped stairs. I asked her for her number, and we’ve been connected since then. We were married in 2017 and welcomed our first child in 2019. Thank God that we’ve not stopped making memories since then! #HappyValentinesDay #UCFLoveStory2025

Marilyn and I both graduated from Winter Park High School and went away to college, she went to Wake Forest and I to Lafayette. We had gone together in high school and broken up our senior year.

Her dad’s health brought Marilyn back to Winter Park and she enrolled in what was then FTU now UCF. I quit school after a year of playing football and came back to Winter Park to and was working construction. Marilyn was in Delta Delta Delta and a little sister at one of the fraternities. I saw Marilyn late one night at a Dunkin Donuts on Aloma Avenue with a date.

The next Saturday morning was beautiful, so I took a chance and went to her house and started tapping on her bedroom window. She finally came to the window, pulled the curtains back and saw me. She opened the window and said, “What are you doing here banging on my window this early?” All I replied was, “Let’s go to the beach.” She came back with “Are you crazy, don’t you know I’m involved in a serious relationship now?” I came back with “So what, it’s a beautiful day let’s go to the beach.” She said “OK” the curtains closed. I went around the front and out the door she came in her bikini.

We had a great time at the beach. I quickly realized working construction as a laborer was not a good way forward so I visited the local Marine recruiter. The sergeant there screened me and asked why I was looking at enlisting when I had a year of college under my belt. He convinced me to visit the Officer Selection Officer who was currently visiting UCF at the student union. I went directly there and next thing you know Captain F G Wickersham III had me enrolled in the platoon Leaders Program and had taken me down to the registrar’s office and somehow got me signed up to attend the spring quarter. Marilyn and I began dating again and I worked hard to woo her from all the other boys she still was dating. I went off to officer candidate’s school that summer. Marilyn attended the summer quarter and faithfully wrote to me while I was at OCS. I had had an offer for a partial scholarship to play football at the University of Florida by one of the coaches who had taken me to dinner prior to going to OCS. I was excited about the thought of playing football again, but Marilyn’s pull on me became stronger and stronger.

By the end of my 6 weeks at OCS I was determined to stay in school at UCF and win over completely Marilyn’s heart. Once the fall quarter started we saw each other more and more around campus and on dates. She gradually ended her other dating and we became an exclusive couple. We were engaged but her father, who thankfully had recovered from his heart condition, would not allow us to marry until Marilyn had her degree. It was BS before Mrs.! She graduated walking the stage over at the Bob Carr auditorium that summer of 75 and we were married that September 6th. I still had a way to go until I graduated but did do in 1977 where we walked the stage set up inside the drained reflecting pool! Here we are in 2024 still going strong, after 33 years in the Marines, four babies, 11 grandchildren and just months away from our 50th anniversary! Thank you, UCF, for bringing us home and together.

We met in the cafeteria where all the Lambda Chi’s were playing spades. We went to the White Rose formal dance, and we fell in love. Our 19-year-old son, Connery, goes to UCF now.

Phil and I met at UCF in 2012, both going to neighboring high schools in South Florida. Who would’ve thought we would meet 200 miles away in college. We friend-zoned each other for two years and then started dating in 2014. Little did we know we’d end up married in 2020 and bring our little Knight into the world in August 2023. We both share a love for UCF Football. We’ve been to countless games at the Bounce House and to at least five bowl games. Our daughter’s first game was this year’s Space Game. She loved it just as much as we did and stuck it out in the rain. Life would be very different if we did not have UCF in our love story.