Michael Reynolds and Jenny Reynolds

It was 2000 and I was a fraternity boy, barely housebroken. She was a sorority girl, well heeled and full of life. I’ll never forget the first day I saw her. She was in the Student Union, eating a sensible salad from Wendy’s and sitting with friends. She caught my eye as I shifted through the room looking for familiar faces and a good place to sit and eat my $1.09 hamburger (UCF Wendy’s didn’t do the $0.99 menu). I sat at her table and after some idle chit-chat asked if I could walk her to class (I’d already missed mine). I said goodbye to her as she walked into her chemistry class and asked for a date. She gave me her number and said, “Sure.” First date was TGI Fridays. Like an amateur I ordered spaghetti and while fumbling through the date I realized that spaghetti was a bad choice. I hardly ate two bites and decided I would simply take it to the dorm later and gorge (I was really hungry). Several dates later she became my best friend. We exchanged love notes, sweet poetry on the windshields of our cars as we unexpectedly found ourselves parked near each other. We were never apart. I was very active at the university. SGA senator, UCF O-Team 2000, even ran for SGA VP on a ticket with some amazingly successful people. She was always by my side, cheering me on. She graduated on time and at the top of her class, and we married when she was 22 and I was 23. I went into the work force and slow rolled my degree, finishing it one class at a time when the online thing just came about. She always supported me and never waivered. We have been married 16 years. We have two beautiful children, 6 and 9 years old. We live in Palm Beach County and I have been an active part of the alumni chapter, even serving as a member at large on the board here. I own an insurance agency and have put my UCF degree to good work! I donate regularly to the alumni association, and my wife and I are fortunate that she has been home with the kiddos for the past nine years — the best job ever. I have so many stories to share, but I will leave my fellow Knights with this: There is no greater joy in life than meeting the person that will love and respect you forever, and it is especially beautiful when that person is the one that makes you realize you have done the same for them. I never would have graduated without my wife. She has encouraged me with love and compassion to be my best self, and here I am. GO KNIGHTS!