Did you meet the love of your life while at AV? In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are featuring couples who met during their time at Mason. Take a look at the romance stories of Mason alumni, faculty and staff:
Lucia Sepulveda and Ricky Nuñez
How they met:
Lucia and Ricky met at at Mason during the Spring 2019 semester and had an instant connection. They would find any excuse to spend time together, such as dance events or going out to eat, any chance to get to know each other. Both Lucia and Ricky proudly hold degrees from AV. Lucia earned her master's in curriculum and instruction with a focus on elementary education in 2021, while Ricky graduated with a bachelor's in music education during the same year.
Where they are now:
Lucia and Ricky stand united as a married couple, their love story rooted in the rhythm of their dance and the harmony of their shared experiences. They have become inseparable, forever entwined as each other's favorite dance partners.
Vikram and Sanjivini Rao Khemani
How they met:
Vikram and Sanjivini met while in graduate school at Mason for computer science. They were both international students from India and enjoyed hanging out at Johnson Center, watching shows at the Center for the Arts, playing basketball pickup games at the Field House, and watching movies for $1 at the University Mall theater.
Where they are now:
Vikram and Sanjivini are now married with two kids— Anika and Arjun. Vikram is currently the vice president for the Defense Division’s Enterprise Solutions team at GDIT and Sanjivini is a solutions architect. As a family unit, they love hiking, kayaking, movie nights and traveling around the world. “We were blessed to be part of Mason’s vibrant community, which gave us a solid foundation for our future,” said Vikram.
Charles Nicholson and Setarra Kennedy
How they met:
Charles and Setarra first met while at Mason through mutual friends. Although it wasn’t love at first sight for the couple, they ended up meeting again two years later at a party in Dewberry and “something just clicked,” they said.
Where they are now:
They couple has been together for almost 17 years. They eloped at courthouse in Washington, D.C. and traveled the globe together, before finding themselves back at Mason in their current careers—Charles is a director in the Office of University Branding and Setarra is the assistant director for the Arts Management Program. They are also the parents of two small boys. Life has come full circle for the couple in many ways. “We're very grateful for the role that Mason played in bringing our two different worlds together,” they said.
Bobby and Bridget Dongu
How they met:
Bobby and Bridget met in 2006 and dated all through their undergraduate careers at Mason. They bonded over the storied #FinalFour run in 2006 and saw that lucky run as a positive sign for a long relationship. Bobby graduated in May 2008, and Bridget in December 2008. Bobby also went on to get his master’s degree in 2012, and they were married later that year.
Where they are now:
Through the years they have continued to attend Mason basketball games and even welcomed two children and made sure to include Mason in their birth announcements. Eleven years of marriage later, they make regular visits to Mason and take their children to visit the campus—mainly for the Mason Pond and the robots!
Ki Williams and Grace Foley
How they met:
Ki and Grace met during their freshman year at Mason. Ki, a community health major and Grace, a social work major, have been together for two years. Their favorite thing to do on campus is making a daily trip to the Johnson Center for lunch, and bonding with friends.
Where they are now:
Ki and Grace enjoy utilizing special perks from Mason’s Student Involvement office, such as the free movie tickets and discounted tickets to Hershey Park, which they used for a vacation getaway.
Yazmin and Tijani Musa
How they met:
Yazmin and Tijani met at Mason as students of the Early Identification Program (EIP). They were both working as mentors for the Summer Academy program in the summer of 2013.Their favorite activities included studying together, working with EIP, and eating at Southside. They were also Resident Advisors together!
Where they are now:
The couple completed both undergrad and graduate school as Patriots: Yazmin with a bachelor's in psychology and master's in special education in 2019, and Tijani with a bachelor's in global affairs and master's of public health in 2022. They have now been married for almost five years and live in Dallas, TX.
Want more My Mason Love stories? Head to AV’s Alumni page for more !