Penn State Brandywine lovebirds share their stories

MEDIA, Pa. — This Valentine’s Day, Penn State Brandywine is recognizing couples whose love stories began on the campus. Four couples — Vinny and Bobbi Gallo (class of 2013), Terry and Leslie Montgomery (class of 1985), Esteban and Ami Munoz (class of 2018), and Myeisha Matos and Dionna Aggie (class of 2015) — shared how they met and how Penn State Brandywine impacted their relationships.

Vinny and Bobbi Gallo

Vinny and Bobbi’s love story began in 2009. When asked how they met, the two had very different responses.

“The first time I saw Vinny was in the gym at a volleyball game. During my first year, I joined the volleyball team halfway through the season because they needed more players. I saw him in the gym working the volleyball game before I was even on the team,” recalled Bobbi, who is now Brandywine’s athletic director. “When I joined the team, I remember we had our first conversation. That was also in the gym.”

Vinny, though, recalled a completely different story of how the two of them met.

“The first time I saw Bobbi was in the gym, but it was in a very different capacity. Our fall baseball season had just ended, and women’s basketball was getting their uniforms while we were turning ours in,” said Vinny, who is now Brandywine’s head baseball coach.

“Bobbi was wearing a Marple shirt at the time, and I didn’t know who she was, so I asked someone on my team who went to Marple Newtown High School who she was. Turns out, Bobbi was his sister’s best friend. The first time we actually met, though, was in the former cafeteria in the Commons/Athletics Center.”

They said some of their favorite memories together during their time at Brandywine are going to Commonwealth Campus Student Government meetings at University Park, hanging out in the former Lion’s Den in the Commons/Athletics Center and Vinny announcing Bobbi’s basketball games.

Vinny and Bobbi got married in 2017, and they now have a son and a daughter.

Terry and Leslie Montgomery

Terry and Leslie’s love story began in 1980. The two shared an English class in their first year of college.

“We met in English 20, which was first-year English. The class was held across the street at the Delaware Valley Christian Church because there wasn’t sufficient classroom space on campus at the time,” Terry recalled.

“In the first few weeks of the semester, she had a flat tire. I changed it for her, and that’s how we started talking. From there, we were just good friends for about two years until we went to University Park in our third year. We started dating around that time.”

Terry recalled some of his favorite memories with Leslie during his time at Penn State.

“One memory that sticks out was going to football games up at University Park. It was really fun going to those games and hanging out with all the friends we made up there,” he said.

Terry and Leslie got married in 1985 a few months after they graduated. They have five children together; their second son, Timothy, went to Penn State to receive his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Esteban and Ami Munoz

Esteban and Ami’s love story began in 2015. The two were on the men's and women’s soccer teams, and they met when a mutual friend was hosting a gathering for both teams.

“During our soccer season, one of our mutual friends on the men’s team was hosting a gathering, and he invited both teams to hang out. That’s how we first met and got to know each other,” Ami recalled.

One of their favorite memories together during their time at Brandywine was traveling to the National Soccer Championship each year.

 “We have a lot of great memories together, but one that really sticks out is going to Nationals. We went a lot during our time at Brandywine,” Ami said.

Esteban said, "The men’s and women’s teams would always travel together down to Virginia Beach for Nationals. It was really fun, not only because we were together, but because we were also with all of our friends from the teams."

One space at Brandywine that holds special meaning to Esteban and Ami is the fitness center in the Commons/Athletics Center. Ami, who transferred to a nearby university after her second year to complete her degree in education, worked in the fitness center.

“I worked in the fitness center during my time at Brandywine, and Esteban always tagged along. Those were some great memories for sure,” Ami said.

Esteban and Ami got married in 2019 and have four sons.

Myeisha Matos and Dionna Aggie

Myeisha and Dionna’s love story began in 2013 in the Tomezsko Classroom Building. The two shared an English course together in their second year of college.

“We met while we were doing ice breakers during the first week of class,” Dionna recalled.

Myeisha, who is currently Brandywine’s athletic recruiting coordinator, said, “I sat in the second row, and Dionna sat in the first row. We first met during the icebreaker. Then a few weeks later, I was out of class for a basketball game, and since we had exchanged contact information during our icebreaker, Dionna sent me what I needed for an assignment. That’s how our friendship started."

Dionna and Myeisha said their favorite memories together at Brandywine included hanging out in the Lion’s Den in the Commons/Athletics Center and going out to eat at Olive Garden and Chick-fil-A. Myeisha also enjoyed having Dionna in the stands at her basketball games.

“Even when I transferred to a nearby university, I would still go to Myeisha’s games. Her mom and I would hop in the car and go on our little road trips together,” Dionna said.

Myeisha and Dionna got engaged at Brandywine in 2017 during the campus’ 50th anniversary celebration. Myeisha proposed to Dionna in front of the Tomezsko Classroom Building where their love story began. They got married in 2019.

All of the couples noted that if it wasn’t for Penn State, they wouldn’t have found each other. They all said that Penn State Brandywine holds significant meaning in their love stories. 

Did you and your significant other meet at Penn State Brandywine? Tell us about your love story for a chance to be featured in a future "Lovebirds" campaign.