MSUnions: 2023 Edition
Posted in: Alumni News and Events
Alumni couples share a very special bond with each other: Red Hawk Pride. Being graduates of Montclair State – you just know what your partner is talking about when referring to a specific place on campus, a piece of history or tradition, or that professor who made an impact. College is an unforgettable experience that creates lifelong friendships and for some, a romantic partner. Love is in the air at our alma mater: there are more than 2,000 sweetheart couples.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, alumni couples shared how they met and recount their time at Montclair State University. Read on to find out more about each of these couples who’ve found true love at Montclair!
Tony Laurito ’90 & Kerry Laurito ’90 officially met on the steps of the Student Center in the Fall of 1988, but love blossomed while planning Fall Fests, Homecomings, and Spring Week Carnivals, all sponsored by “Class One Organizations of the SGA.” Surrounded by friends from their time at Montclair, Tony and Kerry married and took their wedding pictures at the University amphitheater in August of 1995. The many friendships made at MSC have sustained them throughout the years. Now they walk around campus as proud parents of a Montclair State University freshman (and parents of a recent Columbia graduate as well).
Nathaniel “Nate” ’21 Longmore & Trevor Kenny ’21 met just before they both began attending Montclair in 2018 and graduated together in 2021. They then moved to Colorado the summer after graduation and will be getting married this fall! Montclair was and still is an important part of their love story.
Photo Credit: Elena Plumser
Aviana Paraggio ’17 & Kevin Mcgill ’17 met in 2017 during their final semester at Montclair State University many months after their first brief encounter. Aviana played lacrosse and Kevin played football. Before they officially met, Kevin ran into Aviana outside of the school’s chiropractor’s office. Kevin was coming out from an appointment and saw Aviana wandering the parking lot looking for the entrance. Months after giving her some quick directions into the office, Kevin sent Aviana a direct message via social media. After several exchanges back and forth, they made plans for their first date, which was at Playa Bowls in downtown Montclair. The rest is history!
A lot has changed since that first date in 2017 but Aviana and Kevin’s love for one another has continued to grow stronger. Five years, four paws, three roofs, and countless memories later, Aviana and Kevin cannot wait to tie the knot together in front of their family and friends in October 2023!
Megan Rusco ’20 & Patrick Eskay ’20 met in the Dinallo Heights residence hall in 2016. She saw him playing guitar in the lounge and struck up a conversation. They began dating that year. If it wasn’t for her moving from Machuga to Dinallo, they never would have met! He was a junior, communications major. She was a freshman, psychology major. He just proposed to her in late 2022 in Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Of course, she said yes!
Kristofer J. Basmagy ’16 & Jennifer Basmagy ’16 met the first day of their senior year in January 2016 in Williams Hall. Jen lived on the second floor and Kris lived on the third. Despite having many mutual friends, they somehow didn’t meet until their final year. On the night of January 18, 2016, Jen was walking into the stairwell of Williams and found a cell phone on the ground. She brought the phone back to her room and answered an incoming call. She told the person on the other end of the phone where he could pick up his roommate’s missing phone. That person was Kris. They started dating two weeks later and have been together ever since. In the past seven years, they have bought a house, gotten married and adopted two beautiful golden retrievers. They are truly thankful to Montclair State University for bringing them together.
Tatiana Medel ’18 & Zabdi Medel BA ‘16, MA ‘19 met at a Latin American Student Organization (LASO) meeting back in 2015 when Tatiana was a sophomore and Zabdi was a junior at Montclair. Although only friends in the beginning, they were love-struck 6 years later as the couple would eventually tie the knot in 2021! Tatiana describes that “If it weren’t for MSU”, she would never have met her soulmate. Even after their student years, the couple continues to have a close connection with Montclair as Zabdi currently works for the University, which often reminds him of where he met the love of his life.
Are you a sweetheart couple? Send us your story, photos and information at classnotes@montclair.edu or complete our online survey. To read about more MSUnions, visit our website.