Penn State Brandywine is recognizing lovebirds this Valentine’s Day whose stories started at the Media campus.
Vinny and Bobbi Gallo (class of 2013), met at the campus gym in 2009. Bobbi, now Brandywine’s athletic director, remembers it happening during a volleyball game that Vinny was in. She joined the team halfway through the season and remembers having their first conversation then.
Vinny, now Brandywine’s head baseball coach, remembers it differently. Though he saw her in the game during a uniform exchange between the seasons, he remembers meeting her for the first time in the former cafeteria in the Commons/Athletics Center.
Some of their favorite memories together at Brandywine were going to the 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.
The two married in 2017 and now have a son and a daughter.
Terry and Leslie Montgomery shared in English class at the Delaware Valley Christian Church in their first year of college back in 1980 because there wasn’t enough room on campus.
Leslie had a flat tire during the first few weeks of the semester.
“I changed it for her, and that’s how we started talking,” Terry said.
They were good friends for two years, then started dating in their third year when they both went to University Park.
“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,” Terry said.
The couple married in 1985, a few months after graduating. They now have five children.
Esteban and Ami Munoz were on the men’s and women’s soccer teams back in 2015 and met when a mutual friend hosted a gathering for both teams.
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.
One space at Brandywine that holds special meaning 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’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, currently Brandywine’s athletic recruiting coordinator, was out of class for a basketball game, and Dionna sent her what she needed for an assignment.
“That’s how our friendship started,” 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 after Dionna transferred to a nearby university.
The couple got engaged at Brandywine in 2017 during the campus’ 50th anniversary celebration.
They married in 2019 and have a baby due in February.
All four couples said they never would have found each other if it hadn’t been for Penn State.
