Valentines: Davina Durgana & Timothy Kaufmann

Davina & Tim

Davina Durgana, ESIA BA’10, & Timothy Kaufmann, ESIA BA’10 

Davina & TimConsidering both Davina’s and Tim’s crazy schedules and commitments, it’s surprising that they ever met.

Davina held eight internships while attending GW, and was the team medic for the Rugby team and a founding member of Phi Beta Phi; Tim, a Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, helped co-found the GW Veterans student organization.

But the two did find time to meet–on a triple date set up by a mutual friend. Tim and Davina bonded over their love of public service, and shortly thereafter planned a toy drive sponsored by the Fire Department, where Davina volunteered. (The following year, GW Veterans would cosponsor the toy drive).  Davina began helping Tim with his Hinduism class, and, in exchange, Tim helped her pick out shooting gloves and combat boots for a counter terrorism training she attended over spring break.

After graduating, Davina moved to Paris to get her master’s degree in human rights and a master’s degree in human trafficking. Despite being separated by the Atlantic, they continued their relationship.

“We spent every holiday we could together, and spent countless hours talking to each other on iChat and Skype,” Davina recalled.

Today the couple lives together in Va., where Tim works for the government and Davina works for The Polaris Project, while also interning at a high level in the federal government. When they are not working or volunteering, they enjoy playing with their puppy, Bailey, at their home in Virginia. Tim has started working on his master’s degree at George Mason University, and Davina has just been accepted into a PhD program.

The couple plans to be married in Holbrook, NY, where they both have family who are very active in helping plan the wedding, which will take place on July 6, 2013.  The bridal party will be made up of Tim and Davina’s “lifelong friends” that they met at GW.

 

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