Colonial Love Q & A: Jelle & Amanda

 

Thanks to Amanda Quintana, MSPH, MPH ’16, and Jelle Barkema, ESIA MA ’16, for sharing their story with us!

Where did you meet on campus? We met off-campus at a campus sponsored event by the Elliott School GSF organization called TNOs or Thursday Night Out. It was my first time attending a TNO since I went to Milken Institute School of Public Health and it’s where I met the majority of my good friends today!

What were your first impressions of each other? Well, my first impression of him was “wow he is handsome, very smart and a nice guy!”, but I was not looking to date anyone at the time. He however, was quite smitten by me. He definitely initiated the next steps.

What only-at-GW moment did you share as a couple? Well I worked for the MSSC as the Latino Program Coordinator so I invited him to many on campus events! We went to midnight breakfast, Latino Heritage Celebration Finale, saw the LHC and BHC speakers, spoken word, and South Asia Celebration events. I’d say a memorable only-at-GW moment was the PHSA Gala at the top of Old Ebbitt Grill. We had an amazing view of the White House, had amazing food, met some pretty awesome people and it was our first “couple selfie.” 🙂

Tell us about your last visit to GW together or how GW has remained important in your life. Our last visit to GW together had to be to move me off campus which was bittersweet. I lived pretty much on campus, was extremely involved at my school as part of the PHSA board both years of my master’s at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, my jobs were on campus, and all of our friends went to graduate school with us. We always hung out on campus. Whether that was at Gelman library, our friend’s apartments, the Marvin Center, or graduating on the National Mall together. Whether it was before or after classes, on the weekend or late nights, our entire graduate school experience was GW. It’s an experience we are both so thankful to have.

Anything else you want to share? We are both thankful for the “GW experience.” We have awesome careers thanks to our education and professors at GW, lifelong friends, and of course, each other.

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