This Valentine’s Day, we’re once again celebrating the love and connections that began at UQ. From chance encounters to lifelong partnerships, these stories remind us that the university experience transforms our lives in ways that go beyond education. A big thank you to all the students, staff and alumni who shared their UQ love stories with us!
Yinglin (Bachelor of Business Management / Bachelor of Education (Secondary) '19) and Johann (Bachelor of Engineering / Bachelor of Commerce '21)
Told by Yinglin
"I met Johann through a mutual friend in 2016, and we quickly discovered how much we had in common. Our conversations flowed effortlessly, and it wasn’t long before we started dating.
"During our university years, we joined the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) in 2018– I was Education president, Johann was Careers Vice president – promoting cultural exchange between Australia and China. We often reminisce about our study sessions in the Duhig Tower, fueled by bags of lollies from the lolly shop.
"After graduation, we continued to support each other’s dreams and careers. In 2023, we got married and commemorated our love with wedding photos taken on campus. Now, we’ve built a life together as a teacher and an engineer in our first home, where we live with our adorable daughter and a lively corgi."
Taaj (Bachelor of Engineering '15) and Cristian (Bachelor of Engineering '14)
Told by Taaj
"Cristian and I first met at the First Year Engineering Centre back in 2011. With Cristian studying Mining and me pursuing Geotech, we quickly discovered we had several overlapping subjects. Beyond our shared classes, we connected over our extroverted personalities, humour and love for socialising. We also realised we had many mutual friends in engineering, which only strengthened our bond. Countless hours were spent drinking Merlo coffee, pulling all-nighters, attending UQ society events and just hanging out.
"What began as a friendship evolved into becoming housemates and eventually business partners. I still remember when we opened our first business bank account, the banker asked if we were a de facto couple — perhaps sensing the friendship chemistry and our shared ambition.
"Today, we run a successful coffee supply and roasting business, a journey made possible with Cristian’s family ties to Colombia. We export coffee beans and distribute them wholesale across Australia. Merlo was actually one of our very first clients, nearly clearing out our entire stock during our first import! It was served in all Queensland stores in August 2024, including the on-campus shop at UQ, where we spent so much time. It feels like we’ve come full circle!"
Joshua (Bachelor of Biomedical Science '24) and Rebecca (Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) '25)
Told by Joshua
"I met Rebecca through being Leadership Volunteers at TEDxUQ in 2024. From being introduced as potential partners for event day, we fell very quickly for one another. We soon developed love for each other's passions and developed an incredible bond.
"We have now been together for about a year and a half, and have recently moved in together, setting ourselves up for an exciting future as aspiring researchers in biomedical science and psychology."
Michael (Bachelor of Science '07, Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery '11) and Geoff
Told by Michael
"Geoff and I met when I was on a clinical rotation in Mackay as a junior doctor. Geoff was a local accountant and had an unbridled energy and charm about him, which I found immediately captivating. We saw each other almost every day for the next month before I moved back to Brisbane. We travelled a lot between different towns as I relocated for work over the next few years. I've always been impressed at how personal Geoff is with everyone he meets, and try to harness some of his skills as a medical specialist.
"We were recently the first couple married at The Atrium in UQ Brisbane City. This is a gorgeous heritage-listed space, which served as our ceremony venue, and at other times a brilliant UQ Alumni networking area. Our wedding day was flawless – the weather was sunny, and we were assisted by a rehearsed events team who made the day feel special and so memorable for us."
Ella (Bachelor of Arts '25) and Joanne (Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) '27)
Told by Ella
"My best friend Jo and I met at a HASS end-of-year networking night in 2023. I distinctly remember seeing her sitting alone and I really wanted to talk to some people, so I nervously went up to her and started chatting. I remember thinking that she was a little weird but she was so fun to be around. We hung out the entire night, eating ice cream, chatting to different people and just getting to know each other. I got her Instagram and then the rest is history! We instantly connected and have spent almost a year and half now hanging out every week and annoying/loving each other every minute.
"We have shared so many amazing moments at UQ. From our first encounter at student central, to studying for finals in Mod West, lying on the Great Court chatting about life, swimming and doing handstands in the UQ pool, having the free union dinner (a must!) and even trying to chat up guys near Gordon Greenwood hehehe!
"While I was studying abroad in Japan, she came and visited me and we had such a fun time exploring the country together.
"I am so grateful for meeting her, she is my forever wifey best friend and I can’t live without her. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for our amazing friendship."
Told by Joanne
"I met Ella at the HASS end-of-year celebration on the 18 October 2023 at roughly 6pm. Those 2 hours or so went by so quickly and I left the event knowing that I had met someone very special. We immediately became close friends and continued to meet up on campus.
"There was never a moment where we were short of random side quests or weekend adventures. We move around clumsily preparing dinner, bowls are balanced on crossed legs; our knees carry the scars of our wild and thrilling adventures at Tallebudgera Creek; and our late night talks over FaceTime carry into the early morning.
"These are the moments that I will forever cherish, and it goes to show that you may not know who you stumble across in life, but some friends feel like family and it's safe to say that Ella carries a special place in my heart as a wonderful, goofy, energy-radiating and kind-hearted friend."
Shu Wei (Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) '18) and Jarod (Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) '19)
Told by Shu Wei
"Jarod and I met on the infamous Gladstone trip for second year chemical engineering students. I didn't have a buddy on the trip home, while he had many buddies who smuggled him on board. So he sat next to me and we just chatted for at least five hours non-stop.
"Strangely enough we didn't end up becoming best friends until third year, when we started studying and working together. Everything we did as a team just turns out better and way more fun. Fast forward to fourth year, we started going out. Further fast forward to December 2024, we are now engaged."
Lachlan (Bachelor of Arts '23) and Nia (Bachelor of Business Management '19)
Told by Lachlan
"Our love story began at Emmanuel College in 2016, during my first year at UQ. I quickly became part of Nia’s close-knit group of friends, which included her sister, cousin and other Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal students. We shared a deep bond as a community, united by our culture and our shared experiences as Indigenous students at UQ.
"Little did I know, Nia’s sister and cousin were secretly plotting to set us up. At the time, we were both somewhat oblivious – Nia even more so than me! Over the years, through studying together and being part of Goorie Berrimpa, UQ’s Indigenous student collective, we grew closer as friends.
"In 2018, we both found ourselves single, and our connection naturally deepened. I made my move, and this time, it worked – we started dating that year. As we continued to study together and support one another, our love blossomed during her final year in 2019. Balancing her studies and the excitement of our new relationship, we shared countless meaningful moments that strengthened our bond and solidified our partnership.
"In early 2020, I suffered a severe back injury that required spinal surgery. It was one of the most challenging times in my life, but Nia stood by my side every step of the way. Her unwavering support during my rehab and recovery brought us even closer. Just two months post-surgery, I knew without a doubt that Nia was the one for me.
"Although we were in lockdown at the time, I found the perfect opportunity to propose. Using the excuse of exercising to get out of the house, we went for a walk along the beach at Wynnum. As the waves rolled in and the world felt quiet and still, I popped the question – and Nia said yes.
"From there, we began planning our future. We saved for two years and married in a beautiful ceremony in July 2022, surrounded by family and friends. The following year, I graduated, and in 2024, we both returned to UQ – this time as colleagues in the ATSIS Unit. It feels fitting to work together in the place where our love story began, as I now pursue my Honours degree and we prepare for the exciting chapters ahead."
Sameema (PhD '20, Master of Counselling '23) and Hora (PhD '20, Master of Counselling '23)
Told by Sameema
"I met Hora in the level 5 kitchen of the Michie building. I had already been enrolled in a PhD since August and Hora was joining in April. It was the first time that I saw another woman of colour doing Philosophy at UQ.
"Our friendship grew and when our families met – our husbands also immediately fell in love with each other. Our kids formed a very special bond that is precious for both of us. I call her my unicorn, as I never thought I could find a Shia Muslim woman philosopher ever, and yet I found her.
"Our native languages are different, and we converse in English – yet we speak the same language and explain ourselves to each other in few words, sometimes just through gestures and expressions. We received our PhDs in the same year, went through the heart break of being unemployed after PhDs together and together we turned this disappointment into our fire for carving a new path for us.
"We did a Master of Counselling together. Again, we were the only philosophers in that course and thus the only two people who can understand each other. Now we live 15 minutes away from each other developing our own voice as CALD philosophical counsellors. Our lives are so deeply intertwined that it is hard to imagine our existence without each other."
Jonathan (Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery '12) and Kelly (Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery '12)
Told by Jonathan
"Kelly and I were both part of the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery program. We were in different Program-Based Learning (PBL) groups, but as luck would have it, we met during a skills session at the Herston Campus (the only time our 2 separate PBL groups would actually be paired together). She immediately caught my eye! I found out she was roommates with another girl from my PBL group, so I was able to invite them over to spend more time together.
"We shared our first kiss on Sports Day and the rest was history. After graduating in 2012, we finally tied the knot and, even though we loved our time in Australia, we both moved to New Orleans for residency at UQ-Ochsner. I continued on to Hematology/Oncology training, while she continued on to Cardiology training. We moved to Houston, Texas in 2019 and welcomed our son in 2020 and our daughter in 2022.
"We can’t wait to return to Australia for the chance to show our children Brisbane and where their parents fell in love!"
Francesca (Bachelor of Science '24) and Naran (Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) '23)
Told by Francesca
"I met Naran at the end of my first year at UQ, which was during the height of COVID. The campus had only just reopened, and I struggled to make connections. Being online for most of my first year left me feeling isolated, with no real friends to share the university experience with.
"That all changed when we met in 2021. The first time we talked, I was wearing a shirt with Schrödinger's equations printed on the back – a fun nod to my love for physics. I’ll never forget the look on Naran’s face when they noticed it; it sparked an instant conversation. We quickly discovered that we shared a passion for science, and soon, we were chatting about everything from quantum mechanics to our favourite hobbies.
"What started as casual conversations after class turned into long chats over coffee at the Great Court, and before long we were spending all our free time together. From there, it didn’t take long for our friendship to evolve into something deeper.
"Now, many years later, we’ve built a life together. I still work at UQ in the Future Students Department, and we’ve recently bought our first home together. Naran introduced me to Mongolian culture, and now, I honestly don’t know how I’d live without his incredible cooking. It’s amazing to look back on how something as simple as a shirt with an equation on it could lead to the most incredible love story.
"I’m so grateful for how UQ brought us together, and for everything that’s come since. We have both now graduated with degrees in physics, Naran in 2023 and me in 2024. At my recent graduation, we recreated a photo of us in the Great Court from Naran's graduation. The photos being over a year and a half apart really show how we have grown together, into adults with full lives, even if the background sandstone in the great court remains unchanged."
Melissa (Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) '07, Graduate Diploma in Education '10) and Alexander (Bachelor of Science '06, Graduate Diploma in Education '07)
Told by Melissa
"Alex and I met in 2004 during a 1st year Human Biology prac, where we serendipitously ended up in the same group (he was usually assigned to a different class).
"After some shy interactions all prac long, I found him waiting for me outside the door. We caught the same bus into the city and discovered that our music tastes, the sports we followed and our childhood backgrounds were worlds apart. Somehow though, we both felt an intense connection and chatted non-stop, becoming inseparable for what has now been 21 years together.
"We have built a life together as Science Educators, built two homes, have an abundance of animals and a beautiful 12-year-old daughter. UQ will always hold a special part in our hearts as our place of uniting. In fact – we are currently building an outdoor gazebo, complete with sandstone paths to honour that connection to the gorgeous material that makes up much of UQ's iconic buildings."
Megan (Bachelor of Veterinary Science '91, PhD '00) and Bernie (Bachelor of Veterinary Science '91)
Told by Megan
"I have been an undergrad, post grad, staff member, College resident and bride at UQ.
"I met Bernie when I was 18 and he was 17. We were in the same year of vet science. He was a quiet, cute, thoughtful boy from Redcliffe. I was a bubbly, energetic, interstate student from Canberra. We were friends throughout uni, dating briefly in 4th year for several months. The rigours of 5th year tossed us both around the country, but we knew we were what each other wanted in a long-term partner.
"At our graduation, we decided we wanted to be together but I was starting work as a vet in Canberra, he in Brisbane. Our first year was spent commuting up and down between ACT and Queensland to see each other.
"Then I got a job at UQ as a vet in the teaching hospital and we moved in together and got engaged in December 1992. Our wedding was in the Great Court in September 1993 and we just celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary.
"We now have two adult children: a son, Henry and a daughter, Natasha; both of whom have a love of life long learning! We also have two veterinary practices in Brisbane with around 30 staff and have both enjoyed veterinary science’s challenges and joys."
Peter (Bachelor of Dental Science '76, Master of Dental Science '82) and Edith (Bachelor of Veterinary Science '81, PhD '89)
Told by Peter
"Edith and I met briefly for the first time at the Queensland Art Gallery in early 1984, but subsequently started going out together when she was a Veterinary Clinician (now termed Clinical Intern) at the UQ Veterinary Clinic which was on the St Lucia campus then.
"At that same time, I was a part-time Lecturer in the Department of Social & Preventive Dentistry, located at the School of Dentistry in Turbot St (Brisbane City).
"One Saturday afternoon in mid-1984, Edith turned up at my Newstead workers cottage in a UQ-badged Holden Ute and asked me to have a look at a radiograph of a dog's jaw so as to assist her in the diagnosis of a case.
"After giving her an X-ray opinion, I took the opportunity to ask her out to dinner that night.
"Fortunately, she agreed and eventually love blossomed.
"You could say that our courtship commenced over a canine tooth!"
Bill (Bachelor of Science '68, Diploma of Information Processing '69 , Bachelor or Arts '74) and Elenor (Bachelor of Arts '69)
Told by Bill
"Elenor and I were introduced together by a mutual friend (Judy, with whom we have since lost contact) in the old Refectory in 1968 or 1969. We would often meet for meals in the refectory, as we would share a bag of chips (10 cents), a piece of fish (10 cents) and a drink (also 10 cents).
"Our friendship continued after graduation despite Elenor travelling overseas and working in Canada. On her return, we got engaged and were married in 1972 at St Augustine's Church in Hamilton where her parents were married, as well one of our daughters much later.
"We have been happily married now for almost 53 years and have three daughters (two are UQ graduates) and six grandchildren (one, so far, is a UQ student). We are both now retired and living in an apartment in central Brisbane."
Danial (Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours) '18, PhD '24) and Angelique (Bachelor of Nursing '13)
Told by Danial and Angelique
"'What does your research project involve – surveys?' Asked the lab-based PhD student to the clinical researcher. This was not the best start of the conversation, however she (the clinical researcher) realised he (lab-based PhD) was genuinely curious about what her project was about.
"We warmed up eventually and found out how much we both complement each other, like Yin and Yang. With both fields within the same broad field but with different implementations, we both got along with each other to understand the different sides.
"We both genuinely love each other with all the intellectual conversations we discussed, observations and thought experiments we made, with more to come in the future."
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