UT Dallas Magazine

Comet Couples

Updates from Comets who found love while at UTD.

Editors’ Note: This feature appears as it was published in the spring 2018 edition of UT Dallas Magazine. Titles or faculty members listed may have changed since that time.
The Sustaitas

Congratulations to Joe Sustaita BS’07, MS’08 and Debbie Sustaita BS’01 on the adoption of son Kaiden in October. The couple, who met on campus through their involvement in FOCUS (Fellowship of Christian University Students), were introduced to Kaiden as a newborn and became foster parents to him. Still active on campus with FOCUS, the Sustaitas look forward to showing Kaiden their brick on Legacy Lane.

Photo of Christian Olivera and Annyoli Diaz

Christian Olivera BS’15 and Annyoli Diaz BS’16 were married on Oct. 14, 2017. The two met while working toward business degrees in the Naveen Jindal School of Management. Christian is working as a financial coordinator at Toyota’s North America Headquarters and Annyoli is a financial representative for New York Life Insurance. Happy Whooshes to this stellar couple!

Photo of Ravi Gattamaraju and J. Michelle Abuda

Ravi Gattamaraju BS’15 and J. Michelle Abuda BS’14, MS’15 had been dating for seven years when they tied the knot on June 24, 2017, in a ceremony in Denton, Texas. Best Whooshes to the happy couple! (Photo by Annie Shannon)

Photo of Melanie Loehrlein and Chris Loehrlein

Melanie Loehrlein BS’13 landed her first job as a general dentist in 2017 at the Ryan Dental Group in Allen, Texas. Loehrlein, who earned a degree in biology, is pictured during graduation from dental school with her husband, Chris Loehrlein BS’15. She met Chris during her senior year at UT Dallas.

Photo of the Candos 

Paolo Cando BS’05 and Czarina Cando BA’05, MBA’13 welcomed their first child, Alexis, in 2017, and are expecting their second in July 2018. #FutureComet! Paolo earned degrees in computer science and software engineering, while Czarina graduated with a degree in arts and technology and an MBA. She is a member of the web services team in the University’s Office of Communications.

Are you and your sweetheart both Comets?

Meet on campus or after graduation? Visit alumni.utdallas.edu/cometcouples and let us capture your cosmic love story.