About Samara:

I graduated with my BBA in Accounting from Radford University in May 2005. We both moved up to Alexandria, VA to start our new jobs. I worked for two years as a tax accountant in Tyson’s Corner. After living in the daily rush of NOVA – with the traffic and the high rises – I was ready to return home to Blacksburg. For two years, I worked as a governmental auditor at Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates in Christiansburg, VA. After traveling all over Southwest Virginia for two years, I was ready for a job with no travel! All this travel time did give me time to study and pass the CPA exam! I’m now working in the Sponsored Programs and Grants Management Office at Radford University as the Pre-Award Financial Specialist. I love it! We bought a townhouse in Christiansburg and love painting and doing small house projects. We also started volunteering at the humane society and have adopted a small army of cats.

About Bill:

Bill went to Virginia Tech for his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He graduated with his MBA in May 2005 as well. As a consultant, Bill worked on projects in both Maryland and Washington, DC during the two years we were living in NOVA. Bill interviewed for a job at Radford University in December of 2006, but we thought it was a long shot. Little did we know- 3 months later he would be moving back to Blacksburg. He’s now currently working as the IT Auditor for Radford University.

How we met:

We met in Blacksburg when Bill returned to Virginia Tech to pursue his MBA. I was friends with his younger brother, Chris, who I met at my Radford orientation the summer before I began college. When Bill moved back to Blacksburg to go to grad school, Chris and I went over to help him move in. A year later, we saw each other in Hokie House and started talking. Soon, we had our first date at Macado’s and it’s all history from there!

How we got engaged:

On January 6th, 2007, Bill and I went out to dinner at Matchbox, a restaurant in DC he and his coworkers went to for lunch all the time. It was so nice outside that we sat on the patio! Then, camera in hand, we set off to see DC at night. Of course – that’s all I thought we were doing! We both went to see the White House up close for the first time, and continued onto the ice skating rink set up in the Botanical Gardens for the winter. We sat for a while watching all the folks trying to ice skate. We decided to press on and see the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. We passed the Monument, and continued on the Mall towards the Capitol. It was getting late, and Bill stopped under a light post to “tie his shoe.” Then he pulled out the ring and proposed on the Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. I started crying (of course) – and said YES! We hurried back to the nearest metro station to ride back to our apartment in Arlington – to call everyone and tell them the good news!