Tiffany and Robby Bellissimo are graduating as a married couple today (May 10)
from the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.
She’s an animal and nutritional sciences major.
He’s a forest resources management major.
The high school sweethearts met playing soccer and fell in love. They said their “I dos” shortly after Tiffany graduated high school in 2016.
As they look toward the future, the Bellissimos plan to travel before settling into careers.
How did you guys meet?
Robby:
We met seven years ago back in high school. I was a junior, and she was a freshman. We both played soccer. We went to our first scrimmage, and they were doing roll call on the bus. I heard ‘Tiffany Youngblood’ and thought that was an interesting name. After the game I went on Facebook to find her, and we started talking from there. One month later we started dating.
When did you get engaged?
Tiffany:
We got engaged in June 2016 right after I graduated high school. He was two years into college, and we decided to take a road trip together. We went to Ocean City, Maryland, and then headed north to Niagara Falls, Canada. He started acting all fidgety when we went to the Skylon Revolving Tower Restaurant, and he proposed there. We got married in September 2016 at Coopers Rock.
How would you describe juggling married life and being in college?
Robby:
Marriage can be tough and we both understand that. The struggles of being in college can be challenging, but it is also good because you can rely on that person to help push you through.
Tiffany:
I think it’s great. We have more great times than hard times. I think it’s nice to always have someone who supports you 100 percent. Of course you have friends in college, but sometimes they’re flaky or you can’t always count on them. But, you can always count on your husband.
What advice would you give a young couple about getting married?
Robby:
Of course, you’ll have your ups and downs and fights, but don’t give up. You have to stay strong with each other. Make sure your wife is your best friend. If Tiffany wasn’t my best friend, I would probably be lost.
Tiffany:
I think a good piece of advice is to never go to bed angry. If we are bickering right before we are supposed to go to bed, we always stay up and finish the problem because you don’t want to wake up in a bad mood without everything resolved. You have to always be there for each other.
What got you interested in what you major in?
Tiffany:
I always wanted to be a veterinarian. I was actually trying to figure out how to afford college with veterinarian school. It’s a very competitive major and it’s super expensive. I did some research and ended up in the Davis-Michael Scholars Program. I decided to major in animal and nutritional sciences because it’s the pathway to veterinarian school.
Robby:
I came to college to be an accountant. I took a few courses in that and realized
I’d rather do something that was outside. My suitemate talked to me a little bit
about forestry and sparked my interest. I switched over into that major and fell
in love with it.
What are your future plans?
Robby:
After graduation we are planning to road trip together. I’m hoping to get a job in the forestry industry.
Tiffany:
We’re going to go up to Canada and Seattle, Washington, first. We have plans to go see the Red Wood Forest in California, then head back over to West Virginia. I think we are going to settle down here for a year. After that, we want to buy a house and then hopefully get into permanent career positions. I am not planning on going to vet school. I decided I was going to change my mind and find something else. As of now, my goal is to go into anything in the realm of conservation and animals. I have a passion for travel and would love to find a job with it.