Thirty-seven years ago (1987), I met the woman who would become my wife of 35 years at an internal meet-and-greet event on the UC campus. Although the event was intended for interaction with international students, it seemed that God had other plans for us. We spent the entire time engrossed in conversation with each other.

Together, we have raised four children, including our two youngest, whom we adopted from the Philippines. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving dinners with friends from all corners of the globe. Since 2016, my wife and I have been deeply involved with International Friendships, Inc. (IFI) in Cincinnati. We have enjoyed leading IFI groups that regularly engage with international students.