It was a fire drill at TJ Residence Hall in September 1999 that first brought Amanda (Kay Hansen) and Chris Byrd together. The two connected again a couple of weeks later at the hall’s dance and have been together ever since.

The pair graduated with bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering in May 2003.
“We got married in Rolla one week after we graduated, and then moved to Wichita, Kan., to start our new life together,” she says. “Rolla has always held a special place in our hearts. We enjoy the opportunity to drive through every few years and make our four kids listen to us reminisce about our college days.”
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Mary (Hilton) and Mike McEvilly
Mary (Hilton) and Mike McEvilly met in August 1978 at a Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity party. As students, the two…
Savannah (Signaigo) and Nathan Leezer
Savannah (Signaigo) and Nathan Leezer met during Greek Week activities in September 2010 when Nathan, a first-year Interfraternity Council representative,…
Chain reaction
Take 60 sleep-deprived students — easy enough to find in Rolla — and add 450,000 strips of newsprint and 530,000…
Katie (Thompson) and Dan Aiken
Katie (Thompson), a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, and Dan Aiken, a member of Sigma Pi, were living next door…
AJ (Bedwell) and Patrick Prawitz
AJ (Bedwell) and Patrick Prawitz met in spring 2004 as castmates of the musical, Annie Get Your Gun. “I was…
Paula Lutz: leading on a male-dominated campus
Paula Lutz, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a life science preference from UMR in 1976...