Rebecca and Joe Hawkes-Cates met in 2009 while volunteering at a Miner football game.
“We handed out fruit and water to the marching band,” she says. “I was in Kappa Kappa Psi and he was in Tau Beta Sigma. We hung out together and just found each other really easy to talk to.”
The next year, Rebecca earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biological sciences. Joe earned bachelor’s degrees in computer engineering and computer science in 2011.
Married in 2013, a few of their favorite shared campus experiences included supporting the marching band at the football games and attending band parties together.
Today Rebecca works as an ICU nurse at St. Luke’s East and Joe works as a platform management engineer at Cerner.
Their relationship advice?
“Be open and honest about everything with your partner,” she says. “You can’t build a solid foundation without communication and trust.”
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).
Once-in-a-lifetime cab ride
Tamerate Tadesse is a SCADA automation engineer but started his career as an airport taxi driver. “I like to talk…
David and Karen (Miller) Sorrell
In the spring semester of 1979, David Sorrell was looking for an “easy A” during his senior year at Missouri…
Erica (Walker) and Ryan Long
Erica (Walker) and Ryan Long met during her move-in day her freshman year in August 1998 when he delivered cookies…
All a-Twitter
The creator and co-founder of Twitter — Jack Dorsey — spent a couple of years studying computer science at Missouri…
Behind every weather forecast
The next time you’re watching the Weather Channel, you might want to thank S&T alumnus Harry Smith for equipping today’s…
Katie (Fritts) and Mitchell Niehoff
Katie (Fritts) and Mitchell Niehoff met in fall 2006 during that semester’s first meeting of the Perfect 10 Improv group….