Sarah (Lewey) and Leslie “Les” McDaniel

When Sarah (Lewey) and Leslie “Les” McDaniel met in 2013 at a local bar called the Grotto, it was all thanks to mutual alumni friends.

Sarah (Lewey) and Leslie “Les” McDaniel
Sarah (Lewey) and Leslie “Les” McDaniel

“He schooled me in pool, and I stole his beer and his heart,” she recalls of that night.

The first two years of their relationship was long distance, as Les graduated with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering in 2003. Sarah, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2014, credits part of their relationship success with the other people they met during their journey at S&T. 

“The family we made there – they remind us who we are, where we came from, and inspire us to be better humans,” she says. 

Married in 2016, the couple comes back to campus every March to celebrate St. Pat’s.

“Our favorite part is a tie between Gonzo and Games or Street Painting,” she says. “Our hearts pump green.” 

Today Les works as a plant manager for P.W. Gillibrand and Sarah is “chaos coordinator” for their two children, 3-year-old Rory and 9-month-old Sophia.

Their relationship advice?

“Anything worth having is worth working for.”

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).

Jillian (Estes) and Charlie Stankovic

Jillian (Estes) and Charlie Stankovic

Jillian (Estes) and Charlie Stankovic met in 2013 after overhearing stories about one another. During finals week, they played sand…

S&T’s first building: the Rolla Building

S&T’s first building: the Rolla Building

Missouri S&T’s first building still stands and is home to our mathematics and statistics department. Built for Rolla’s high school,…

Leading Peru’s higher education

Leading Peru’s higher education

After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from S&T in 1980, Mariana Rodriguez returned to her native Peru to…

Brandon Moore and Mackenzy Vedder

Brandon Moore and Mackenzy Vedder

Brandon Moore met Mackenzy Vedder while working as a bartender at Hoppers Pub in September 2019 at Hoppers Pub.  “I…

Quality U.

Quality U.

At the height of the total quality management (TQM) movement, organizations across the nation sought to win the Malcolm Baldrige…

John Park: a commitment to quality

John Park: a commitment to quality

John T. Park, who served as interim chancellor in 1985-1986 and in 1991-1992, notes the major...