Utah State’s faculty couples enjoy extra time together
Whether students may believe it or not, love can flourish among faculty at Utah State University. Following are three stories of relationships in which the couples met while they were Aggies.
Not the typical Utah couple Deborah Byrnes, professor of elementary education & Gary Kiger, dean of the college of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
The intrigue was there. The admiration was there. The maturity was there. And ultimately, fate was there at Utah State University, in the fall of 1983.
When Byrnes, age 30, met Kiger, 29, at multiple new faculty meetings, she couldn’t help but find him interesting.
“He had done a study on children who are hyper-active,” Byrnes said. “With my interest in the subject, I asked him out to lunch to talk about his research.”
The supposed one-hour lunch turned into four hours.
The future couple kept being thrown into new faculty gathering meetings. Both new to Utah, they were very happy to have someone to hang out with, but Byrnes had no intention of staying at USU.
Destiny had something else in mind.
“I wasn’t expecting to be in the place where I would find the love of my life,” Byrnes said.
Both were vegetarians, democrats, had done a lot of things, had been a lot of places and were older for this type of community, Byrnes said.
“We were not the typical Utah couple,” she said.
The couple started out as friends because Kiger was involved with someone else long distance. This was the best way to start the relationship, Byrnes said.
The two ended up marrying Aug. 17, 1985.
Now, 20 years down the road, and one child later, the couple still finds love.
It’s amazing to share so much in a broad spectrum of their lives, Kiger said. They both love the outdoors and doing things together. They had similar interests and loved spending time together and always have, he added.
“We have a great relationship,” Byrnes said. “We marvel that we found each other.”
She added that their relationship just proves to show that there really is that person out there who is your everything.
Professionally blossomed romance Gary Madsen, professor of sociology & Susan Dawson, professor of sociology
Gary Madsen and Susan Dawson’s relationship was sealed when they were married in 1995. But this relationship was not only one of love and romance, but one of education, companionship and common interest.
“Her research brought us together,” Madsen said.
When Dawson moved to Utah in August 1988, the job that she was offered at Utah State University fit her interest, she said. She eventually became involved with the study of psycho-social impact of underground uranium mines on the Navajo people and their families.
She soon moved to Tuba City, Arizona, to live with a Navajo family to continue her case study.
“Gary called up and wanted to visit me and my studies,” Dawson said.
And he did just that.
Four years later, at USU, the couple started working on a uranium mill worker legislation. They continue to work together today on various projects.
“We liked one another,” said Madsen. “Our relationship not only consisted of a developing romance, but at the same time I became interested in the type of work she was in.”
Madsen and Dawson were a perfect fit.
Not everybody who gets married can work together, said Madsen. The two are not competitive with each other, and they complement each other, he said.
“We have a nice balance,” said Dawson.
The couple had a good foundation of friendship before their marriage. They loved being together and knew each other for six years before they wed, said Dawson.
The couple liked Cache Valley activities, like hiking, and originally did things together relating to the USU campus. They had a great work and play combination.
“Our relationship can be narrowed down to three basic aspects: we are compatible, we are fun loving and we enjoy life by living and working together,” said Madsen.Bliss ever sinceSydney Peterson, assistant provost & Tom Peterson, director of interior design
Some might say that this was no accident.
Sydney, the future Mrs. Peterson, transferred into the College of Family Life about that same time that Tom Peterson started working as the dean of the College of Family Life at Utah State University.
“I spied her at different faculty functions,” he said.
Tom returned from his sabbatical in 1980. He had been living in Logan since 1976, teaching in the College of Family Life.
Sidney, originally from California, had moved to Utah State University in 1979. She worked in the office at the College of Family Life. Tom would stop in the office daily. Because they saw each other constantly, it was easy to get acquainted.
“I just happened to spend a lot of time picking up my mail,” he said.
The couple wasn’t expecting to find love at the time, Sydney said. They were doing their own thing and were comfortable being alone and single.
Things changed when Tom needed a date to go to a New Year’s party.
The couple’s first date was in the winter 1980.
“Our first date was great,” Tom said. “It was noncommittal because I didn’t want any rejection. We became good friends.”
The couple found each other attractive – they had an aspect of intellectual curiosity, they liked similar kinds of things and they were good friends. They also enjoyed doing things together such as art, music and shopping.
“He was great with my two kids,” Sydney said. “There was this feeling when I was around him, he was a snappy dresser and he always smelled good.”
“Sydney is smart, and that is the best,” Tom said.
They have now been married for 22 years. They have four children total, two together.
“It has been bliss ever since,” he said.
-syllee@cc.usu.edu