Beyond office spaces and lecture halls, some UVM professors share something deeper: a marriage.

While many of these couples met during their graduate studies, their intertwined paths led them to UVM.

The phenomenon is not uncommon. In fact, a 2008 Stanford University study found that 36 percent of full-time university faculty in the U.S. are married to fellow academics. 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, four married UVM staff couples reflect on their relationships and how they found their way to UVM.

Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal and Noelia Barrios-Garcia

Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal and Noelia Barrios-Garcia are both field ecologists in the University’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. Together for 26 years, their journey began during their undergraduate years at a small university in Argentina.

“I still remember when I saw him in the main hall,” Noelia said.

The two quickly connected through their shared academic interests.

Their encounters in the hallways often led to spontaneous conversations, Noelia said, and eventually, Noelia asked Mariano what he had planned for the weekend. He invited her to join him at a bar with friends.

However, their first date wasn’t exactly typical. After meeting at the bar, Mariano picked Noelia up the following day to attend a protest. At the time, Mariano explained, the government was attempting to change a law that ensured free education.

Six years into their relationship, Mariano’s academic ambitions led him to the U.S., where opportunities were competitive for international students. After an interview with the American ambassador, Mariano knew he had to share some news with Noelia.

“As soon as I got out of the interview, I looked for a payphone and I called her and said, ‘I think I got it’” Mariano said. 

Since Noelia had a non-U.S. passport, she could only visit for three months at a time. If she wanted to come for a longer period of time, the couple needed to get married, Mariano said.  

The two had a wedding in their hometown of Bariloche in Patagonia, Argentina on June 18, 2005.

Their journey took another turn in 2018 when they were invited to Burlington to participate in a large-scale global warming study. After spending three months in the city, they returned to Argentina, only to receive a call offering them positions at UVM later that year.

The couple noted that Bariloche shares a resemblance to Vermont, both in terms of outdoor activities and small-town atmosphere. 

“Where we grew up is pretty similar to Vermont, similar in size,” Noelia said.

Despite working together, Mariano and Noelia continue to prioritize their personal connection outside of their jobs. 

“Hiking is something we enjoy together,” Mariano said. 

Whether hiking in Vermont’s outdoors or enjoying the culture of Vermont, the couple have built their relationship through shared passions while creating meaningful memories throughout Burlington.  

Clayton and Deborah Cafiero

This Valentine’s Day marks Clayton and Deborah Cafiero’s 28th wedding anniversary. 

Clayton and Deborah are both senior lecturers at UVM, in the computer science and romance languages departments, respectively. They first crossed paths at a frat party at the University of Chicago, where Deborah was an undergraduate and Clayton was a graduate student.

“There were very few fraternities and very few frat parties, but that’s where we met,” Deborah said.

At the time, Clayton was a rugby player, and the drummer for the band performing at the party was one of his teammates. Though he’d been reluctantly dragged to the event, amongst the music and the crowd, he found a reason to stay. 

“This one walked in and I said to my friend, ‘See her? I’m in love and I’m going to marry her.’ It absolutely hit me like a ton of bricks,’’ Clayton said.

Deborah also knew there was something special about that moment.

“What I will say is that it was serendipity because that was the only frat party I ever went to,” Deborah said.

It was also the only frat party Clayton had ever attended, he said.

The two were drawn to Burlington in 2010 by a job offer Deborah got from UVM, and Clayton joined her, becoming part of the UVM community in 2020. 

Together, they built a life out of love for each other and their shared passions for music and outdoor activities.

“We both love music […] we look forward to the [Burlington] Discover Jazz Festival every year,” Clayton said.

They also love Vermont’s outdoors, Clayton said. They frequently ski and hike, particularly at Bolton Mountain. 

As opposed to other areas in Vermont where towns can be pretty spread out, the local atmosphere and convenience of Burlington is another aspect the two enjoy about the community.  

“Everything you need is a 10-minute drive away here,” Deborah said. 

Burlington has also been a great place to raise their kids, the two said. 

What started as a serendipitous encounter led to a shared life full of appreciation for music, the Vermont outdoors and the local Burlington scene.    

Justin and Helen Morgan Parmett

UVM English professors Justin and Helen Morgan Parmett share a mutual passion for debate. Their love story began when they were undergrads on the UVM debate team in 1997, though at first, it was entirely platonic.

“We were friends. But we were just friends,” Justin said.

The two later went to separate graduate schools. In 2000, a debate tournament known as a swing tournament, with two competitions in one weekend, was taking place over Christmas break hosted by the University of Southern California and the University of California Fullerton, which brought them together again, Helen said. 

Both in attendance as coaches for their respective schools, they reached out to one another. What started as a friendly catch-up soon turned into something much more significant.

“Justin called me and he’s like, ‘Are you going to go to the swing tournament this year? We should meet up there,’” Helen said. 

Something changed between the two once they saw each other at the tournament. 

“At the bottom of the escalator, I was waiting and I saw her. That’s when something just went, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to marry her,’” Justin said.

The rest is history. After months of long-distance communication through phone calls as they finished graduate school, they became a couple in 2001, Justin said.

The couple’s connections to UVM and Vermont run deep, and their work with the Lawrence Debate Union remains an integral part of their lives. 

“The Lawrence Debate Union is something that we just feel like is kind of a home for us,” Helen said.

In 2003, the two were married in an intimate ceremony at a bed and breakfast in Warren, Vt.

“It was outside with close family and friends, less than a hundred people. Just kind of a very Vermont-y wedding,” Justin said.

Their love continued to grow as they both pursued academic careers, teaching at University of Minnesota and Western Washington University before returning to UVM in 2016. Today, they work together in UVM’s English department and with the Lawrence Debate Union.

Eric and Kristin Bishop von Wettberg

Eric and Kristin Bishop von Wettberg, both professors at UVM, have spent 18 years building a life together. 

Eric, a professor in agriculture, landscape and environment, is also the director of the Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station. Kristin, a senior lecturer in biology, also directs the Life Science Scholars section of the Liberal Arts Scholars program.

Their journey began at Brown University, where both were graduate students in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology. Kristin was a year ahead of Eric and met him during his interview at Brown, which played a significant role in his decision to attend the school, he said.

As graduate students in the same department, they saw each other frequently. 

“We had our labs in the same building a couple of floors apart,” Eric said.

Their connection grew from friendship into something deeper. 

Long hours in the lab and a shared “work hard, play hard” mentality brought them closer. Kristen would often be up late working and analyzing data in the department, and sometimes she would look up at the window, and Eric would be looking in, she said.

Their relationship took a romantic turn during a field ecology trip to Belize. 

“It was a wonderful trip. A fair bit of flirting,” Eric said. 

The couple married in March 2007 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We got married barefoot on the beach,” Kristin said. 

Over the years, Eric and Kristin’s adventures have taken them to places like Costa Rica, Brazil, Paris and Denmark, with Costa Rica holding special significance as their honeymoon destination.

As academics, the couple has been fortunate in securing positions together. 

“We both managed to get postdoc funding and go to UC Davis in California,” Kristin said. 

After their postdoctoral work at UC Davis, they both landed faculty positions at Florida International University in Miami. However, the experience didn’t align with their vision for family life.

“[Vermont] was just a better place to raise our kids, honestly, than Miami was,” Kristin said.

The couple also missed the Northeast’s changing seasons.

“It’s wonderful to be back in a place that has four seasons, reasonable skiing and spectacular foliage,” Eric said.