Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga—especially among married couples who are faculty and staff.
To celebrate, five pairs of campus couples shared the story of their marriages and gave some relationship advice to the rest of the campus community.
The Sherbesmans
Carrie Sherbesman, director of New Student and Family Programs, and Chris Sherbesman, associate vice chancellor for finance and administration, first met as high school freshmen in 1996. Their friendship grew over the years, and when Carrie started at UTC in 2000, Chris transferred the following year, which is when their relationship began.
The two worked at Youth University as undergraduate students, a former summer camp for elementary-aged children on UTC’s campus.
One of their most memorable UTC moments? Chris surprising Carrie with a proposal during an orientation session.
“Chris showed up to an orientation that I was working and he wanted to take me to lunch,” Carrie said. “As professional staff we weren’t supposed to leave and I was mortified that he asked my boss if it was OK.
“Little did I know we were headed to Atlanta for a huge surprise—he was proposing! My colleagues were all in on the surprise and knew I wasn’t coming back that day from lunch.”
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, they keep it casual.
“There was one Valentine’s Day that we both took off work early without telling the other and we each ordered a separate dinner to be delivered at our home,” Carrie said. “We had to laugh when two separate delivery drivers showed up with dinner.”
Their colleagues may not know that Chris has a contagious laugh, while Carrie is the household handyman.
“Most people don’t know that Carrie can fix anything,” Chris said. “If she wasn’t at UTC, I think she’d be a carpenter. She has redone all of the trim in our house, painted every room and knows her way around most power tools.”
For them, a strong relationship is about laughter and respect.
“The goal is to laugh forever with someone you take seriously,” Carrie said. “Life can be tough, but having someone to laugh with makes all the difference.”
Chris and Carrie Sherbesman moving to Chattanooga in 2001. Photo courtesy of Carrie Sherbesman.
The Butlers
Frank and Endia Butler both teach in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business. They first met at a campus event and have been together for over seven years.
“He started working here in 2009, and I started working here in 2018,” said Endia, a management lecturer. “We love being in the classroom, engaging with our students.”
While their students and colleagues may know them for their work in the classroom, there are a few things others may not know.
“Endia is obsessed with stories about animals attacking humans,” Frank said. “She also loves to belly dance and has a dance studio in the house dedicated to belly dancing.”
Endia revealed something about Frank.
“Frank is really handy. He can fix anything,” she said. “I call him ‘The Explainer’ because he knows how everything works and knows how to fix everything.”
Their advice on what makes a strong relationship is simple:
“Communicate, communicate, communicate,” Endia said. “No one can read your mind, no matter how long you have been together or known each other. Say what you mean and mean what you say.”
Frank said he agrees.
“I also say find an activity that you enjoy doing together,” he said. “You will learn a lot about each other.”
Frank and Endia Butler. Photo courtesy of Endia Butler.
The Hungenbergs
High school sweethearts Eric and Erin Hungenberg met in Eaton, Colorado, and will celebrate 19 years of marriage in May.
Eric, the head of health and human performance, came to UTC in 2015 as a professor. Erin joined him, becoming an adjunct instructor—and now an associate professor—in the School of Education.
“UTC is the reason we moved to Chattanooga and it has become our home,” Erin said. “I think we are both very grateful for that.”
Erin said to build a strong relationship, couples must find common interests and nourish them, no matter what those interests may be.
“We enjoy running in the woods together, traveling with our girls and drinking good wine,” she said.
Eric and Erin Hungenberg. Photo courtesy of Erin Hungenberg.
The Murillos
Drs. Edwin and Krysta Murillo have been married for 19 years, have two children and have both worked at UTC since 2016.
Edwin, an associate professor of Spanish and director of Latin American studies, and Krysta, an associate professor in the School of Education, spend time together on campus by taking coffee breaks at Starbucks.
“We also enjoy playing fetch with our miniature Goldendoodle on Chamberlain Field,” Edwin said.
Krysta said that others may not know that Edwin is an avid soccer enthusiast and played in the Costa Rican football league.
Edwin said that Krysta is a phenomenal cook.
“Her take on Colombian cuisine is legendary,” he said.
He shared this piece of advice to students and colleagues:
“A good relationship will help you grow into a better version of yourself,” he said. “It also helps if your partner is funny. Communication is key.”
Krysta and Edwin Murillo. Photo by Angela Foster.
The Grishams
Although Stacie and Aaron Grisham got their starts at UT Knoxville, UTC is a large part of their story.
“We met while attending the same graduate school program at UTK,” said Stacie, the assistant vice chancellor of student success. “We’ve been together for 16 years. I started as an academic advisor at UTC in 2009 while Aaron was still working in residence life at UTK.”
Aaron, the executive director of the University Center and Aquatic and Recreation Center, joined UTC a year before they were married.
“Some of our favorite memories are volunteering at campus events together, like Late Night Breakfast and Oak Street Roast,” Stacie said. “It’s become part of our annual tradition to serve food to students together on campus.”
They both shared a fun fact about one another: Aaron has a silly side to his personality that a lot of people don’t get to see, and Stacie loves playing Super Mario and Mario Kart video games.
“Find people who can make you laugh and vice versa,” Stacie said. “Sometimes life feels really hard, but finding people who can bring each other joy goes a long way to building relationships that help us through our tough moments.”
Aaron and Stacie Grisham with their two children. Photo courtesy of Stacie Grisham.
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