At FAME, we celebrate not only professional achievements but also the personal stories that make up the soul of our community. Valentine's Day may be over, but today, we shine the spotlight on Matteo and Nicole Gancayco—a couple whose paths might have crossed at Ateneo but only truly intertwined years later.
Matteo, a 2015 ME graduate, first encountered Nicole, who graduated in 2013, as an upperclassman in the halls of campus. Though they did not interact much during their shared college days, Matteo couldn't help but admire Nicole from afar. "I knew of Nicole as the beautiful ME upperclassman, and she knew me as... well, she didn't know me, and would not know who I was until seven years post her graduation," Matteo shares. "What drew me to her back then was a mix of brains and beauty!"
It wasn't until 2020, several years after they had both graduated, that their paths truly converged. Their shared ME background provided a solid foundation for their relationship to grow. "Both coming from ME already established foundational similarities between us that likely played a role in how easy it was for us to go from acquaintances, to friends, to a relationship, to husband and wife," Nicole states. Their shared love for nerdy banter, intellectual challenges, and mutual respect quickly turned their friendship into something deeper.
Since their wedding last 2022, Matteo and Nicole's bond has only strengthened. "From a community standpoint, our alumni circles have heavily intertwined. Matteo's ME friends have become his lifelong friends, and now mine too. Likewise, my closest circles are my ME friends, which have become his too," says Nicole, highlighting how their connections have bridged the gap between their individual lives and formed a unified network of connection and support.
And now, as though their love story wasn't special enough, we are overjoyed to congratulate Matteo and Nicole on the birth of their first child last Valentine's Day! It truly makes the season of love an even more meaningful time for the couple. We couldn't be happier for them as they embark on this exciting new chapter as a family.
Reflecting on their relationship, Matteo and Nicole offer some heartfelt advice for fellow alumni navigating their own journeys. "While sometimes it's good to embrace differences in a relationship, it's also good to find someone who you share fundamental perspectives and outlooks with," they advise. "It's not always easy to find those kinds of people, but college coursemates, especially ME, might just be a great place to start." 💙😉
