The odds of Sarah Frakes ’10 meeting Daniel Chavez ’07 were not great. She started her marketing degree in the College of Business just as he was completing his senior year as an economics major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Sarah came from western Illinois and lived in Hewett. Daniel was from the Chicago south suburbs and lived off campus.
It was consequently not a class or shared residence hall experience that brought the two together, but rather jobs at The Garlic Press in Uptown Normal. “I had been working as a dishwasher for a few years when Sarah started out front,” Daniel said. “I kept asking my boss to schedule us together, but she refused.”
“Luckily for us, I had to take an economics class. Daniel helped me with a few assignments, which started our friendship,” Sarah said. They came to share a group of friends as a result, but didn’t date until Daniel began returning for campus visits after graduating.
Sarah and Daniel dated for more than five years before his proposal came in the home they had just purchased in November 2013. The wedding was August 16, 2014, with many Redbird friends participating in the celebration.
Now living in Homewood, Sarah is the marketing coordinator for The Arc of Illinois, which empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Daniel is a supply chain manager at Panduit, a global manufacturer.
The two appreciate that they can share their ISU memories with each other, as they both enjoyed their collegiate days.
“It’s awesome that we have that campus connection,” Sarah said, noting they enjoy visiting the University whenever possible. Their Redbird pride is strong and obvious, even displayed via the family pet as they accessorize their dog’s collar with an ISU handkerchief.
