TAMPA -- Jacqueline Benavides and Kyle Kelly didn’t expect to meet their future spouse in a doctoral program — especially one that was entirely online.
But in May 2025, the two walked across the graduation stage at the University of South Florida not only as members of the inaugural Doctor of Business Administration online cohort, but also as newlyweds.
The couple met in 2022, the first year the online DBA program was offered at the Muma College of Business. Designed for senior-level professionals seeking to advance their research and leadership skills without relocating or pausing their careers, the program gave the pair a path toward academic growth and, unexpectedly, toward each other.
In that first year, they were little more than names on a discussion board.
“Our interactions were brief,” she said. “We did have a minor clash of opinions once, but nothing we couldn’t overcome.”
From classmates to friends
Everything changed in the second year of the program, when the two were paired for a research assignment in the Publication II course by faculty member Grandon Gill.
“I was all business and wanted as little interaction as possible,” she said, recalling that their first message exchange was short and to the point.
First day of the inaugural online DBA cohort in 2022.
Still, the project forced them to connect, and over time, something shifted. What started as brief exchanges about classwork grew into hours-long conversations.
“We laughed at the same jokes, quoted pop culture, and soon, we were just... talking,” she said.
They partnered on another assignment that summer, and when Kyle lost his beloved dog Giselle, he called Jacqueline.
“We talked about loss, love and our pets,” she said. “He already knew she was sick. He had left class once to take her to the vet.”
From teammates to soulmates
By the fall, their classmate, Massoda Ma-Nlep, joked about their frequent collaborations. Kyle’s response, “She’s mine now,” hinted at the relationship taking root behind the scenes.
They planned to see each other again during the cohort’s second residency in Tampa, but days before, Kyle was in a serious car accident. Though he walked away with only minor injuries, the scare brought them closer.
Soon after, he visited her hometown of Laredo, Texas for a conference. It was during that trip that the couple shared their relationship with classmates.
“They thought we were joking,” she said. “But we weren’t. By then, Kyle had already asked me to marry him.”
In December 2024, Kyle moved from Sebring, Florida, to Texas, where the couple married. He is now pursuing a PhD at Texas A&M International University, where she earned her MBA in 2016.
A path toward USF
The journey to that point had been years in the making.
Jacqueline first considered a doctorate nearly a decade ago, but professional and personal responsibilities delayed that goal. In 2021, after her father’s cancer diagnosis, she was dedicated to care for him. It was during a hospital visit that she stumbled across USF’s new online DBA program.
"Our advice is to be open to the unexpected. Life doesn't pause for a program, and sometimes the detours bring the most growth," said Jacqueline (Benavides) Kelly.
“It felt like a sign,” she said and proceeded to apply that same day.
For Kyle, he was already a USF alum.
His father, Terry Beavers, worked at the university, and for a time, so did he. After earning an MBA and returning to his hometown of Sebring, he chose the online DBA format for its flexibility. It allowed him to focus on his studies while staying close to home.
Balancing a rigorous academic program with a growing relationship wasn’t always easy, the couple admits. But it offered unexpected comfort during an otherwise stressful time.
“There were moments of encouragement and laughter that made the hard days feel lighter,” she said.
An evolving love story
Their cohort became witnesses to their evolving story, cheering them on along the way. Friendships forged in Zoom breakout rooms and research collaborations became deep bonds.
Graduation day, May 2025, as newlyweds.
“All of our classmates hold a special place in our hearts,” she said.
One classmate, Rick Krumm, traveled to Laredo to serve as Kyle’s best man. Another, the late Bryan Berthot, was lovingly dubbed the maid of honor — a joke rooted in the close-knit nature of the all-male group, aside from Jacqueline.
They mark their love story with two songs. The first, “Hey There Delilah,” felt fitting when Kyle made the 1,000-mile move to Texas. Their first dance, however, was to John Legend’s “All of Me.”
“That moment wasn’t about longing. It was about now,” she said. “The song spoke to loving completely, with every strength and every imperfection. It was our quiet vow: I see you. I accept you. I choose you.”
From the outside, it might seem improbable: a love story born out of citations, residencies and research deadlines. But for the pair, it was a story of timing, patience, and finding humor and meaning in even the most unexpected places.
“Our advice is to be open to the unexpected,” she said. “Life doesn’t pause for a program, and sometimes the detours bring the most growth.”
An unexpected love story filled with a pair of meaningful songs, a couple of “I dos,” two degrees, and one happily ever after.