Resident Feature
The Avellinos:
Home is Where Love Is Scott and Mimi Avellino have built their family bond through hardship and adversity and used it to make the world a brighter place.
by Craig Whitney Photography by Dan Hall
The pair first met as freshmen at St. Joseph’s University, clicking right away despite the obstacles in their way. Particularly, they both had significant others at the time and couldn’t be together. They both met at a summer program that was held before the fall semester began. One of the first things they needed to do was get IDs for the year. Along the way from their dorm to the office where they would be getting their IDs, the group they were walking with had phased in and out, and by the time they arrived at the office, it was only Scott and Mimi. Much like the ID she was about to get, Scott would end up staying with her for the rest of her college career. “I first saw Mimi when I walked into the dorm building with my sister and her husband,” Scott explained. “I saw her from across the room and pointed her out to my sister, jokingly saying that I was going to marry her someday.” Considering Scott and Mimi both had significant others at the time, the line seemed especially outlandish. After their relationships naturally ended several months into college, Scott and Mimi coincidentally grew closer and closer over the course of the first semester. Having left home for the first time and taken their first steps into college together, the two had a bond experiencing those feelings together and sharing them. It would be the first example of weathering hardship and making something beautiful out of it. Continued on page 6
Bringing People Together
5
