Matches Made at Eastern

Tasheenah (Brown) ’12 and Jordan Kallenbach ’13

Years before Tasheenah (Brown) ’12 and Jordan Kallenbach ’13 met, fate was busy working to bring them together. Their story began when the two strangers shared a dance at an off-campus party. They later sat on opposite ends of their “International Advertising and Public Relations” class in Goddard Hall. In the course they learned about global marketing techniques, explored different consumer demographic profiles and took a two-week study trip to London, England and Paris, France.

Jordan and Tasheenah never really spoke until the two were waiting to board a flight to London. It was Tasheenah’s first time flying, and Jordan offered to sit next to her during the long flight. Throughout their Eurotrip, Jordan and Tasheenah connected over their love for food, music and art.

The two Eastern alumni married on Sept. 22, 2019. With more than eight years’ worth of memories and counting, Jordan and Tasheenah share their love for discovering new places, like spending long weekends in Seattle, WA, searching for the Fremont Troll or exploring Mayan ruins in Mexico. What started off as two students on a college trip abroad has blossomed into a deep connection filled with love, respect and balance. Now, Jordan and Tasheenah share their home in Connecticut with their cats Noah Garrison and Morris Walnut Weasley.

Christina (Martinez) ’04 and Kevin Brown ’04

Christina (Martinez) ’04 and Kevin Brown ’04 didn’t meet until their sophomore year at Eastern, but a Political Science Club-sponsored trip to Washington, DC, changed their lives forever. The couple has been together ever since, marrying in Norwich, CT, on June 23, 2007. Their wedding was attended by many friends from Eastern — including former president David Carter — and several members of their wedding party still live within minutes of them today.

Kevin started at Eastern as a Communication major and planned to become a journalist. He comes from a civically engaged family and realized he liked the workings of government, so he switched his major to Public Policy and Government. Supporting that move was Kevin’s work as an officer of the Student Government Association and later as an intern for the Connecticut General Assembly. After graduation, he worked for the state Democratic Party for a short time before he and Christina moved to Houston, TX, after she landed a teaching job.

A first-generation college student, Christina also majored in Public Policy and Government. She also did an internship in the Connecticut legislature, but while politics interested Kevin, Christina decided she wanted to make a difference in the classroom, not in legislative chambers. She was also active on campus as an RA and the senior class president.

After getting her teaching certificate and teaching early elementary school students in Houston for three years — “we learned a lot about ourselves while we were in Texas” — Christina earned her M.S. in special education at the University of St. Joseph when the couple returned to Connecticut. Christina now teaches at the CREC Glastonbury-East Hartford Magnet School and is working on her Sixth-Year Certification to become an administrator. “I want to be part of the movement to make education more equitable.”

Kevin also decided he wanted to work with young people and earned his master’s degree in education at the University of Bridgeport. He works at CREC’s Civic Leadership High School in Enfield, where he enjoys teaching citizenship skills and the importance of civic engagement to his students. Kevin is also on the Board of Education in Vernon where the couple lives.

The Browns are also busy at home, with Jacob, age 10, and Emilie, age 6, keeping them on their toes. “Jacob is an avid reader and wants to change the world. He has his sights set on going to Harvard someday,” said Christina. Emilie is a “spitfire,” and wants to go to Julliard in New York City when she grows up. “We love traveling with the kids,” adds Christina, who mentions trips to Disney World, Amelia Island in Florida, Albuquerque, NM, Houston and elsewhere as memorable family vacations.

“Eastern has been such an integral part of every aspect of our lives,” said Kevin. “I met my wife there and I still get together with friends I met on campus. Going to Eastern was the best decision I ever made.”