Over Spring Break, McDaniel Alumnus Oscar Santos ’13 and Biology professor Dr. Kelly Winters were engaged in a fancy Italian restaurant in Gaithersburg, Md. Santos graduated last May with a major in Biology and a minor in Gerontology. Dr. Winters was his long time professor and academic advisor. They are to be married some time this summer.
Santos and Dr. Winters met in the second semester of Santos’ freshman year when he took his introductory class with her. He declared the major shortly after and continued taking various classes in the department, some with Dr. Winters, some with other professors. Santos and Winters began spending more time together the summer before Santos graduated, when the two worked on an independent research project examining the aging processes of local squirrels.
From there the two began talking intermittently, whether it be by forwarding academic articles of interest to one another via email or by talking in person in Winters’ office.
Santos and Winters began a brief and tumultuous love affair shortly before graduation when they went out to happy hour in town to celebrate his Senior Seminar completion. After a week or so, Dr. Winters called it off, as she had been married for three years to a restaurant manager in Frederick, Md.
After graduation, however, the two began contacting each other once again, and the affair started up a second time. By late August Winters had filed for divorce and by early January the two were separated, allowing for Santos and Winters to begin seeing each other exclusively.
“I don’t care what anyone says or anyone thinks,” stated Santos, firmly. “Kelly is my love and we were meant to be together and no one can stop us.”
Dr. Winters declined to comment on the situation. She continues to teach at McDaniel College as a Biology professor.
The two have a wedding gift registry at www.myregistry.com. They are asking for common household goods and small appliances for the kitchen.
