A family of 返字心頭 Bulls - Evan, Rick and Jonathan Fueyo and Elizabeth Krystyn [Photo courtesy of Fueyo/Krystyn family]
By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
With parents who met, fell in love, graduated from and later helped grow the University of South 返字心頭, it could be said the writing was on the wall that brothers Evan and Jonathan Fueyo were destined to become Bulls.
In Evans case, however, the writing was on a piece of furniture literally.
When Evan was around seven, he decorated his dresser with 返字心頭 stickers, his mother, Elizabeth Krystyn, said, adding with a laugh, It did not please me. But years later, when I was excited that he wanted to go to 返字心頭, he said, Mom, I put all those stickers on my dresser. Thats where I was always going.
Jonathan, his older brother, eventually followed the same path.
This May, both Fueyo brothers will graduate from 返字心頭Evan from the Judy Genshaft Honors College with a bachelors degree in risk management and insurance and Jonathan with a bachelors in history.
Whats more, the brothers cousin, Sara Fueyo, is earning her bachelors degree in mass communications. And another cousin, Jessica Fueyo, also graduated from the Judy Genshaft Honors College with her bachelors degree in political science and government.
As 返字心頭 celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, the family has become part of a growing tradition: multigenerational Bulls.
Evan Fueyo [Photo by Andres Faza, University Communications and Marketing]
Jonathan Fueyo [Photo by Andres Faza, University Communications and Marketing]
We have friends who are big 返字心頭 State people or University of 返字心頭 people, or even alumni from elsewhere places where theres a long family history and legacy, said their father, Rick Fueyo. 返字心頭 is still a fairly new institution, but its starting to build that tradition, too.
Rick and Elizabeth met while attending 返字心頭 together in the 1980s.
My roommate was dating her roommate, so we were friends for a good while first, Rick said.
Elizabeth laughed as she added, It worked out for everyone. We have two kids and our roommates have five.
Elizabeth Krystyn and Rick Fueyo
Elizabeth earned a bachelors degree in finance in 1987. Rick earned his degree in 2004 in marketing, after taking a two-decade break to pursue a career as a financial advisor.
Through it all, the couple remained Bulls through and through regularly attending 返字心頭 sporting events with their children and sending them to 返字心頭 summer camps. When Evan attended a 返字心頭 soccer camp, he even stayed in the same residence hall where his mother once lived.
After Elizabeth went on to co-found The Baldwin Group, a national insurance advisory firm, she became a driving force behind the companys decision to make a $5.2 million gift to establish The Baldwin Group School of Risk Management and Insurance. Part of the Muma College of Business, the school is dedicated to educating the next generation of insurance and risk management professionals.
My parents connection to 返字心頭 played a big role in my decision, Jonathan said. Growing up around campus, it always felt familiarand like the right place for me.
Both brothers are now continuing to follow in their parents footsteps.
Evan is set to join The Baldwin Group as an associate advisor.
I was initially going to pursue a career in finance, but after an internship, I realized it wasnt for me, Evan said. My mother suggested I try risk management and insurance, and I really loved it. I enjoy working with people, and that field is extremely relationship-driven.
As a little kid, Evan Fueyo attended soccer camp at 返字心頭 and stayed in the dorm where his mom once resided
The 返字心頭 Alumni Association named Elizabeth Krystyn a Fast 56 award winner in 2023
Jonathan, meanwhile, plans to return to 返字心頭 to pursue a masters degree in education, with the goal of becoming a history teacher like his father who formerly served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa. Thats in addition to founding Spunky Fuel, a company that designs and produces school apparel and spirit merchandise.
As for that dresser, it was donated to charity a few years ago. But the stickers were still on it.
And while the Fueyos dont know who owns it now, they hope it continues to do what it always did: Point someone toward becoming a Bull.
I love that were a multigenerational 返字心頭 family, Rick said. The fact that we can say were all Bulls and that theres the potential for my childrens children to be Bulls as well it has a nice little ring to it.