Skip to main content
Start of main content.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes three degrees and projects to manage

Tatyana and David Saccardo sold everything they owned in the US to move to Australia and study at Bond. 

A married couple who packed up their lives in Boston and moved to the other side of the world have graduated from Bond University on the same day.

Tatyana and David Saccardo sold everything they owned in the US and moved to Varsity Lakes to study in 2018. 

On Thursday, December 3, they became one of the first married couples to graduate together at Bond University.

“We moved across the world and risked it all to do this,” Mrs Saccardo said.

“We didn’t have an apartment, we didn’t have anything, just eight suitcases and an Airbnb for the first month with our cat and dog.

“This graduation is more than just finishing study, it’s the end of an amazing chapter.

“We pushed each other to do better, we gave it everything, and it’s the best decision we’ve ever made.”

Tatyana, 30, graduated with a Master of Valuation and Property Development, while husband David, 31, completed a Master of Construction Practice and Master of Project Management.

“Tatyana beat me. It’s hard to admit because we are so competitive,” Mr Saccardo said.

“We always compare our marks.

“We are eager to get a business off the ground on the Gold Coast in the coming years and I have so many ideas and we have brainstorming sessions.

“I’ve already got a job in project management at a company in Miami. We love it here.”

Mrs Saccardo will return to Bond next year to start a Law degree.

“I just got into law school for next year doing a Juris Doctor,” she said.

“Bond is inspiring and you can’t help but want to learn more. I’m coming back next year!

“It’s beyond study. It grew us so much together and now we are going for permanent residency here, we are not going back home.”

More from Bond

  • From Cleopatra to Wellington, leaders have always taxed beer

    Australia’s ever-higher beer taxes are linked to a tradition that dates back thousands of years, says Assistant Professor Anthea Gerrard.

    Read article
  • Cash in on happiness with the right gift

    Spending money on experiences, rather than material goods, boosts happiness and fosters stronger social connections.

    Read article
  • Apply for First Nations medical scholarships in January

    Join Juliette Levinge in Bond University’s Medical Program.

    Read article
  • Katura says ‘yes’ to the world

    Katura Halleday’s mother’s travel advice to her daughter was “say yes to everything”.Without hesitation the 20-year-old has embraced that mantra in the 24 countries she has visited since the a

    Read article
  • Deadly gender gap in CPR training

    Women are less likely than men to receive CPR after suffering cardiac arrest, and a lack of female training manikins may be to blame.

    Read article
Previous Next