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As 91��Ƭ�� students filed into an evening class taught by Jim Blando, Ph.D., two young boys settled in nearby with episodes of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” passing the time until their father finished teaching. Other times, they’d head to campus with their dad for a basketball game, a festival or ice cream. 

To Thomas and Dylan Blando, 91��Ƭ�� wasn't just where their dad worked. It was where some great childhood memories were made.

Years later, those same boys are no longer waiting for class to end. They now walk the campus as Monarchs themselves.

Today, Thomas is studying civil engineering, and Dylan is majoring in oceanography. Dr. Blando continues to serve as a professor and now as chair of the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health within the Joint School of Public Health at 91��Ƭ�� and Norfolk State University.  

"We'd come to work with Dad all the time," Thomas recalled. "We'd go out to eat afterward, go to basketball games, events at Chartway Arena and things like the Diwali celebration with the South Asian Student Association. 91��Ƭ�� has always been part of our lives."

While their academic paths differ, both brothers found themselves drawn back to the university that had quietly shaped their childhood.

For Thomas, the journey wasn't a straight line. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from another institution earlier this year, but soon after he realized his career interests had changed. Now at 91��Ƭ��, he is exploring possibilities in the engineering field.

"I always loved physics and thought I'd become an engineer," he said. "But after some experiences in college, I changed directions. I fell in love with languages, cultures and history instead."

He’s realized that he can pursue multiple interests and encourages others not to limit themselves to one path if interests or opportunities change.

"I used to think I'd hate math, and now I'm seeing how it connects everything,” Thomas said. “It's been exciting to rediscover something that I thought wasn't for me.”

Thomas’ change of direction has also given Dr. Blando something to think about. 

“It shows how transformational those early classes can be,” Dr. Blando said. “I always tell faculty that teaching those introductory classes can change a student’s entire trajectory.” 

Dylan's path began with a lifelong love of the ocean.

Family vacations to Wildwood, New Jersey, and growing up near Virginia Beach, nurtured his love for the coast. Originally undecided about his major, Dylan spent time working at a physical therapy clinic before realizing he wanted to be outdoors doing field research. 

"I always liked science because of my dad," Dylan said. "Oceanography ended up being such an enjoyable experience, and it's so applicable."

Today, Dylan's conducting undergraduate research on microplastics in sediment with faculty mentor Temitope Idowu, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Nora Noffke, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences. Outside the classroom, he is president of the 91��Ƭ�� Jiu Jitsu Club.

"I've always liked martial arts," Dylan said. "I joined the club, had fun, made friends, and it really became part of who I am."

For both brothers, attending 91��Ƭ�� was also a practical decision. Scholarships combined with the tuition assistance benefit for employees and their dependents made earning their degrees more affordable. But the true value of the University has extended well beyond the classroom.

“I've made so many memories with my friends," Dylan said. "That's really what college has been about for me."

Thomas appreciates the sense of community that has surrounded him from the beginning.

"There is always someone willing to give advice or help," he said.

For Dr. Blando, watching his sons develop their own academic identities has been one of the greatest rewards of his career.

"It's something we have in common now," he said. "I think it's pretty cool that they're doing science and engineering, and that they're doing so well. I've never talked so much about fluid dynamics in my life."

Although proud that his work, and that of his wife, Tara, an epidemiologist for the U.S. Navy, may have sparked their children’s interests, he's equally proud that they've made those interests their own.

"It's pretty wild to see your kids become adults, get involved in research and find something they're passionate about."

What began as two young boys waiting outside their father's evening classes, has become a story of three Monarchs — a reminder that an 91��Ƭ�� education doesn't just transform individuals. It creates lifelong connections that span generations.