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Friendships often form in the most unexpected ways, and for ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉúteam members Dave Bova and Leo LeMay, theirs began in the Boy Scouts in Watertown, New York, when they were just kids. It wasn’t exactly a choice at first—Bova was forced to share a tent with LeMay after he and his original tentmate kept getting into trouble. Whether by fate or forced proximity, Bova and LeMay became fast friends. 

Eventually, their scouting days came to an end, and both moved on. Fast forward to high school, where they found themselves under the same roof but on completely different schedules. However, they shared a passion for music. Leo spent his free time playing in local bands; Bova was involved in the same music scene through friends. A mutual support for local musicians brought them back together. 

After graduating from high school in 2004, their paths again diverged. Bova enrolled in a traditional brick-and-mortar school and graduated in 2010 with a double major in Secondary Education and History from SUNY Potsdam. LeMay pursued a career in music then joined the workforce. He eventually decided it was time to continue his education, earning his degree in business administration in 2021, completing his final year of classes online owing to COVID.  

Over the years, their friendship endured thanks to a shared friend group. Then came 2022—a year of pivotal change. LeMay was sitting in a tattoo shop, venting about his job to his artist, who happened to be Bova’s fiancée (now wife). Little did he know that conversation would spark a major career shift. A few days later, Bova reached out and told LeMay that his office at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) was hiring. After some careful thought, LeMay applied, got the job and soon found himself working alongside his friend as a military education coordinator at U.S. Army Fort Drum in New York.