Mia Clevano and Payton So, both members of the Marymount University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, have shared nearly every step of their college journeys, from their first day of freshman year to graduation and beyond.

The two met on the first day of class when they discovered they had the exact same schedule. They quickly became study partners and friends, and when they realized they lived just two doors apart, they became nearly inseparable.

Over the course of college, their friendship grew alongside their academic interests. Both began as politics majors with plans to become lawyers, but their paths eventually changed. Clevano developed a passion for theology, religion and teaching, while So discovered her interest in physical therapy following an ACL injury and rehabilitation journey.

Although they pursued different fields, they became each other’s biggest academic supporters. They shared ideas, studied together and encouraged one another through their senior thesis projects. They attended each other’s thesis defenses, giving each other feedback and helping strengthen their work.

Their favorite memories, however, are often the simplest ones, including sitting next to each other in class, studying, sharing meals, being roommates and knowing they always had someone to rely on. Their friendship also extended beyond academics. Both participated in women’s flag football and helped win the first Division III college championship for flag football. In 2025, they spoke together on a panel at the Eagles stadium in Philadelphia about the future of flag football and the importance of supporting women in sports.

Graduating together was another meaningful milestone. After beginning college with similar plans but taking different paths, they ultimately found themselves on the same stage, both graduating summa cum laude and receiving academic excellence awards. Their shared drive to succeed, along with their differences, has helped strengthen their friendship.

Through the challenges of college, Clevano and So have taken turns supporting each other. Their resilience and empathy have allowed them to be there for one another through stressful moments, setbacks and successes.

Their advice to other college students reflects the friendship that has shaped their own experience. So encourages students to put differences aside because “your best friend could be sitting right next to you.” Clevano similarly encourages students to embrace the uncertainty of college and remember that they are all experiencing it together.

Their connection to Phi Kappa Phi is another part of their shared Marymount story. So served as the Phi Kappa Phi student vice president, with Clevano supporting her through her events and accomplishments. Clevano was later inducted into the Society herself, allowing them to share the honor of being Phi Kappa Phi members, even though they joined at different times.

Today, Clevano is pursuing a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, while So is attending physical therapy school at Duke University. Though their careers are taking them in different directions, their friendship remains a constant, a relationship built on shared experiences, mutual support and a belief in each other.

Clevano and So’s story is a reminder that the friendships formed in college can become some of its most lasting accomplishments.