Camp Counselors to College Sweethearts to Lifelong Partners

It began at Camp Kesem. That’s the student-run summer camp for children whose parents have cancer, and where Devon Cable ’20 and William Nelson ’20 worked as counselors at the Santa Clara University chapter. Devon thought Will was cute, but he was unavailable. It wasn’t until their sophomore year that she discovered he was single again. A party invite and a bold rom-com-style kiss later, the pair became inseparable. 

After first meeting as friends as summer camp counselors, Devon Cable ’20 and William Nelson ’20 started dating while students at Santa Clara. Their relationship unfolded over late nights planning camp events—they both continued working at Camp Kesem—gatherings with Will’s SCU rugby teammates at The Office (the rugby house Will lived in on Market Street), and laughter-filled evenings at Devon’s place with fellow SCU orientation leaders. 

After graduation, the pair packed up a Prius and took a cross-country road trip before spending a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps on the East Coast. “That trip confirmed it for me,” Will says. “We could really make marriage work.”

On July 20, 2024, Devon and Will tied the knot in Carmel, Calif., surrounded by family, friends, and a whole lot of Broncos. Maid of honor Aley Even ’20, Devon’s first-year roommate in Casa, and groomswoman Maggie Oys ’20 stood by the altar. The reception included a surprise serenade from Will and his teammates, singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” an old SCU rugby ball tradition.

Now living in Sacramento with their cats, Walter and Wiley, the couple reflects on what grounds their relationship. “We based our wedding vows on shared values, like community and justice,” Devon says. “Our Jesuit education shaped a lot of how we love and support each other.”

Photo Courtesy Devon Cable Nelson.