---
title: Eight Weddings and Counting
date: 2025-02-14T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/eight-weddings-and-counting"
section: Articles
---
# Eight Weddings and Counting

*February 14, 2025* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)


> Smith Faculty Member Is In-Demand Wedding Officiant for Fellow Terps

*Valentinesday 1920x1080 — From massive celebrations to intimate gatherings, Nima Farshchi ’14, MBA ’20 has officiated all types of weddings for his friends since 2017. The popular Robert H. Smith School of Business faculty member has delivered heartfelt and funny speeches at eight ceremonies, including that of Katie '14 and Dennis '13 Dodson, left, and Megan Sanquist ’13 and Megan Averso, right.*

A late-night decision, made on a Van Munching Hall sofa after hours of procrastinating on business law, led Nima Farshchi ’14, MBA ’20 to the altar.

Then back to the altar. And again. Plus five more times after that.

No, he’s not Elizabeth Taylor. He’s a wedding officiant who got ordained online as a joke during his junior year. Now, he’s married eight couples (with another on the docket for this summer)—all with a University of Maryland connection.

“I just speak from the heart, so nothing beyond the vows is scripted,” said Farshchi, director of the [Center for Social Value Creation](https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/centers-initiatives/social-value-creation) (CSVC) at the [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/). “I’ve known some of them longer than they’ve known each other. It’s easy when you know them so well.”

Farshchi is the ultimate connector. As a friend, he’s the guy who sets up reunions of all the resident assistants he once worked with or schedules monthly dinners with buddies now in the throes of parenthood. As the CSVC head, as well as executive director of experiential learning and a faculty member in management organization at the Smith School, he frequently hits up former colleagues and fellow alums in the business world to serve as speakers, offer internship opportunities or serve on advisory councils.

“It’s cool how he manages to bring so many different people together,” said Katie Dodson ’14, whose 2017 wedding to husband Dennis ’13 in Ellicott City, Md., was the first one that Farshchi officiated. “He’s in touch with so many people but manages to remember details about everyone’s life.”

That’s what makes him the perfect person to stand up in front of a crowd, whether in an intimate gathering of a dozen or a big party of 250. He takes as much direction as his friends offer, including time limits, people they want to recognize or cultural elements to include, and then seamlessly weaves it all together with funny and touching remarks about the couple.


*Nima Farshchi with Tommy and Adele Treacy on their wedding day — Farshchi, left, with Adele and Tommy Treacy '14 at their wedding.*




**Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni)


**Units:** [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robert-h-smith-school-business)