Robert Julian and Katelyn Flowers-Velasquez love exploring different places – the food, the culture, the people. The couple, both in their 30s, have traveled between both coasts and across continents.
But when Julian’s friend told him about an IT job for Katelyn in South Dakota, Julian hesitated in telling his southwestern-born girlfriend about the opportunity. “I thought ‘My Phoenix girl is never going to want to move to South Dakota.’”
He was wrong.
“We moved, and I have loved it ever since,” Katelyn said.
The couple, who moved from Sioux Falls to Rapid City last fall, said they have found a second home in the Mt. Rushmore State and have enjoyed learning the nuances of Midwest life and culture.
“We wanted to try something new,” Julian said of moving to South Dakota in 2018. “It allowed us to rely on each other which was huge because we had no family nearby.”
The couple, however, found a second family with the people they met while here.
Katelyn is a senior security analyst at Black Hills Energy, an opportunity that brought them west from Sioux Falls, and Julian works at Wells Fargo.
“On my very first day at work, Julian picked me up and we drove down Mt. Rushmore Road. It was September, and it was gorgeous. You saw the whole city, “Katelyn said.
Julian added, “You could see the change from the flatlands to the Hills to the Mountains. It was like living in three separate places. That is not something you see in Arizona or Texas.”
The couple met in 2014 in Phoenix through friends. Katelyn was earning her master’s degree at Arizona State University, and Julian was stationed at a nearby Air Force base. Both instantly connected over their love for adventure, food, and cats. “The second time I saw him he was wearing a cat shirt,” Katelyn said of Julian.
Katelyn earned her master’s in 2015 and began working for a local school district. Her boss encouraged her to figure out what area of technology she was passionate which led her to a certificate in security. She is currently going to school for her doctorate.
After Katelyn accepted the job with the City of Sioux Falls, Julian decided to leave the Air Force and support her in her career. The two married on 10/10/2020. Katelyn worked with the City of Sioux Falls for over four years and then briefly for the United States Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center before taking the job with Black Hills Energy.
“We have met such amazing people along the way. That’s the big thing that brought us to Rapid City. I met these guys through Cyber Council, and they seemed so close knit” Katelyn said.
The couple has missed some of the amenities of a bigger city, but has enjoyed the four seasons, the hospitality, and some new foods. “I can totally get behind tater tot hotdish and salads that aren’t really salads,” laughed Julian referring to pistachio and Oreo salads.
Julian and Katelyn like that Rapid is a thriving community where people watch out for each other. “Rapid is like a big city set in a rural area. Any business who wants to grow needs people and people need to feel at home to be comfortable. Rapid is a city that allows people to be comfortable, to be happy and feel like they are at home.”
Katelyn and Julian love exploring the area with their two dogs, Kara and Kal-el. “There are so many things you can see and do. We made our own peanut butter the other day,” Katelyn said. “Each season brings something new to do.”
While they still have a desire to be closer to their family, Julian and Katelyn said being in Rapid City is the first time they felt at home since leaving Arizona. “We can easily see ourselves staying here and making it home,” Julian said.
This story was originally printed in the February 2024 issue of Elevate Magazine.
