Immanuel '25 & Morgan (Davies) Lane '23

Morgan and Immanuel’s story began in the familiar spaces of Capital University’s campus during Morgan’s junior year and Immanuel’s freshman year. At first, they were just friendly faces at student organization events and at athletic games, always running into each other at just the right time. What started as casual conversations and shared laughs quickly became something they both looked forward to. Over time, their relationship grew beyond friendship. Somewhere between late talks, inside jokes, and showing up for each other, it became clear this was more than just a college connection. They were married on February 14, 2025 in a private ceremony and have happily been enjoying life together. They look forward to celebrating their love with family and friends at a ceremony in October. They are grateful for this season of life and excited for all God has in store.

Naysa Dunlap '24

My beautiful partner and I met in Pursuit of Happiness our freshman year of college at Capital. We left class that day with homework to do something nice for others each day and document it, I held the door for them and joked that was my act of kindness for the day and made her laugh for the first time. 5 minutes later I received a text from her asking to be friends and the rest is history. We shared so many classes and memories together during our 4 years due to having the same majors and now we are both social workers doing what we love. We helped each other grow academically and as humans and if it wasn't for capital, I may not have met them. 1 house, 3 cats and a dog later, I can't thank Capital enough for helping me meet my person :) 

Donald E. '74 S '95 & Susan (Weiland) Frantz '72 S '97

We met in Chapel Choir while on Interim tour to Florida, Jan-Feb '71. We were engaged the following year, "72, on Interim tour to Wisconsin. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Music and was hired as an Elementary Music teacher. We were married June 9,1973. I graduated with a B.S. in Education in 1974. Seventeen years later we returned to Trinity Seminary, I graduated with my M.Div in 1995. Sue started taking classes just for growth and graduated with her M.A.L.M. in Youth and Music in 1997. Incidentally: Two of my sisters graduated from CU, Cathy ('72) and Pam ('74). Two of our daughters have graduated from CU and also TLS (Jenny '05, B.S. Educ. & '09 MTS: Deb '08 Bachelor's in Music & '12 Master's in Church Music). Another CU love story: Deb also met her husband, Ken Ranos, at CU ('08) and he graduated from TLS with his M.Div. ('12) 

Ron '70 & Karen (Knauff) Pairan '69

Karen Knauff and Ron Pairan met at a campus dance in September 1967.  The dance was held on the second floor of the campus center. Ron was a sophomore from Millersport, OH and Karen was a junior from NorthTonawanda, NY. We had never noticed each other before. We had our first date in October and attended campus activities including concerts, basketball games, Homecoming, May Day, Sweetheart Formal, Masquers plays, Pi Phi sorority  and Delta Tau Upsilon fraternity functions. We were married August 29, 1970. We both retired from teaching in 2006. We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary last year.

Schylar Maag '22 & Amber Eck '14

I actually met my boyfriend, Schylar Magg, at the Capital Conservatory of Music Reception at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference in 2024. We were introduced to each other through mutual friends, we talked, I gave him my number and the rest is history! We've been together around 2 years now...forever grateful that music and Capital brought us together 💗 

Samuel '20 & Emilee (Sigler) Schooley  '20 

Met through a mutual friend at Capital. Turned out we had a lot of classes together. Our first date was at New Fangled across from campus. We attended each other’s sports events, lacrosse for him and cheerleading for me. We are now both employed at NCH, married, and have 2 boys. All because we ended up at the same school :) 

Christopher '02 & Jennifer (Didier) Davis '02

We first met during freshman orientation while waiting in line on the steps to the dining hall. I noticed his drum corps shirt, and we quickly figured out we had a mutual friend. That Thursday night, we ran into each other again at the evening worship gathering and ended up chatting for hours. As music majors, we hit it off right away and started dating, spending all our time together. When he went home for a weekend, he excitedly told his parents he’d met the girl he wanted to marry. But when he got back, I decided to break up with him 😬, realizing I wasn’t ready to start college in a relationship. Fast forward two years, and we rekindled our romance the summer before our junior year. Seven months later, he popped the question, and we tied the knot just two weeks after graduation in May 2002. Now, almost 24 years later, we have four wonderful kids. Turns out, he was right about meeting the girl he’d marry, even if the journey was a bit unexpected.

Wyatt '21 & Meghan (Smith) Hall '22 

Wyatt and I met in 2018 while both of us were in the capitones acapella group on campus! We became close friends and even participated in a few shows together through the cabaret theater. After about a year of friendship we started dating, many of our dates happened in cap grounds or near campus at jenis or the Drexel theater! We got engaged in 2020, and married in 2021 with the previous campus pastor Dr. Drew as our officiant. Now, we just welcomed our first child last October, and none of this would have ever happened if it weren’t for both of us attending Capital! 

Jon '12 & Jamie (Liese) Genzman '14 

Jon and I met a week before he graduated, through mutual friends and fellow Capital sweethearts, Erik Barenwald and Chelsea (Annis) Barenwald. Jon brought flowers when he picked me up from Schaaf Hall (see attached photo) for our first date to German Village. We both graduated from the traditional undergrad nursing program at Capital and now work in the OhioHealth system as RNs. We married in 2016 and now have two children. And in 2017, I was able to repay Erik & Chelsea for their matchmaking by officiating their wedding. Jon & I live in the Columbus area and regularly get together with many other Capital alumni who remain close friends. 💜

Hayley Reth '26 

I’m single but I wanted to share about my dog who I love like you may love a partner: I got my doggo at the pet store I work at last May. He had a difficult stay at the pet store as he was not wanting to eat the dog food given and shortly after he was made available, he broke his front leg when customers had dropped him. He spent two months recovering and walking again. Once he was fully recovered, I finalized his adoption when he was 6 months old.

Dalton '16 & Paige Golden '15 

Dalton and I knew of each other but had never met in person. We ended up talking online and started dating shortly after in 2013. We got married in 2016, and have now been married almost 10 years with two beautiful children!

Ben McCollough'18 & Katie Lease '18

Ben and I met in 2015 through the golf team at Capital. During a fall practice, I stayed behind to ride around the course with our coach while the rest of the team finished up. We came up to a group playing ahead of us, and I remember asking, “Who’s that?” It turned out to be Ben. He had just transferred to Capital and joined the team. We became friends quickly through practices, tournaments, and team trips. We spent a lot of time together, laughed a lot, and just genuinely enjoyed being around each other. The timing never quite lined up for us at first, but our friendship continued to grow throughout college. During our senior spring golf trip, we finally decided to take a chance on something that had been building for a while. Now, we’re getting married this summer, which feels really full-circle considering where our story began. I’ve also had the opportunity to come back to Capital as an employee, and it’s been incredibly special to walk around campus and think about the memories we shared in so many of these spaces. We’re so grateful Capital brought us together and continues to be such an important part of our story.

Chris '22 & Lynna Haile '22 

Chris and I were somewhat friends in high school. He was the guy my friends would hear about and make jokes that I should date him or shoot my shot. Whenever we had classes together, they would all get a million texts. Fast forward to senior year of HS and going into college, I never asked which college he was going to attend, but I was more than happy to find out he was also going to Cap. Seemed like too much of a coincidence. Not long after freshman year began, he would show up to the clubs I was in for a meeting or two, and send me memes more and more. Which this obviously gave me a perfect opportunity to tell my new college friends about him. The time finally came where we went on a date, and the rest was history. We began dating on 2/29/2020 (😅). We would soon adopt our rescue dog almost two years later, Chris proposed under the gate for our 3rd anniversary. We married just a few short months later, with that rescue dog walking me down the aisle, wearing a bandanna picked out because of its perfect purple shade that matches Capital’s shade 😘

Rob '04 & Kristina Waugh '05 M '13

My husband Rob and I met at Capital University thanks to a little freshman year fate. My roommate was in the trumpet studio with Rob, introduced us, and the rest is history. Through the Conservatory of Music, we shared unforgettable experiences from performing in the Christmas Festival to traveling abroad for an international music festival in Taiwan. We even celebrated our anniversary with a commemorative brick in the walkway near the Conservatory. We are still active musicians and teachers, and it’s a joy to bring our two boys to campus and show them where our story began. The friends, mentors, and memories at Capital will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Thomas '16 & Kirsten Watts '16 

Our Capital Love Story began junior year, with late nights studying for weekly Music History quizzes. After a first date of crêpes and a movie at the Drexel, we’ve been together ever since, following our shared dream of becoming music educators. After graduating from Capital, we’ve supported each other through rehearsals, concerts, and field trips, always looking forward to spending time together with our two cats, Hazel and Peanut. We got married in 2024 on New Year’s Eve, and it was wonderful to be surrounded by our Capital friends and family, including Joe Mueller, who played during the ceremony. We are forever grateful for our time at Capital!

Rocky Jorgenson '21 & Abbi Baker '21

Sophomore year of college I was getting dinner in One Main with my roommates. I happened to see a guy I knew in high school and I gave him a little wave not really starting up a conversation.  After that night I kept looking for him on campus and didn’t see again until he messaged me on social media to get my number.  Turns out he was looking for me on campus as well!! We met at SA for our first date and walked over to Kitties. I still remember exactly what I was wearing and what he was wearing and how yummy that cinnamon roll was! 8 years later, Rocky Jorgenson and I are still going strong and even bought a house close to where our story started! 

Nick '21 & Michaela (Clem-Jacobs) Berchak '21

Nick and I met at Capital through mutual friends! We met in 2018 and were friends for two years. One of the first times we hung out, I invited Nick to one of my improv shows. I figured if he still wanted to hang around me after watching me do improv, he was a keeper. We remained friends for two years and began to date in right before the Pandemic in January of 2020. If anything, being in school during the Pandemic made us stronger and brought us closer together. We moved to Cleveland in 2024 and were married at the beginning of 2025! (We celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary yesterday!). Some of our best memories are right there at Capital. Our first official date was seeing a movie at The Drexel.

Andrew '17 & Rebecca (Lehman) Williamms '18

Andrew and I met for the first time in Cru during a rehearsal for Lip Sync my freshman and his sophomore year in January of 2015. I thought Andrew was really cute…..he thought I was stuck up! (I was taking Lip Sync VERY seriously…) We became better friends over the next 2 years in Cru through Bible studies, prayer and worship nights, retreats, and spring break trips. On Valentine’s Day 2017 right after I played Cinderella in the musical “Into the Woods” in the Conservatory, I made treat bags for him and his roommates but drew a glass slipper on his….hint hint. He asked me out a few weeks later, and we actually had our first date the morning of competing in ANOTHER Lip Sync together. He proposed in January of 2019, and we got married September 2019! Our time in Cru was so life changing in ways far beyond our relationship, and we wanted to be a part of that for others. We are now in our 8th and 9th years of being on staff with Cru full time at Capital, and got to spend July 2024 - July 2025 living in England serving with Cru internationally and traveling all around the world together!  We love getting to continue to be a part of the #CapFam  and giving back to a place that is so near to our hearts.

Mike '70 & Sharon (Stierhoff) McConnell '71

Our story begins in the Fall of ‘69. A sorority sister (Karen Shimborski) encouraged me to ask Mike McConnell to the annual Sadie Hawkins dance sponsored by Pi Phi Epsilon. She said I had to call him in 15 minutes or he wouldn’t go!  Well, he said yes and we even got a marriage license from Marrying Sam. We saw each other every day after until Mike went to Greece for interim.  We spent many hours walking the streets of Bexley and being with all of our friends at Cap. We were pinned and then engaged in the summer of 1970. We were married in June, 1971 with all of the attendants being friends from Capital! Fifty five years later we are retired and doing well!

Marshall '22 & Pammy (Boulas) Evans '20

Once upon a time, in September of 2018, Marshall walked into a meeting to join the Capital University Debate Team. He didn’t know it yet, but he’d be meeting more than just a debate team that day. Pammy, the team captain, stood at the podium, prepared to start her “Intro to Debate” presentation. Right before she began, she noticed a tall first-year walk in and take a front-row seat next to the professor. She wondered whether he’d decide to join the team by the end of her presentation. Pammy excitedly shared the ins and outs of debate. Marshall listened intently. After the meeting, Pammy introduced herself to the interested students; before long, the first practice date was set. Marshall left without saying much. To Pammy’s surprise, Marshall returned for the first practice. She could convince any judge, but she had yet to convince a boy to join the debate team. “I average between 200 and 250 words a minute—I’d like to do 300, but you probably wouldn’t understand me.” What Marshall couldn’t understand was how speaking that fast could be called “debate.” Marshall dared not to argue with Pammy about it, though. Pammy was the captain and had proven herself in the debate world already. Marshall was determined to stick with debate, as it would help achieve his goal of becoming an attorney. The team practiced twice a week. Marshall would meet Pammy and four other new team members in the debate room and hone his skills, discussing everything from public sidewalks to nuclear war. They would frantically speed-read about global political instability and then go get dinner together. Pammy soon realized that the quiet first-year who sat next to the professor at their first meeting could actually be funny and outgoing when he felt like it. It turned out Marshall and Pammy had a lot in common. Pammy was a member of most of the organizations that Marshall would join during his first year and, between team practices, meetings, campus events, and weekend debate trips, the pair began spending a lot of time together. They quickly became close friends. They also spent a lot of time studying together. They shared interests as well as a work ethic that compelled them to stay up all night if necessary. This led to many nights spent as the last two standing (well, studying) after the rest of their friends had gone to bed. These late nights gave way to study breaks spent discussing everything from philosophy to campus goings-on to what were, at the time, funny memes. And so, their friendship deepened. 

Steve '86 & Kris (ller) Williams '88 

Our Capital love story started way back in September of 1985. My roommate and I were playing tennis on the courts at Capital when Steve Williams and his friend showed up at the courts and asked if we wanted to play doubles. I had noticed Steve from afar and was thrilled when he wanted to be my partner on the court. I tell everyone we were partners from the start! Soon after that tennis match, we officially started dating. Our first date was to Friendly’s ice cream in Bexley, and I remember ordering a mini mint Sunday. Steve was a senior business administration major, and I was a sophomore nursing student and a member of the Chapel Choir. Steve was a captain on Capital’s soccer team, so I started going to the soccer games to watch him. I was in attendance and cheering him on when Capital beat Ohio State 2-0 in the Shoe at The Ohio State University. What an amazing accomplishment that was for the CAP team and a memorable game for the soccer community. I can remember walking through the courtyard at CAP between classes and scanning the area to see if Steve was also walking in between classes. I loved walking hand in hand or arm in arm with him across campus, because I wanted everyone to know that Steve Williams was “my man!” Steve was a member of KSU and I was a member of Pi Phi Epsilon, so we enjoyed attending many Greek events together as a couple. Steve graduated from CAP with a BA in May of 1986. He was hired by Ohio Bell Telephone and moved to Cleveland, OH. He proposed to me on 12/24/86 and I could not wait to get back to Capital for the Pi Phi candlelight ceremony so I could reveal my engagement to my sorority sisters and then all my nursing friends on campus. We survived a long-distance relationship for 2 years. I graduated from Capital in May of 1988 with a BSN, went on 3-week tour with the Chapel Choir to China, Japan, and Hong Kong, and we were married on June 18, 1988. Two weeks later, I took my NCLEX nursing exam and accepted a job in the NICU at Metro Health Medical Center.  In June, we will have been married for 38 years. We have 3 amazing children who are all happily married, 6 incredible grandchildren, and grandbabies #7and 8 will be joining us in 2026. Kris has been a pediatric nurse for 37 years and is currently working as a pediatric PACU nurse at Rainbow Babies and Children’s hospital in Cleveland, OH. Steve is a pastor, missions director, and Biblical counselor at Columbia Road Baptist Church in North Olmsted, OH. We are more in love than ever and have enjoyed 37 wonderful years of marriage….and it all began on the tennis courts of Capital University in September of 1985! Capital will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Drew '04 & Danielle (Meyer) Davie '03

Love and Basketball
This story began with a shared hometown and a game they  both loved.When Drew (Perkins) and Danielle (Margaretta) arrived on campus as freshmen, they had no idea their paths would intertwine. Both were from Sandusky, Ohio,   both attended nearby high schools, and both carried a deep love for basketball. Yet somehow, despite growing up minutes apart, they didn’t truly meet until college brought them together. Drew earned his place on the men’s basketball team. Danielle competed on the women’s team. Long practices, early morning lifts, bus rides, and the atmosphere of game nights created the perfect setting for a friendship to form. By sophomore year, friendship turned into dating. bonded by a competitive spirit and a shared understanding of what it meant to be a student-athlete. Basketball was the foundation of their love story, but it was never the only thing holding them together. CAP gave them more than just a college experience. It gave them lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories, mentors who shaped their futures, and the foundation on which they would build their family. After graduation, Danielle continued her education at the University of Toledo’s Medical and Science building, earning her Masters  degree in Occupational Therapy. Drew remained at CAP as a graduate assistant basketball  coach for a year before  pursuing his Masters degree in Educational Administration. Today, they reside back in their hometown of Sandusky, the very place where their story quietly began years before. Drew serves as the assistant principal at his alma mater, while still coaching basketball.  Danielle serves as a school based occupational therapist, helping students grow and succeed, while also prioritizing her dedication to family They will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary  this July. Together, they are raising four incredible children: Bryce, a junior; Braelyn, a sophomore; Brock, in 7th grade; and Brant, in 5th grade.  Bryce and Braelyn  are now in the recruitment process of playing at the collegiate level. Their home is filled with practice schedules, games, homework, and the busy pace  of a family deeply involved in sports and the community. The gym still feels like a second home only now, they sit in the stands cheering on the next generation. Looking back, they are grateful for their time at CAP,  for the memories made, the friendships formed, and the strong foundation that prepared them for marriage, parenthood, and leadership. What began as two student-athletes chasing dreams has grown into a life rooted in love, teamwork, and shared purpose. Basketball may have started their story, but the family and life they’ve built together is their proudest accomplishment. #CAPFAM #CU

Ross '10 & Lea (Baker) Goldsmith '09 

If you would’ve told me during sophomore year at Capital University that I was walking past my future husband on the way to give campus tours, I probably would’ve laughed. I never dreamed of getting married or having kids, I wanted to be a powerful independent woman forever. But that’s exactly where our story started. We met as campus tour guides/student ambassadors — standing on the same sidewalks, smiling at prospective families and pretending we weren’t nervous the first few times we led groups across campus. We both loved Capital deeply. You could feel it in the way we talked about it. We weren’t just giving tours — we were telling our stories. We were both everywhere on campus. Greek life events. Student leadership roles. Philanthropy projects. Late-night meetings. Early morning commitments. If something was happening at Capital, chances are one of us (if not both of us) was involved. We were driven, busy, and completely immersed in that season of life. We knew each other. We respected each other. There was always an easy conversation and a shared understanding of what it meant to care so much about that place. But we didn’t date in college. Even though everyone suspected it because of our natural connection. Looking back, I think we were both becoming who we needed to be first. We were building our confidence, our passions, our independence and our reputations. We were laying our own foundations. It wasn’t until after graduation, when the schedules cleared and the noise quieted — that something shifted. We started talking even more. Spending more intentional time together. Going to each others work events together. And suddenly, the person who had always been in the background of my Capital memories became the center of my future. The week before Valentines Day 2012 he asked if we could make plans. This time, the timing was right. What started as shared leadership and campus pride grew into something steady and certain. It felt natural. Easy. Like it had always been meant to unfold this way — just not on the timeline we originally thought. ( or maybe just me lol) The campus that introduced us became part of our story in a new way. Capital wasn’t just where we went to school. It was where we found each other — even if it took us a few extra years to realize it. Where we found our lifelong friends.  It was where he proposed to me, on the very sidewalk that we met giving our mock campus tours.Then we got married. We became parents. Two beautiful kids who will someday roll their eyes when we tell them (again) that Mom and Dad met giving campus tours. But I hope they also see what I see now — that love isn’t always loud or immediate. Sometimes it grows quietly in the background, waiting for the right moment. A few years ago, we bought a brick on campus. Our names, side by side, placed permanently in the foundation of Capital University. It felt symbolic in the most perfect way. That place shaped us individually. It brought us together. And now, in a small but meaningful way, our love is part of its foundation forever. Students will walk over that brick for years to come. New tour guides will tell their stories. Greek life will continue. And somewhere beneath it all is a reminder that some love stories don’t begin with fireworks. Sometimes they begin with a shared sidewalk, a campus tour, laughs and perfect timing that comes later. And I wouldn’t change a single part of ours. Lea Barker and Ross Goldsmith a true Capital love story.

Steve '73 & Sandy (Popp) Howard '75 

It was the fall of 1973.  I had just transferred to Capital from Otterbein (yes, you read that correctly), and was a junior majoring in elementary education.  I didn't know many Capital students.  But  fortunately, I had  worked with one, Linda Hull, at Connell's Flowers in Bexley as a part time summer job.   I had just learned that Roberta Flack ( a very popular singer in the early 70's)  was scheduled  to be in concert at Capital later  that fall.  You had to have a Capital University ID card to be able to get a ticket. I really wanted to go to the Roberta Flack concert and take a few of my Otterbein friends, but I needed to borrow some Capital IDs.  How could I borrow some IDs without knowing many Cap students? Fortunately, my friend, Linda had a roomate, Holly Howard. Holly's brother had just graduated from Capital and was attending Capital Law School when it was still on the Bexley campus.  I asked Holly if she thought I could borrow her brother's ID  to get the Roberta Flack tickets or would he want to go to see Roberta Flack? "Of course  he will loan you his Captial ID", Holly responded. "He  has no interest in any sort of  concert--he spends all of his time in the library studying." Later that week, a meeting was set up in the lobby of  the Schoedinger-Setterlin  girls' dorm with Linda, Holly, Holly's brother, Steve and myself. Steve loaned me his ID, I thanked him and I was able to get the Roberta Flack concert tickets. Steve and I finally had a first date  on October 9, 1974 at an OSU-Wisconsin football game and we dated on a regular basis that fall. I had a part-time job in the library and I used to bring him cookies in the after hours study room that were left over from receptions held  in the Schumacher Gallery on the 4th floor of the library where my mom worked as an administrative assistant to Professor Richard Bauer. This coming July, we will celebrate  our 49th wedding anniversary!  Oh, by the way, Roberta Flack had  to cancel her concert at Capital in 1973 due to illness so I never got to use those tickets from those borrowed IDs.  

Paul '73 & Connie (Emerick) Parker '74 

Capital brought us together. I was a member of the ROTC drill team, the Capital Guards. As a recruitment tool we marched an exhibition sequence for the incoming freshmen and their parents on move in day. A couple days before that day, the Orientation Committee showed up at a practice to request a volunteer from the team to be a group leader for various activities they had planned. Since no one jumped up, I decided that I had nothing better to do and I raised my hand. After marching the exhibition, I went to the cafeteria to leisurely eat lunch. About half way through the meal I remembered that I was supposed to lead a group on their tour of the campus in fifteen minutes. I was all sweaty from marching so I had to run over to the third floor of Schaaf Hall and take a quick shower. I then had to run over to the football field to meet my group of freshmen. I never gave it a thought that all this running would make me sweaty again. I made it just in time to hear my name called for the group to form. Lucky for me most of the group were good looking coeds.  In this group was my future wife, Connie Emerick. What would the odds be that a nursing student from West Virginia would be assigned to a psychology major from the Black Swamp of Ohio?  We got married a week after she graduated. Bookends. On this coming Valentine's Day it will be 20,252 days from that day we first met.