More 2016 Love Stories
Amanda Brewer ’10, ’13 & Jeff Brewer ‘10
After class one cold evening I decided to finally talk to this cute guy in class, and he was walking about 10 paces ahead of me. The faster I walked, the faster he would walk. Pretty soon I was running to catch up with him. I FINALLY caught up with him and only to find he had this look of terror on his face, thinking someone was trying to rob him. After catching my breath, chit-chatting about our presentation and me not-so casually hinting I needed a ride, he simply said “see ya next week” and went to his car. The good news is he got the hint the next day and found me on Facebook. We’ve since been married 5 years in April, own a business together and have a 15 month old son. We still laugh at that night every time we pass our corner on Spring Garden.
Justin Cash ‘14 & April Cogdell ‘14
April and I were high school friends. It was my second year of college, her first. We had begun talking again and fell in love. We started dating that November. She was already enrolled at UNCG and I was unhappy at my current college. She convinced me to transfer and once I got accepted we never looked back. We were both Biology majors, had every class together. Only thing we didn’t share were our minors, I was History and she was Psychology. I would have never made it through all those tough classes without her by my side and our love. Sadly, a few months after graduation she became ill. April was born with Cystic Fibrosis and the year before college she underwent a double lung transplant. She passed away in early October. My life and time at UNCG would not have been the same without her. True Spartan Sweethearts.
Dean Castaldo, Jr. ’12 & Emilie Castaldo ‘10
Since meeting as freshmen residents of the Cone Dorm, Emilie and I have become best friends and lifelong partners as husband and wife. It is without question that UNCG made a significant impact on both of us -- professionally and personally -- yet the most memorable experiences on campus are those that we shared together. Although much has changed since we first met in the fall of 2007, we still enjoy an afternoon walk down College Ave, or a summertime treat from Yum Yums.
Michelle Rosquillo (Esquillo) '17 & Corrine Rosquillo (Rogers) '15
She was an English major, I was in Sports Medicine, but our mutual love for foreign language and culture landed us in Japanese classes together. We became fast friends, inseparable after our first “unofficial” date at Homecoming 2010. In 2011 with support from close friends, we made our relationship official, though deeply closeted from my conservative family. After graduating in 2012, I came out to my parents in Asheville three days before Amendment One passed, prohibiting gay marriage in NC. They disowned me, leading to heartbreak and struggle as I worked to obtain my Master’s in Athletic Training at UNCG. On October 13, 2014, Michelle and I were married in Asheville--three days after Amendment One was struck down. Michelle is now getting her MFA in Creative Writing at UNCG. Without the incredible support for diversity we’ve experienced here, we would not be who we are today.
Alexa Sparkman (DeRosa) '14 & Matthew Sparkman '11
In the summer of 2010, just in time for students to return back to UNCG, Resident Advisor training began. Alexa and Matthew were to be RAs in the high rise buildings directly next to each other, Cone and Grogan. They didn't know each other yet, but they did realize that they each were going to spend the year on the highest floor of each of their buildings. After long but learning-filled days of safety seminars, conflict management practice, and "Behind Closed Doors" incident role play, Alexa and Matthew would hang silly objects and shapes in the hallway windows, visible from one building to the other. This form of flirting eventually turned into talking, coffee dates at Tate Street and long walks on Spartan territory (their first kiss was shared at the Spartan statue!) and a relationship that would eventually turn into marriage. Married in 2013, Alexa and Matthew are lovers of life, teaching, and laughter, bonded beginning with their love of helping others.
Walter Scott Thomason '99, '01 & Krista Thomason (Karbowski) '02
We met in Cornelia Strong College (then housed in Moore-Strong Hall) in 1998. We did not begin dating until a few years later, when we both worked as student housing staff in Moore-Strong. The shared sense of community fostered by the Strong College program was one of the factors that brought us together. We discovered that we shared common life goals and, more importantly, that we made a great team. We continued working with the CSC program after graduation. We were married in 2002. We both worked at UNCG for those first few years: Scott was a live-in Coordinator for Residential Learning for Housing and Residence Life (2001-2004) and Krista was the administrative assistant for the Writing and Speaking Across the Curriculum (2002-2004). Because of Scott’s job we lived on campus for those first years, which was not the easiest arrangement, but it was an opportunity to give back to the community that had brought us so much joy and success. UNCG helped us find not only each together but also a shared sense of purpose in our lives. We left UNCG in 2004 to pursue graduate degrees. Twelve years and four states later, we now both teach at Swarthmore College. We live outside of Philadelphia with our two dogs.
Ashleigh Welder '01 & Eric Welder '99, '08
I met my future husband while he was attending UNCG as a Teaching Fellow and I was a senior in high school. After dating for a year, I went to ASU to pursue my degree in Elementary Education, but after a year and a half of back and forth, I made the switch to attend UNCG as well. In the spring of my Junior year I arrived home earlier than expected from a night class and was surprised to find that the apartment was spotless and he was cooking an elaborate dinner to eat by candlelight. By that point, I was becoming suspicious, and when it was time for dessert he pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him! We were married the following summer after graduation (July 2001). We now have two children (a son who is 8 and a daughter who is turning 6 this month).
David Harris ’12 & Hannah Harris ‘13
David and Hannah were friends throughout their undergraduate time at UNCG through their mutual involvement on campus in Greek Life. On a fateful Saturday during Homecoming of 2013, Hannah walked into Old Towne to meet some sorority sisters. David was sitting at the bar, waiting with some of his fraternity brothers and waved to say hello as Hannah walked in. The rest is history - they reconnected and have been together ever since!
Glenn Saylor, Jr. ’79 & Wanda King Saylor ‘80
Glenn and I are both UNC-G alumni. I have so many wonderful memories of those four years! I met Glenn my first month there. I lived in a corner room of Jamison and he lived across the sidewalk in a corner room of Bailey. My friends and I would observe him studying at night (shirtless by the light of his study lamp emphasizing his nice physique I might add)! One night after learning his name, we turned out our lights and called out to him. He would look out the window but could not see us. After a while we revealed ourselves. He and I met by the tennis courts that night and talked until 2:00 am. I went back and told my friends I was going to marry him! Our first date was to Bills Pizza Pub! We celebrated thirty-five years marriage in June!
Christopher Tew ’69 & Laura Tew ‘69
Christopher and Laura Tew met first in UNCG German lab; he carried her books as they walked to the Jackson Library, where she worked. He was going to make copies of a music score, which he had composed. She lived in Gray Dorm, and he was a town student from McLeansville. They shared rural roots and a love for learning. They both had a passion for science and facts.
Their first date, February 26, 1966, was a movie and popcorn at the theatre down at The Corner on Tate Street. The movie was "The Loved One" about the funeral business in California. It was billed as "the motion picture with something to offend everyone." Their courtship was casual at first and revolved around his performance schedule in orchestras on campus, in the Greensboro Symphony, and in Salisbury and Hickory. Her heavy academic schedule included four hour labs in chemistry and physics. They both worked part time, and supported each other through family emergencies. Christopher's father realized this relationship was serious and agreed to drive Laura home to Greenville where he could meet the parents. His timing was fortunate because he died of a massive heart attack a few months later. Christopher and Laura's friendship developed and so it was clear they would spend their lives
together. They were married on May 30, 1969 two days before they graduated from UNCG. After graduate school at Duke University, Laura's career in chemical manufacturing had them live in five states and travel to five continents, before they returned to Greensboro in 2006. Their connection to UNCG has been steadfast, and they look forward to the 50th anniversary of their wedding and their graduation in 2019.
Lauren Watts ’11 & Jonathan Watts ‘10
Lauren and I met the summer of 2009 at UNCG. We both were taking classes in the summer and happened to cross paths due to mutual friends. It was love at first sight when we saw each other that night at The School at Spring Garden Apartments. Life has been amazing ever since! I graduated in Spring 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Lauren graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I work at a financial institution as Service Representative and Lauren is an Oncology Nurse at an outpatient cancer center. We were married in April 2012. We now have a wonderful son named Luke who is 4 months old. We love to visit the campus often and have gotten into the habit of taking our little baby Spartan, too! Thank you UNCG for giving us a wonderful education and helping our hearts find each other! You have changed our lives forever!
Candace Fox ‘11 & Brad Smith ‘11
My name is Candace Fox and my fiance is Brad Smith and we both graduated in Dec, 2011. I have my BA is Spanish and he has his BS in Accounting. We actually met on a dating site called Zoosk (it is through Facebook and connects you with people who you have friends in common with). I was in Seoul, South Korea studying abroad and we began talking online. We talked the whole time and met in person a couple of days after I returned to the US and we went on our first date. The rest has just been an amazing journey and now we are getting married in May!! I have attached some of our engagement photos, which were taken at UNCG because it is such a special place for us :)
Garrett Saake ’11 & Samantha MacReynolds ‘13
Garrett Saake (DMA ’11) and Samantha MacReynolds (BME 13’) are happy to announce our marriage this year on July 30! We met through the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance while we were students, but didn’t start dating till well after graduation. We worked together in music in Greensboro and slowly fell for each other. Garrett works at Well-Spring Retirement Community and Samantha works at Greensboro Day School. On January 5, 2016 we had a true Spartan Engagement. At the UNCG vs. Furman Basketball game, Garrett arrange for the ‘kiss cam’ to linger on them while he got down on one knee. Fortunately she said yes! We are so fortunate to have met at UNCG and to have shared our engagement with UNCG. Looking forward to many more memories with our alma mater!
Kevin Prunest ’13 & Trisha Cohen ‘13
Kevin and I met at a philanthropy event for his fraternity in 2010 and year later we began dating. After three years, graduation and a move to Winston-Salem, Kevin proposed to me. He created a scavenger hunt around UNCG visiting several places that were important to our undergraduate days of dating. He had friends waiting at each stop around campus with a spare change of clothes, hair and makeup station and jewelry. He ended the adventure at the Music Building (where my sorority celebrated many life events with a candle pass) and he proposed. Even better, he had the whole thing filmed! Kevin and I love UNCG and our undergraduate experience there, so there is no where else I could ever imagine saying yes to my future husband! At our wedding we will be surrounded by many UNCG graduates who we developed lifelong bonds with during our undergraduate careers!
