CCSU Love Connections
Love is in the air at CCSU! Alumni share their CCSU Love Connection stories about how they met or fell in love with their spouse on campus.
Did you meet your spouse at CCSU? Tell us your CCSU Love Connection story!
Bob Wessman '70 & Pam Cruickshanks '70
Wedding Date: Apr 17, 1970
Bob & Pam's CCSU Love Connection
One day on campus in 1966, I spotted an attractive coed studying in Elihu Burritt Library. I sat down at a table facing this person to see if she would notice me. Every so often she would catch me looking at her, but we didn't speak. After several library visits, I got the courage to talk to her.
Pam lived in Marcus White dorm, and I was a commuter. We began dating, and over time fell in love. We studied hard and joined several college organizations which gave us a chance to work with wonderful people like Richard Judd and the new president, F. Don James. A memorable event we shared was escorting Dr. James and his wife to his Inaugural Ball at the Student Center.
In our senior year, I asked Pam to marry me at the library where we first met. She said yes. We got married during spring break of 1970, our senior year. We graduated together in May of 1970.
After graduation, I taught biology at Plainville High for 22 years and retired early to begin a career in photography. Pam taught elementary school, mostly kindergarten, for a total of 32 years. She did take time to have our 2 children. Our girls, Amy and Carrie, got undergraduate degrees from UConn, and advanced degrees from CCSU. Pam and I recently celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary.
PS. During my second career, I had the pleasure of being CCSU’s campus photographer for 11 years.
James Ardaiolo '70 & Beth Moreland '69
Wedding Date: Jul 31, 1971
James & Beth's CCSU Love Connection
Beth was her sororities rep at the Inter Greek Council where I was the chairman. We would stare at each other and the rest is history!
Mark Finn '97 & Deborah Stockman '91
Wedding Date: October 17, 1987
Mark & Deborah's CCSU Love Connection
I noticed her in one of my classes. Then another. Then on my way to another, she was looking for the same building where I was headed. Wouldn’t you know she was in the same class again! was living on campus and she was commuting from Bristol. We got to know each other that spring and were married that fall!
Shayna Schrier '14 & Gregory Schrier '13
Wedding Date: June 22, 2018
Shayna & Gregory's CCSU Love Connection
We met at CCSU our freshman year at an off-campus party. We became fast friends and have fond memories of visiting one another. Greg was always a gentleman and walked me up the hill to Sam May. I would visit him in Carroll Hall. We participated in Dean’s Cup together, technically competing against each other and shared many meals in the dining hall or Devil’s Den. I would visit Greg in the mailroom as he was the manager for a couple of years and he would visit me working in the dining hall or on sign-in duty for one of the residence halls. We loved our time at CCSU and owe our entire lives to the seemingly small decision of attending school there. It is full circle now as Greg represents his company at CCSU’s career fairs and we have our own little one who one day might also choose to be a blue devil.
Amy (Wasko) Fitzgerald '95 & Patrick Fitzgerald '94
Wedding Date: March 20, 1999
Amy & Patrick's CCSU Love Connection
We met at an off campus party and spent the whole party talking. He lived in Beecher, I lived in Barrows. His dorm room faced the sidewalk and he’d yell out to me to get my attention. we started dating and we married in 1999. We have 2 children, Jack, a freshman at Union College and Madelyn a senior in high school. In addition to finding each other we made lifelong friendships and continue to get together at CCSU homecoming or dinners out.
Marlene Hermonat Skonieczny '66 & Henry Skoniecznty '65
Wedding Date: December 26, 1966
Marlene & Henry's CCSU Love Connection
We met at a dance in the old women's gym when I was a freshman. Henry was a New Britain resident and a sophomore at WPI, home for the weekend from Worcester, MA. He was at the dance with CCSC friends. We've been married for 55+ years.
Christine Donovan ‘82 & Rick Donovan ‘82
Wedding Date: June 29, 1985
Christine & Rick’s CCSU Love Connection
I was in Alpha Pho Omega fraternity, and she was in Nu Betta Gamma sorority. We met, we married, and have two children together.
Jeff Golden '97 & Susie Golden '98
Wedding Date: April 15, 2000
Jeff & Susie’s CCSU Love Connection
Jeff and I met my freshman year through mutual friends. We ended up hanging around with the same group of people throughout that year but were dating other people. Fall semester of my sophomore year we got closer and ended up dating. We’ve been together ever since the day he asked me to be his girlfriend on October 10, 1995!
Briana (O’Leary) Frye ‘14 & Oaty Frye ‘13
Wedding Date: July 1, 2017
Briana & Oaty's CCSU Love Connection
Oaty and Briana met their freshman year in 2009 when they noticed each other from across the room at Memorial Hall. She mentioned to her new friend, Sara Weller (‘13), that she thought he was cute. Sara said they went to high school together and were friendly, so she proceeded to call him over and introduce them.
After the initial introduction, Briana tried to add Oaty as a friend on Facebook… which he declined (and she never lets him forget it). They went their separate paths and reconnected senior year when Sara Weller and Dan Ray (‘14) set them up on a date. He picked her up for their first date in front of Sheridan Hall on Valentine’s Day 2013 and then took her to Maggie McFly’s in West Hartford.
Oaty graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. Briana graduated the following semester with her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. The pair married July 1, 2017, and welcomed their twins, Oaty and Norah, in July 2020. They currently reside in Middletown, Connecticut.
Tyler Margid '15 & Jessica Hanley '13
Tyler & Jessica's CCSU Love Connection
It was a very happy homecoming for CCSU alumni couple Tyler Margid ’15 and Jessica Hanley ’13. As the pair strolled around campus before the football game against Columbia, they stopped at Vance Hall, the spot where they first met in 2011. It was there that Margid dropped to one knee and popped the question. Amid cheers from onlookers, Hanley said yes and the newly engaged couple headed over to the football field to watch the game. Watch a video of the proposal here!
Kyle Miller '18 & Shannon Kelly '15
Wedding Date: October 15, 2023
Kyle & Shannon's CCSU Love Connection
We kind of met at CCSU. While we were both working on our Batchelor’s degrees, and probably crossed paths almost all the time. We also had some of the same friends as well. And who knows, we probably even talked to each other before. She went on to continue to pursue a Masters degree in special education (2020). We technically got together after graduating, but really knew each other all along.
Rick McGowan '74 & Peggy Doolittle-McGowan '75
Wedding Date: December 27, 1975
Rick & Peggy's CCSU Love Connection
While we actually met in high school, she went off to Curry College and I to CCSC. I convinced her to transfer to Central her sophomore year as we both wanted to teach PE and coach. Peg actually went on to captain the volleyball team and was named athlete of the year. We went on to both teach and coach and have since retired.
John Sarra '73 & Eve Sarra '74
Wedding Date: August 24, 1974
John & Eve's CCSU Love Connection
I was a DJ at the campus radio station, what is now WFCS, in 1971. One Sunday afternoon when I was on the air, two young ladies came into the studio to hang out for awhile. One of the ladies left with another friend, leaving Eve alone, so we started chatting.
I had some production work to do after my show, so Eve stayed on and we discovered how similar our backgrounds were. After work, we went together to a movie that the Program Council had sponsored. So I guess you could say that was our first date.
Two years later, I was supposed to pick Eve up at her dorm to go out to dinner to celebrate our 2-year anniversary. I made up an excuse that someone took ill, and I had to fill in for them at the radio station. She was mad, but came down to the radio station anyway, and that's when I proposed to her while on the air during which her favorite song, Cat Steven's "The Boy with the Moon and Star on His Head" was playing. Years later, I learned that the song was about infidelity, go figure!
It didn't seem to matter though, because we have been happily married for 47 years and have 2 wonderful children and a grandson who's at UCONN in his junior year.
(In the picture, Eve is on the far left and I am in the front row kneeling, 2nd from left.)
Kimberly DeBaise '99 & John Debaise '99
Wedding Date: July 9, 1999
Kim & John's CCSU Love Connection
The summer of 1995 I was heading into my second year at Central, and John's mother - who I worked with - told me he was transferring there after graduating from Tunxis. So, I offered to show him around. We arranged to meet on the stairs of Welte Hall, which are now buried after the renovation, and we've been together ever since. We were both commuter students, and we'd often meet at our cars on the roof of the parking garage at the top of the hill to spend time together between classes.
Jeremy Anderson '16 & Mayra Suarez '16
Jeremy & Mayra's CCSU Love Connection
I first saw her on Facebook and Instagram in 2015. She was so beautiful, and I noticed we went to the same school, so I was very interested in her. Then in the Spring 2016 semester we coincidentally had the same law class, and I was finally able to meet her. As soon as I saw her the first day of class I knew I had to say something to her. After class, I went to the computer lab and sure enough there she was there as well. I had to seize the moment, so I went over to talk to her. I asked her if her she was Mayra (I pronounced it incorrectly at first) and she said yes. I was a little nervous and didn't know what to say so I said we're friends on Facebook. Long story short we continued talking briefly, shared a few laughs then exchanged numbers. The rest was history. We've been together ever since then and now we have a beautiful 3 month old girl and just bought a home together. Over the past couple of years, we've made so many great memories together going on dates and traveling the world. Now we have a beautiful family together and are happily in love. Shoutout to CCSU Law class for bringing us together.
Sarah Mahan '09 & Robert Cavener '11
Wedding Date: August 24, 1974
Sarah & Robert's CCSU Love Connection
I was on the swim team and he was on the soccer team. We met at a couple athlete parties, but it wasn’t until we were living across from each other in the Princeton apartments that we started to connect. In September 2008 we first became an item and the rest is history!
Carl Stenger '75 & Pam McLauchlan '75
Wedding Date: June 5, 1976
Carl & Pam's CCSU Love Connection
We met our freshmen year in September during the first weeks of school and have been together for 47 years. Carl played football for the Blue Devils and lived in Sam May. Pam lived in Clarence Carroll and was quite the catch. We have so many wonderful memories of meeting for meals at Slaters, going to Belvedere Pizza, Welte Hall, the Palmer House, Stanley Park, Arute Field, andriving our motorcycle. We have been married for almost 46 years. We have two wonderful married children and 4 grandchildren. Our daughter Kristin is married to Ryan with twins, Keane and Gracie. They have served as International Missionaries in South Asia for the past 12 years. We have many fond memories of traveling in that region with them over the years. Our son, Ken is married to Jamy. They have two lively boys Cole and Ben.
We raised our family in Shelton, CT and now live in a beautiful 55+community in Beacon Falls, CT. Carl & Pam are both in the property casualty insurance business and together ran CSA insurance for over 20 years. We sold the agency and currently Carl serves as a Commercial Producer for John M. Glover Insurance and Pam is a Personal Lines Agent for Bearingstar Insurance.
Bridget Armstrong '11 & Paul Armstrong '10
Wedding Date: September 9, 2011
Bridget & Paul's CCSU Love Connection
He was a soccer player, she was not. Paul is from Liverpool, England and was at CCSU on a full soccer scholarship. Bridget is from Colchester, CT. Paul and Bridget met at a soccer party at Princeton Apartments at the end of the spring 2008 semester - Bridget a freshman, Paul a sophomore. Paul returned to England the next day and the two kept in touch over the summer. When he returned for pre-season in August, Bridget visited him. The rest is history. The two dated for 3 years and married after Bridget graduated in 2011. They bought a home in Wethersfield in 2015 because they often drove through the town while at Central and loved the area. Six years married, they welcomed their first child in March 2018 - Maggie (who already has her own pink CCSU sweatshirt)! Paul and Bridget spend their time with a handful of other CCSU couples - English soccer players who married Connecticut girls and settled in the Wethersfield/Rocky Hill/Newington area.
Laura Chiara '07 & Adam Chiara '07
Wedding Date: June 27, 2015
Laura & Adam's CCSU Love Connection
Our story started in 2003 at CCSU. We met in Carroll Hall. I lived on the 3rd floor and he lived on the 1st, then 2nd, floor. We met in the dorm and were friends for a year before we started dating. We are married and have two dogs and a son together. We bought a house 10 minutes from CCSU so we still visit frequently! You can often see us taking a walk on campus with our two dogs and son in his stroller!
Sharon Leger '10 & Joel Patrick Leger '09
Wedding Date: June 11, 2011
Sharon & Joel's CCSU Love Connection
I had just transferred to CCSU as a sophomore and was trying to find my place on campus. I knew I had to put myself out there and as a elementary education major, the Education Club seemed like the best place to start.
I walked in the doors of Vance, walked towards the meeting, then totally chickened out and walked past the door.
As I was kicking myself for giving up, I walked past the second entrance to the meeting room. A second entrance? That must be fate. I walked in, looked around the room and saw an empty seat next to a good-looking man in the first row. "I've come this far," I thought as I slid into the seat next to him and flashed him a shy smile.
And the rest was history. We met in September 2007, were married in June 2011 and are now successfully employed teachers - both with our dream jobs - with two beautiful daughters. And it all began at an Education Club meeting in Vance...
Thank you, CCSU!
Rene Karas-Johnson MS '96 & Frederick Johnson Jr BS '93, MS '00 
Wedding Date: May 3, 2003
Rene & Frederick's CCSU Love Connection
We met at CCSU when IT was upgrading our computers to Nt4 and found out we had grown up one town apart and had mutual friends. We have been married for 18 years and have worked together full-time at CCSU for 25+ years.
Carol (Albert) Amell '83 & Shawn Amell '82
Wedding Date: October 29, 1983
Carol & Shawn's CCSU Love Connection
Shawn was a Senior Accounting Major and I was a Junior Sociology/Social Work Major, both looking forward to graduating on time. We had signed up for other classes that semester when we independently realized we both needed an Art class to graduate. And that's were we met. In Mrs. Hayes level 300 Art class, surrounded by Art Majors who had a great laugh that we were allowed to take the class since we knew nothing about Art or architecture. We bonded over knowing no one else and the fact that we were so out of our element! 38 years later and 3 amazing children, we are still going strong!
Amberleigh MacIntyre '16 & Nicholas Maida '16
Wedding Date: August 4, 2018
Amberleigh & Nicholas's CCSU Love Connection
Nick and I met in the Honors Program at CCSU. Even though we had very different majors (he was studying Management Information Systems and I was studying English Literature), we still had an honors class together almost every semester for four years. We began hanging out in the Devil's Den in between classes and talking in the library even after we finished the work for projects we were assigned to. We first became friends after being put in the same group for a project sophomore year, in 2014. At the end of that year, we began dating (I really had to work to get past the friend zone) and in October of 2017 he proposed.
Sean Florian '86 & Beth Charamut '86
Wedding Date: July 29, 1988
Sean & Beth's CCSU Love Connection
Sean was the president of the Ski Club at CCSU. Beth attended a bus trip Sean ran to Killington, VT. They both had been skiing most of their lives. Beth remembers Sean checking her onto the bus, and skiing with her friends. At lunch, Sean walked up to Beth's table and asked her if she would like to ski with him and his friends after lunch. His friends were the CCSU ski team. Beth skied with Sean and the guys all afternoon, and was smitten by Sean. The rest is history. Sean and Beth spent all of their time together following that day, and graduated that Fall together. Both started working and living at home to save money. Sean proposed to Beth in April, 17 months after they met and will be married for 34 years, this summer. They have two kids, both of whom skied since the age of 2, making names for themselves in the skiing world. They are a skiing family - nothing could make them happier.
Michele McGraw '10 & David McGraw '09
Wedding Date: July 18, 2013
Michele & David's CCSU Love Connection
We met in 2008 at CCSU. He was an intern in Student Activities/Student Union Operations. We were both in the Counseling: Student Development of Higher Education masters program. We became friends, graduated the program one year apart and started dating. We got married, have two children and live in CT.
Shirley Pastore McCormack '92 & Geoff McCormack '93
Wedding Date: October 23, 1993
Shirley & Geoff's CCSU Love Connection
I was an exchange student to Sheffield Hallam University in England (1989-1990) where I met my husband Geoff, who is English. We became one of a number of CCSU-British University couples who found each other thanks to CCSU's Study Abroad program. The study-abroad coordinator at the time joked she was becoming a matchmaker. Thanks to CCSU, I've had life-long friendships with my Sheffield friends, some of whom also married CCSU students!!!
Robert Hokunson III '11 & Heather Hokunson '11
Wedding Date: September 12, 2015
Robert & Heather's CCSU Love Connection
Heather and I met when were both Resident Assistants in Gallaudet Hall our junior year. We quickly became close friends, that soon developed into an amazing relationship. While we were RA's we kept it a "secret" in order to make sure we stayed in the same Resident Hall. Although we denied it, it was very obvious that the two of us were more than friends. After college we moved in together in 2013 when we bought our first house in Newington, CT near CCSU. We then got married on 9/12/2015 and have been happily married ever since. Our family grew as we welcomed in Dominic Luke Hokunson on 12/20/2017. Dominic has been a blessing and hopefully is a future Blue Devil.
Kimberly Kirkegard '11 & Chris Kirkegard '11
Wedding Date: August 25, 2017
Kimberly & Chris's CCSU Love Connection
Chris and I met through mutual hometown friends our freshman year at CCSU in 2007. I met him first in front of Kaiser (a detail Chris will dispute) and I knew he was special. We started dating in 2009 while both living in Vance and after graduating in 2011, both moved back to our hometowns (on opposite sides of the state). We commuted back and forth to each other for 4 years before moving in together...halfway between. We got married in August 2017 and haven't looked back since! CCSU took 2 people from opposite sides of the same state and forced us to meet. If it weren't for CCSU I would not have met my husband.
Judy Grumbach Schumacher '68 & Karl Schumacher '71
Wedding Date: August 17, 1968
Judy & Karl's CCSU Love Connection
We met inCentral's cafeteria when I was 19. I remember telling my friend at Southern that I was dating "an older man" who was 4 years older than me. He had joined the army after high school and then gone to Central. He made me laugh every time we were together. I told him I was pinned to another guy. He told me it looked like my sorority pin in the dark! I knew he was "the one". We married in 1968 and became the parents of 3 wonderful children who in turn got married and gave us wonderful grandchildren. Our life has been filled with so much joy. We have been very fortunate. On August 17, 2018, we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary...and it all began at Central.
Alexandra Kitchener '15 & Dean Ott '15
Wedding Date: October 8, 2017
Alexandra & Dean's CCSU Love Connection
Dean and I met on the SGA! We dated sophomore year and moved into together after college! Dean was senior class president and I got a shout out in his speech :)
Sophie Sopelak '62 & Don Sopelak '62
Wedding Date: August 11, 1962
Sophie & Don's CCSU Love Connection
We met in a math class, second semester freshman year, only because he transferred from UCONN. We started dating in sophomore year and since we were both Mathematics Ed majors we had many of the advanced math classes together. We would like to thank Dr. Bulman in Physics, who helped us over a rough patch in our junior year! Don proposed on June 24, 1961 and we made wedding plans for August of the next year. Our classmates in math and science classes endured our discussions over differences and wedding plans. Later, one classmate questioned how we were doing at our fifth class reunion. Our love and faith have helped us reach our 60th wedding anniversary and we're happier than ever!
Lucy Rabay '96, MBA '99 & Gareth Butcher '96, MBA '99
Wedding Date: August 7, 1997
Lucy & Gareth's CCSU Love Connection
I am from Brazil and came to CCSU as a member of the Swim Team. He is from England and came to CCSU as a member of the Soccer Team. We met in 1993 and started dating in 1995 when he was the captain of the soccer team, and I was the captain of the swim team. We obtained our Master's at CCSU in 1999 and then moved to Brazil the same year.
Patricia Morency '81 & David Morency '79
Wedding Date: September 18, 1982
Patricia & David's CCSU Love Connection
We met by chance at the "pub" in the CCSU Devil's Den. My husband was an education major and pitcher on Central's baseball team. I was a business management major. Our daughter is followed in our CCSU academic footsteps and majored in marketing. Who knew over 40 years ago, dancing at the CCSU pub would lead to continuing the legacy in our family of CCSU. Parents, a grandmother, an uncle, cousins, and our daughter have all gone to Central. Thank you CCSU for wonderful memories!
Bill Panetta '70 & Patty Sailer '71
Wedding Date: November 27, 1970
Bill & Patty's CCSU Love Connection
We met at a party at the "white house" off campus after a Central basketball game. Noticed Patty in her cheerleader uniform. The rest is history!
Alan Kuhlman '72 & Carol Sweeney '73
Wedding Date: May 26, 1973
Alan & Carol's CCSU Love Connection
We met in October 1969 at an on campus-dance. I was a sophomore and Carol was a freshman. We dated throughout college and married May 26, 1973, and we graduated together one week after our wedding. The week after graduation we left on a cross country-trip and we were on the road for four months living in a 1953 bread truck that had been converted into a camper. Along the way we worked in Denver and Zion National Park in Utah. It was quite an adventure. We settled in Bristol CT in late 1973. Carol was a chemist with Stanley Works and I worked for General Electric in Plainville. In 1978 we moved to West Virginia with another CCSU couple to a 76-acre farm. We built a solar and wood heated home. Carol began a 31-year career teaching high school science and I bought a commercial printing company and embarked on a 33-year journey in print, direct mail, and graphics. We sold our farm in 1993 and moved to Charleston, WV where we still reside. We have two daughters, Leah, an elementary school teacher and Julia, a chiropractor. Carol and I both retired in 2016 and have been traveling, reading more books, volunteering, and enjoying more time together after rewarding but demanding careers. Life has been good to us and we are lucky to have met at CCSU!
Sue Tuba '71 & Dan Tuba '71 
Wedding Date: June 24, 1972
Sue & Dan's CCSU Love Connection
Dan and I met for the first time on a blind date on September 19, 1968. My sorority sister, Jan, made the connection. We went to a Beta Psi Beta function. We dated on and off during that semester and when we came back after winter break things got serious. I got pinned in the spring. On February 7, 1971, we got engaged on the Merritt Parkway while driving back to Central after spending the day with Dan's family. (We had to pull off the exit just before the Sikorsky Bridge because I was crying so much.) The rest as they say is history. We were married June 24, 1972 and have had a happy and loving marriage for 49 years. We are blessed with two wonderful sons and three grandsons. Who says blind dates don't work out? This was one blind date that worked out for the best!
Arthur (Lenny) Lavalette '67 & Elizabeth (Beth) Terrill '65
Wedding Date: April 11, 1962
Lenny & Beth's CCSU Love Connection
I had three opportunities to meet Beth prior to actually accomplishing my goal. First was watching her as a candidate for homecoming queen. The second was sitting behind her during a showing of “Show Boat.” The third was at a dorm holiday party (but I was in no condition to try to make a good impression thanks to my friend, Budweiser). The fourth was the charm. On January 6, 1962 after the Blue Devil's home basketball game, at a “sock hop” in the old women’s gym, we met. During one of the slow dances I urged my fraternity brother, John Buzcak, to ask the girl in the lavender sweater to dance so that I could cut in. He did and I did. That began the most wonderful part of my life and it is still going on today. Despite the cautions Beth received from her dorm mother, she became my everything. We started with visits to the Collage Spa followed by necking on a hidden stairway, eating chocolate covered cherries in the library, smooching while waiting for curfew, and 3 months and 5 days later we had eloped by using a borrowed(?) car on Spring Weekend. Now, 50+ years and two wonderful sons later we are seeing friends from our Central days, enjoying the things we do and are still very much in love. No one gave us a chance for a successful marriage but, like many things associated with CCSU, the experience led us to achieve more than was expected.
Anne Stone '69 & Earle Stone '70
Wedding Date: August 15, 1969
Anne & Earle's CCSU Love Connection
We met freshman year when we were sitting next to each other in a Math 101 class. Our paths crossed occasionally over the next two years. Our next class together was Dr. Beach's class our senior year. That led to a Christmas-time engagement and we were married the following August following graduation. Since Anne was the babysitter for President F. Don James' boys, we asked him to perform our wedding ceremony, which he did in the courtyard of the Administrative Building 52 years ago last August. We still keep in touch with him. So our CCSC/CCSU connection is strong and we visit the campus periodically on our anniversary.
James Ardaiolo '70 & Beth Moreland '69
Wedding Date: July 31, 1971
James & Beth's CCSU Love Connection
Beth was her sorority representative to the Inter Greek Council. I was the chairman of the council. This was our first connection. We both then served on the President’s Student Advisory Council. Check out the Dial Yearbook for 1969 and you will see a number of pictures of the two lovers!
Marianne Robinson '71 & James Robinson '70 
Wedding Date: August 21, 1971
Marianne & James's CCSU Love Connection
I began at Central in fall of 1967. I roomed with a girl from my hometown of Waterbury who I didn’t know previously. It just so happened that she had a brother who was a sophomore at Central, and he asked me out! I remember his sister saying to me that although he had asked me out, I shouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t ask me out again. She said that he wasn’t dating girls more than once. My retort to her was that I didn’t plan on marrying the guy. Well, we have been happily married for 50+ years. We have two sons and four beautiful grandchildren!
Jessica Pace '07 & Brian Altieri '07
Wedding Date: August 18, 2018
Jessica & Brian's CCSU Love Connection
Brian and I met while serving as senators in CCSU’s Student Government Association (SGA) during our senior year. The results of a personality activity at an SGA retreat previewed our compatibility and prompted some initial sparks to fly. (Romantic, right? Ha!) In all seriousness, not only did SGA bring us together romantically, but our leadership experiences with the group really solidified our future aspirations. Oftentimes, career goals can get in the way and become a source of strain on a blossoming relationship. In our case, the opposite proved true. Granted, we’re both goal-driven individuals, but having the unwavering support of someone who deeply loves you and believes in your abilities is a truly powerful feeling. Since graduating, we've grown so much as a couple and in our respective professions—Brian is a successful lawyer and I oversee the external communications for one of the largest law firms in the state. (Yes, the fact that we both wound up in legal careers is sheer coincidence. We actually found out that Brian passed the state bar exam and that I’d be working for the Connecticut Bar Association in the same week. Destiny, maybe?) The years spent shaping this love of a lifetime culminated in August 2018 when we both said “I do” surrounded by our friends and family. We’re so excited about the next chapter in our lives as husband and wife, but there will always be a special place in our hearts for the place where our story began.
Diane Patterson '83 & Marc Patterson '82
Wedding Date: November 17, 1984
Diane & Marc's CCSU Love Connection
I lived in Barrows 5 girl's dorm. Our floor made a ziti dinner that we served in the penthouse for the guy's floor of Vance 6. The guys participating came to Barrows to pick a name out of a beer mug. The guy would go to that girl's dorm room before going upstairs for dinner. Marc pulled my name out of a beer mug. Being the funny guy he is, he cracked some jokes but finally pulled my name after the third attempt. He came to my dorm and we went upstairs for ziti dinner. Afterwards, my roommates and I went to Mr. C's for drinks. I remember ditching Marc at this point, as I wasn't interested in him. We went to Elmer's for more drinks and that's when I ran into Marc again. We started talking and some guys were making fun of my hometown. They thought theirs was much better. They were a bit arrogant to say the least. They made fun of Marc being from Long Island with a slight accent and wearing bell-bottom jeans which was not the norm at that time. Marc defended me from their snide remarks and walked me home that night from Elmer’s. Marc said he would be going on a ski trip and would come back in a few days to see me. I didn't think much of it but he did return to see me. We now live happily in Murrells Inlet, SC and have two kids.
Jessica Narkawicz '01 & Thomas Narkawicz '01
Wedding Date: July 2, 2005
Jessica & Thomas's CCSU Love Connection
I moved into James Hall during the spring semester of my sophomore year. My husband can still recount the day I moved in. He lived on the first floor of James Hall, and I moved on to the second floor. We saw each other occasionally on campus but had never spoken. Then, in the spring of 1999, we wound up on the same airplane on the way to our spring break destination in Cancun, Mexico. We finally introduced ourselves to one another and found that we had a lot in common. It wasn't until we returned from spring break that we officially started dating. In 2005, we got married. Now, almost 23 years after we first met, we have a beautiful family together (a daughter and a son) and we are still best friends. It was certainly a CCSU love connection!
Anne Erickson '71 & Dean Erickson '72
Wedding Date: September 12, 1970
Anne & Dean's CCSU Love Connection
Dean and I were in the same history class the second semester of our freshman year. He had just returned from the Vietnam War and entered CCSU under the GI Bill. I vividly remember the first time he walked into the classroom. I said to myself, "That's the man I want to marry." Unfortunately Dean was not great at attending class every day. His, roommate, however was. So I started asking questions about him. When I learned some information I began to "accidentally" run in to him on his way to his mailbox at the student center. After a couple of "coincidental" meetings, he asked me out. We married 2 years later on September 12th, 1970. Unfortunately, "this love of my life" passed away on March 16, 2017 after a long illness. We spent 50 wonderful years together. Message to all: "There is such a thing as love at first sight!"
Ashley Larobina '10 & Eric Larobina '09
Wedding Date: November 27, 2016
Ashley & Eric's CCSU Love Connection
13 years ago, fall semester, the boy with the most beautiful blue eyes walked into one of my classes. But I ended up dropping that particular class. Alas, worry not! As fate would have it, that beautiful blue-eyed boy walked into another class of mine. After months of chit chat, he finally asked me to hang out. Before we knew it, we were inseparable and the rest is history. Ironic we met in a criminology class, since we stole each other’s hearts.
Connie Crameri '88 & Greg Crameri '89
Wedding Date: June 29, 1991
Connie & Greg's CCSU Love Connection
I was living on campus the summer of 1987 and my husband had an off-campus apartment. I met him when I shopped at WaWa’s (located at the corner of the campus). He was working there. I always made a point of going in there ....one weekend I went out in Hartford with friends and ran into him at a bar there. He asked for my number and after that we started dating. Enjoyed going through my last year at CCSU with him. I was majoring in Accounting and he was majoring in Music Ed. Our oldest son now attends CCSU.
Sal LoBello '85 & Cathy LoBello '86
Wedding Date: May 21, 1988
Sal & Cathy's CCSU Love Connection
I was waiting for the prior class to end in DiLoreto Hall when it was at that moment I fell in love for the rest of my life. The classroom was clearing out when I first laid eyes upon her - the most gorgeous girl I had ever seen. But I had no nerve to go up and approach her. Then one day in the student center I saw her again sitting with a friend of mine, it was the perfect opportunity to go up and talk to her... so I did. 33 years later, we have 3 beautiful children (the youngest attends CCSU) and it couldn't have been scripted any better --- all thanks to CCSU
Adam Kozak '04 & Chrystal Lodovico '05
Wedding Date: January 20, 2018
Adam & Chrystal's CCSU Love Connection
Chrystal Lodovico and I (Adam Kozak) are proud CCSU alum. We both had science classes together in Copernicus Hall but never connected. I lived all of my years enjoying life on campus while Chrystal commuted. The chemistry was just right over a decade later in 2015, getting engaged in 2016 and married on January 20, 2018 in Bristol, CT. We are both outdoor enthusiasts, marathon participants, have a passion for teaching science, and for our alma mater, CCSU - Go Blue Devils! Our connections to CCSU have remained close as we both teach science in the New Britain Schools.