Rockets Renew Vows In Front of University Hall
34 married couples and members of their families gathered in front of University Hall on Sept. 29 for The University of Toledo’s inaugural Rocket Romance event. Each of the couples had either met at or attended UToledo, ranging from two years of marriage to 53! Coordinated in partnership with the UToledo Office of Student Affairs and Office of Alumni Engagement, this event featured a live band, delicious appetizers and drinks, and plenty of nostalgia.
“We were thrilled to offer this unique experience for our Rocket alumni,” said Dr. Sammy Spann ’09, Division of Student Affairs vice president and dean of students. “So many people spend their undergraduate and graduate careers on campus so it is inevitable that some will find love during that time.” He continued, “Those special moments are core memories for many of our alumni, and this event was a great way to reconnect and rekindle their passion for UToledo.”
The highlight of the event was a vow renewal for all the couples, officiated by UToledo President Dr. Gregory Postel. There was not a dry eye amongst the attendees as Dr. Postel reminded the Rocket Romancers of the love they found at UToledo and continue to share.
“Rocket Romance is a wonderful new tradition to celebrate couples with UToledo as part of their love story and to welcome them back to campus for Homecoming to renew their love for each other and their alma mater,” UToledo President Gregory Postel said.
Watch the video below to hear how some of the couples met on campus.
“Each couple had stories to share,” said Dr. Spann, “One of these stories came from a Rocket couple who attended the University back in the 1950’s. They shared some of the struggles they faced as a married couple, at a time when married housing was not available on campus. Another couple shared how thankful they were for the opportunity to participate in this event “at the institution that shaped their lives”. These stories and so many more are what makes Rocket Nation such an incredible community!”
Other couples’ memories included those of:
- Thomas ’75, ’78 and Mary Wakefield ’76 met on campus in the spring of 1973. Tom’s fondest UToledo memory with his spouse is “sitting on the steps of University Hall and eating cheesecake from Brauers delicatessen; and spending hours at a time talking about the meaning of life in the Student Union dining room.” The couple has been married since 1977!
- Former Rockets Scott ’92, ’03, ’06 and Cathie ’04, ’08 France met online and later married in 2003. Their fondest UToledo memory is getting engaged on the UToledo tennis courts, where they later took wedding photos.
- Erik ’13 and Kayann ’13, ’19 Carlson met at a Triangle fraternity party, and the rest was history. They attended events together to cheer each other on at functions such as football, marching band or helping to spot while being the mascot. They have been married since 2015.
- John ’21 and Lovely ’19 Sims met in the Carlson Library. One may wonder how much productive studying was done after that! Their fondest UToledo memories together are their late-night walks on Campus, and International Student Association events.
If you missed this year’s vow renewal, don’t worry! The Office of Student Affairs plans to make this a reoccurring event during Homecoming weekend for years to come.