Andrew and Lauren have a long backstory to their romance. We met in the summer of 2017 at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Agricultural Sciences at Penn State. Being in a small group of high schoolers for 6 weeks we got to know each other well and became fast friends. One activity was a composting project where we learned how to make the perfect compost pile on a team with two other people. After doing the calculations each group had the opportunity to engineer their own compost piles and see which team was the most successful. We always joke that there must have been something in that compost pile since not only did we fall in love, but so did the other two members of our team! After that summer, we kept in touch and finished out our high school careers. Andrew went to Penn State University Park and Lauren went to Penn State Altoona. Once Lauren moved to University Park after sophomore year, Andrew convinced her to join the Ag Advocate organization where our friendship grew even more. Finding herself single at the end of Junior year, Andrew decided to ask Lauren to Ag Ball and she excitedly said yes! We both explored Ireland with the Ag Advocate group on a two-week study abroad trip after junior year. After Ireland, our relationship grew during senior year. We volunteered together to serve as Ag Day co-chairs at University Park and helped organize the largest student-run agricultural literacy event on campus. As senior year came to a close, we realized that we were looking at new careers and moving to different cities after graduation in Spring 2012. We decided to amicably part ways as we started new chapters in our lives. Fast forward 10 years, to the late fall of 2021. Lauren was newly single, again, and was looking for a way to break out of her shell and see friends again. When an Ag Advocate happy hour invitation at the PA Farm Show came across her email, she quickly RSVP'd! It wasn't long after that Andrew, who was coordinating the happy hour mixer as part of the Ag Alumni Society, saw Lauren's name and reached out on social media. Several conversations later, we rediscovered our connection all over again! Lauren was living in Pittsburgh, PA at the time and Andrew was in Arlington, VA. For a year we drove the 4 hours one-way to see each other and rekindled what we left behind in 2012. In June 2023, Lauren (and Sadie) picked up everything in Pittsburgh and moved into a quaint townhouse with Andrew in Centreville, Virginia. After a year and half of dating and trips to Paris, California, North Carolina, many trips home to Pennsylvania, and an upcoming trip to Germany planned, Andrew decided to get down on one knee and propose but he knew he had his work cut out as he wanted to surprise Lauren. On August 19, 2023, in Shenandoah National Park at sunset, Andrew finally popped the question! If you're reading this, you know what her answer was... ;)