Jessie: Although we didn’t start dating until 2018, we’ve known each other since 2015. We met during our freshman year at Springfield College. Both of us were in the pre-PA program, so we shared a number of undergraduate classes. Gavin even helped to move me out of my first year dorm for Summer break! We stayed friends (and lab partners) sophomore year, often grabbing frozen yogurt after our Wednesday night anatomy lab. That year, Gavin had also joined the Campus Activities Board, a club that I was in, too. Junior year was when things started to change. We were in, wait for it, a tennis class together when I started to have feelings for Gavin. Something about the way he didn’t take himself too seriously, was always having fun, and consistently making people around him smile lead to quite the crush. Soon after I recognized what I was feeling, we were both chosen to represent Springfield College at the NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) conference. This gave us more time to spend together, working on our presentation together and collaborating to take home the “Excellence in Programming” award. During that conference weekend, I was nothing but giddy, and nervous, and happy around him, and I knew there was a genuine connection between us. Gavin: I felt that connection, too, but the next test was seeing if it would carry beyond a friendship. We started texting more, and I wanted to ask her on a date. The problem was, she was always around her roommates/our mutual friends, and it took awhile before I could approach her alone! Eventually, I got my opportunity after a trivia night at school. I awkwardly asked if she wanted to hang out sometime, and thankfully she said yes! Our first date was at Panera, and we talked for hours. Jessie will roll her eyes at this, but I knew from that first date that we were right for each other. We quietly continued seeing each other over the next several months, getting to know each other better and growing the connection. On September 8th, 2018, sitting in the Springfield College townhouse backyards, I asked her to be my girlfriend. Jessie: The next couple of years were a whirlwind, especially because we were making our way through PA school. Trying to grow our relationship while in an incredibly rigorous, demanding, beyond-full-time program was difficult. We didn’t get to see each other as much as we would’ve wanted, and our relationship took a back seat to our education. Thankfully, though, we loved each other deeply and had a solid foundation. We both knew we’d end up together. Gavin: Eventually, we graduated, became PAs, and then got to focus on our future. We bought our house and moved in together in September of 2022. Jessie had no idea that I’d be proposing just two weeks after closing on our home (had to keep it interesting!). We were vacationing together in Punta Cana, DR, enjoying a week of the beach, sun, and a lot of piña coladas. On October 13th, on the beach at sunset, I asked Jessie to be my wife. Since you’re here, I’m sure you already know she said yes! Both: We both recognize how blessed we are to have found each other, first in friendship and then in love. We have felt unwavering support from our friends and family over these past six years, and we can’t wait to celebrate with everyone this Summer!