Share your Georgetown love story. It could be how you first met, when you knew she or he was “the one,” your favorite Georgetown experience together. Whatever memories you love to relive—tell us here!
Share your Georgetown love story. It could be how you first met, when you knew she or he was “the one,” your favorite Georgetown experience together. Whatever memories you love to relive—tell us here!
Chris and I met a week before classes ended our senior year. I was doing a semester at sea after graduation and Chris had just done it first semester. I had heard from several friends that I should meet Chris Hogan. We sat in the same biology class for a semester before striking up a conversation the last week of school. My roommates and I had an end-of-year party and he turned up as a guest of my roommate. From there, it seemed like we were constantly bumping into each other. We married in Dahlgren in 1996 and I count my blessings every day.
Laura Hogan (C'93) and Chris Hogan (C'93, M'97)
Bob and I met refereering intramurals together (so romantic, I know). He always made me laugh, and he and his roommate seemed like nice guys, so I invited them to a party my housemates and I were having in October. When I went to give him a hug goodbye after the party, he had other plans—and kissed me. We’ve been together 20 years this October, married for 17 this June and have two wonderful kids (who both want to go to Georgetown). Our license plate even said SFS & SLL for a while. We still love going to Georgetown basketball games and dropping by the Hilltop occasionally.
Marybeth (Bash) Henry (SLL'92) and Bob Henry (F'94)
I met Joel (B’90) through a dear friend from Georgetown—he was her internship mentor the summer before senior year. They stayed friends, and when she and I shared an apartment the year after we graduated, I got to know Joel. We started spending time together and eventually started dating. I was commitment-phobic, but couldn’t ignore the fact that I never wanted to be without him. We had the perfect Georgetown engagement and wedding. He proposed in the gazebo in Dahlgren Square, and we got married on a beautiful early autumn day in Dahlgren Chapel after having our rehearsal dinner at 1789. Seven members of the wedding party were Hoyas and many more attended. After six years of marriage, I have only one regret—that I let our photographer talk me out of climbing up onto the statue of John Carroll in my wedding dress for a picture!
Sarah Grigsby-Reiser (F'98, G'06)
Juan Carlos claims that he first noticed me in the elevator of our freshman dorm, Harbin Hall, but our official first meeting happened late one night a few weeks after school had started. I had befriended Juan Carlos’ roommate. He was a real jokester and loved painting vivid pictures of his Ecuadorian roommate, Juan Carlos. He had many of us believing that Juan Carlos could hardly speak English, did not like women and did nothing but study until all hours of the morning. One night I needed to use Juan Carlos’ roommates computer to finish a paper. It was 2 a.m. when the door opened and in walked Juan Carlos. I was scared! I floundered for words as I told him I was finishing up and would be leaving soon. I wasn’t sure how he would react and was surprised when he walked over to his chair turned it to face me and said in perfect English, “What’s your name again?” We had a pleasant introductory chat that night that led to a deep, amazing, wonderful friendship throughout our time at Georgetown and later to our just as amazing, wonderful marriage.
Susie Thomas Lotharius (F'94)and Juan Carlos Lotharius (B'94)
I was fortunate enough to live in New South with 100 women above and below my 3rd floor room and even more fortunate to be in Army ROTC with a friend of Rena’s. One Thursday night while shining boots in preparation for drill the next morning, Rena came to see if her pal was ready for some dancing on Wisconsin Ave. I was struck immediately by her charm and beauty and soon I was tagging along with her to the Cross, Champs and other social gatherings. By winter we were going to basketball games together, playing one-on-one pickup games at Yates and then started “officially” dating. I proposed on campus at Homecoming after graduation in Oct. 1994, and a year later we married in Dahlgren Chapel. We still share our love of Hoya hoops, including a wonderful trip to see them play in the Maui Invitational. Now we’re raising two young Hoya fans who hopefully someday may head to the Hilltop and possibly even meet their soulmate as we did. Hoya Saxa!
Kevin Murphy (B'94) and Rena Murphy (F'94)
I was in a serious long-distance relationship, so I wasn’t looking for romance the day I first saw Mark. Yet when I spotted him at the salad bar in New South, there was something about him. One evening, he was sitting with friends of mine, and I introduced myself. We became part of a regular dinner group, and during finals Mark and I still found time to get together while everyone was studying. We were just good friends, but during one of many wonderful conversations, I felt an unmistakable sense that I was with my future husband! It wasn’t until he visited me in Germany three years later that we shared our first kiss. That’s when we knew—we were excited to tell our friends, but nobody was surprised! My best friend Mark and I were married by Father King in 1999, and our fourth child is due in March!
Kimberly (Rosansky) Abadir (C'96) and Mark Abadir (C'94)
I was in graduate school and Mike was an undergradraduate (scandalous!). But we were both in the same ballroom dancing class. He was the only guy tall enough to spin me under his arm (I’m six feet), so he and I were paired together. And we both went to the Protestant service on campus, too.
One night after dance class, we both asked each other out at the same time. So, we decided we’d go to the Homecoming dance together (1998). We had some good laughs as Mike’s button popped off of his jacket during dinner and landed on his plate. Later, at the dance, my shoe flew off and landed between a couple who was slow dancing.
We’ve been married since 2003, and we still love to dance (and laugh) together. We’ve moved a lot and lived in six states over those seven years. But, we are always “home” as long as we are together.
Jill Wooddell Aller (G'99) and Mike Aller (F'99)
J. Michael and I met in our freshman dorm, Darnell. I had heard his name so when I met him in the cafeteria, the first question was, “What kind of a name is J. Michael?” We were instant friends with great chemistry. But we never would have dated. We were safe dates to Screw Your Roommate dances, Thanksgiving Dinner with the Deans and almost to Homecoming—he called me to cancel because there was a cute girl he wanted to take. I was happy to let him go, telling him that he didn’t have a chance with me, so he should go and have a great time. We kept in touch after graduation and four years later I ended up in Delaware where he had been. As he likes to put it, he was the only guy I knew in Delaware. Our instant chemistry resumed when we went to an alumni event together. Two weeks later we were dating. Ten years after we met, we were married on Georgetown’s campus, where our lifelong friendship began.
Shannon Ziegler Lopez (C'94) and J. Michael Lopez (C'94)
I met my husband, Eric (C’97), the summer before our freshman year at a party for students from the Bay Area going to Georgetown. When I met him, I thought “if I ever date that boy, I’m going to marry him.” But clearly, it wasn’t time for us to be together yet! We were great friends all through Georgetown and after when we both moved back to San Francisco. We got to know each other so well during our years at Georgetown, and when we finally started dating seven years after we met, we felt confident that we belonged together. After three more years, we were married. I can truly say I married my best friend. We have a beautiful son and love our life together. We had seven Hoyas in our wedding party and are so grateful to have our Georgetown experience in common!
Ana Cheney Moon (B'97)
I met my future husband, Eric Christ (B’89), on Copley Lawn. He was manning the College Bowl booth as its president and I had arrived as a freshman after serving as captain of my high school bowl team. After winning my fair share of bubble gum, I proceeded on. However, it was at NCSC (National Collegiate Security Conference), for which he served as a chair and I worked in home governments, where he brought his charm and intellect to full effect. Walking across the Key Bridge together at the end of the conference, I thought, “I could marry this guy.”
Seven years later, on the anniversary of our first date (at Houlihans in Georgetown Park), I did. Our girls love the story of walking across the Key Bridge and we try to do so every year when we visit D.C., watching campus loom above us as we approach the Exorcist stairs.
Maureen McIvor (C'91)
Erika and I met on the second day of freshman orientation while in line for our student ID pictures. Partway through our conversation, she realized she needed her passport from her dorm room. I let several people pass in line so I could hold her place when we she returned. As a result, we carried on our conversation at dinner together at New South cafeteria where we confirmed our connection, even before we started having classes together. Our first date was Erika taking me to Ben & Jerry’s for ice cream for my birthday on August 30th, the fourth day of new student orientation.
We got married in 2003 with three of our classmates in the wedding party and many more in attendance. We still live in the D.C. area and make it back to campus frequently in our roles in the Business School’s Alumni Mentor Program and other alumni events.
Now, 15 years after our first date, we continue to visit a Ben & Jerry’s for my birthday treat.
Rob Cimperman (B'99) and Erika Jones-Trujillo (B'99)
Juan Carlos and I struck up an amazing friendship our freshman year while we were both living in Harbin Hall. That year he started a tradition in which we would each collect all of our pennies throughout the year. Then, when exams were finished, we would meet at the fountain at Dahlgren chapel and throw in our pennies while reflecting on the past year and making wishes for the future. At this time we were best friends and did not have any romantic interest in one another. We continued this tradition during all of our years at Georgetown. On our wedding day in August of 1998 we made sure a fountain was available and provided pennies for all of our guests, shared our story of our GU tradition and invited them to make their own wishes. Over the years, Juan Carlos has surprised me from time to time by taking me and our collection of pennies back to the fountain at Dahlgren. This past August we capped off our celebration of our ten year anniversary sitting next to that fountain while reflecting on the many unexpected surprises we’ve encountered on our journey together.
Susie Thomas Lotharius (F'94) and Juan Carlos Lotharius (B'94)
Mike and I met at the Saloon on M Street just before junior year. We have not been apart since the day we met, almost 21 years ago. I was on my way to London for junior year abroad and he decided to come and keep me company. Mike worked in a pub and I went to the LSE. We were married at Holy Trinity (where Mike went to grade school) in 1994. Father Lawton performed our ceremony and there were many classmates and faculty in attendance. We then moved back to Louisiana, my home state, with Mike in tow as my war bride. We were happily living in New Orleans until hurricane Katrina hit. We now live in Chicago. We continue our Georgetown experience by participating in the regional clubs – first New Orleans and now Chicago. We have a 10-year-old son, James Dominic (J.D.), who has attended many Georgetown events.
Joy Lyu Monahan (C'91, G'94) and J. Michael Monahan (C'94)
My wife, Anna, and I met in Professor Holmer’s Shakespeare class during my last semester senior year and her sophomore year. (See, postponing taking your required classes sometimes does pay off.) I am pretty sure I got a better grade than her in the class, but we don’t have to get into that. Our first date was supposed to be the Dip Ball that spring, but Anna had a track meet that weekend. So, I just used all the money I was going to spend on that overpriced dance, I kid, on a dinner and a play in Washington the next weekend. Our second date was the next day at a production of the Tempest in front of Old North. I am pretty sure she was late for that, but we don’t have to get into that. We dated from that point on, and were married in 2001 with several of our classmates in attendance. We now have one genius 2-year-old son, Hugo, and still live in D.C.
David Bonelli (C'97) and Anna Bonelli (C'99)
My husband, Eric, and I met during orientation for medical school. His locker was two away from mine, and I actually signed up for a small group because I saw he was in it. We have so many memories tied to Georgetown that it is hard to put them all here. Some favorites are going to the rooftop apartments to see the view, studying in empty classrooms around campus, walking to class in knee-high snow because the streets weren’t plowed for days, returning all the way to Georgetown for “The Proposal.” We had dinner down at the harbor and then walked around campus until Eric finally got up the nerve, in Dahlgren Quad, to ask me to marry him. We have been together now for over 15 years and married for 10 and have two beautiful children. I always tell people Georgetown holds a very special place in my heart for many reasons, but the biggest one is having met my husband there.
Amy Folio Eschinger (C'93, M'97) and Eric Eschinger (M'97)
Halloween in the streets of Georgetown is a good memory. It was 1987 and, at that time, mass Halloween celebrations were allowed between Wisconsin Ave. and M Street. They were banned the subsequent years as they were too ‘out of control’. I just remember a lot of people dressed up in crazy outfits, a lot of beer (not me, really) and a lot of singing. My future husband, who grew up in Paris, thought all of this highly amusing, and he ran into Lauinger Library with a beer in his hand, circulated the aisles, and ran out again. I watched this through the huge glass windows of Lauinger. Another memory was when the Washington Redskins won the Superbowl. Was it January 1986 or 1987? Again, quite a street party, and I vividly remember a young student on top of a lamppost, it bent over (he wasn’t the first), and that was the end of the lamppost.
Laika Dajani Lebreton (F'90)