Love is in the air at Illinois Wesleyan! This February, we share some love stories of couples who met at Illinois Wesleyan and fell in love.
Matt ’03 and Joanna Nicolas ’03
Most love stories don’t begin in a homeless shelter. They don’t often involve the heartache of loss or the challenge of caring for loved ones in their final days. But for Matt ’03 and Joanna Nicolas ’03, their extraordinary love story started in the unlikeliest of places—against the backdrop of struggle and hope at one of the nation's largest homeless shelters.
In May of 2002, two Illinois Wesleyan University Political Science majors embarked on a life-changing journey. Matt, a golden boy of the department, was known for his hard work, stellar grades, and business acumen. It was said more than once “He’s a joy to have in class.” Joanna, however, was a different kind of student. Bold, passionate, and fiercely driven, she sat on the executive boards of Black Student Union, and Student Senate, and was the founder of initiatives that championed diversity and inclusion. Her professors would say, “She’s outspoken—when she reads the assignment,” often with a fond smile. Even on a campus so small, they were never in the same circle.
Their paths crossed during a May term class called Living and Finding a Place to Work, which studied poverty in Washington, D.C. For five weeks, Matt and Joanna lived in a homeless shelter, immersed in a world far removed from their college campus. By day, they studied social justice; by night, they shared laughter and stories—everything from the weight of systemic inequality to the lighthearted debate over the best flavor of ice cream.
But in week four, Joanna received devastating news—her grandfather was dying. The class ended, and Joanna headed to Normal, Illinois, to care for him in his final days. And to her surprise, Matt stayed too. He took an HR internship through the university’s Career Center, balancing his days between work and being there for Joanna and her grandparents during one of the hardest times of their life.
That summer was transformative. It was marked by grief, but it was also filled with quiet moments of strength, shared burdens, and deep conversations that built the foundation of something lasting. In the face of hardship, their love blossomed, quietly but resolutely.
Fast forward 23 years, and the story comes full circle. Joanna now works at the very Career Center that helped Matt find his first internship, serving as the Health and Science Career Counselor. The oldest of their five children, inspired by their parents’ values and perseverance, is now a freshman studying Physics at Illinois Wesleyan. Matt continues his work in HR, still thriving in the field he fell in love with during that pivotal summer.
Illinois Wesleyan didn’t just give them an education—it gave them each other. In a world filled with challenges, they found their home in one another, proving that sometimes, love begins where you least expect it.
Kevin ’16 and Jasmine (Wright) Ryan ’17
Real love stories aren’t always like they are in the books and movies. There’s not always a grand overture or exotic locales. Sometimes they are simple stories with humble origins. Humble origins like meeting at a fraternity party on a small campus in central Illinois.
In September 2014, Kevin ’16 and Jasmine (Wright) Ryan ’17 were out with friends on “FIJI Friday” at IWU’s chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. They were hanging out with two of their friends who knew each other, but Jasmine and Kevin don’t recall seeing each other prior to this night. Their friends wandered off and Jasmine and Kevin started talking. After walking around campus together that night, talking about music, they realized they both liked rap and hip-hop - especially Odd Future. When Kevin walked her back to her dorm at Magill Hall, she asked for his number. They started dating in Summer 2015, got engaged in July 2022, and married in August 2024 in Chicago.
Steven Schur ’17 and Hannah Sage ’18
Steven Schur ’17 and Hannah Sage ’18 first met when Hannah visited campus as a prospective student to stay with her childhood friend Kristin Solodar ‘17. Hannah and Kristin attended IWU School of Theatre’s production of Twelve Ophelias in McPherson Theatre, and who was their usher? Hannah’s future husband, Steven! They shared their first kiss on the porch of Blackstock Hall, began dating in 2016, and got married this past September in the building where it all started - McPherson Hall. We’re wishing Hannah and Steven a very happy first Valentine’s Day as a married couple!
Duncan ’11 and Cailin Lawson ’10
In August 2009, Cailin Lawson '10 and her five best girl friends moved into an off-campus house, fondly nicknamed the “SD”. Shortly after they moved in, they met the seven Titan basketball players, living in the self-proclaimed “Dude Ranch” next door.
The two houses became fast friends, spending nights together watching homemade photo montages and spinning around in the dark to the beats of Owl City. As friendships budded amongst the two houses, one of the guys fell in love with the girl next door.
On Halloween Eve, long after Cailin had gone home, Duncan Lawson '11 declared to the group that he wanted to date Cailin. The two started dating shortly after Halloween in 2009. After graduation, they moved to Chicago, where they married in 2014. Today, they live in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago with their three sons - Ronan (6), Ciaran (2), and Declan (9 months). They thank their fated college enrollment at IWU for finding each other.
George Tomecki MD ’96 and Rebecca Meyers-Tomecki ’96
In the spring of her freshman year at IWU, she started a conversation with a fellow classmate, George Tomecki MD ’96, over a bag of Doritos in Dolan Hall that continued for the next 30 years. Five years later, at that very same site, they were engaged. George and Rebecca were married in Rockford, Illinois in 1998. Rebecca worked as a counselor while George started medical school that fall. They eventually started a family, but like everything they did it was 110%- not just one baby but twins (son Chase and daughter Skyler, are attending IWU in the class of 2027). After beating breast cancer in 2018, Rebecca Meyers-Tomecki passed peacefully in the arms of her son, daughter, and husband after a sudden subarachnoid hemorrhage (“aneurysm”) in November 2022.
Mike ’79 and Laurie ’80 Schoening
Mike ’79 and Laurie ’80 Schoening met in 1977 at a Sigma Pi/Kappa Delta party at Illinois Wesleyan. The two dated through his law school years and married in 1981.
Joe ’03 and Miranda (Foster) Bzdyl ’03
Joe ’03 and Miranda (Foster) Bzdyl ’03 met as freshmen, gradually became friends hanging in close social circles, and began dating towards the end of senior year. They’ve been together since their IWU days — they even got married at Evelyn Chapel in 2010! They bring their family back to campus as often as possible and take pride in being Titans to this day.
Dale Hauser ’02 and Jennifer Ruhl ’02
Dale Hauser ‘02 and Jennifer Ruhl ‘02 first met in a class they had freshman year, but weren’t too keen on each other. During their sophomore year, Jennifer was one of Dale’s RAs in Kemp Hall, which led to them becoming friends. Their friendship was solidified when they represented IWU on the Technos trip to Japan, and they started dating when Dale returned from studying abroad.
During their senior year, 23 years ago, on February 10, 2002, Dale proposed to Jennifer in Kemp Hall during the Lunar New Year celebration in front of many of their friends, professors, and even President Minor Myers, jr. Dale said, “Thank god she said yes!” Two kids later, still crazy kids themselves, and the rest is history.
Joe ’19 and Elizabeth (Coop) Marras ’19
Joe ’19 and Elizabeth (Coop) Marras ’19 met at Illinois Wesleyan during the second semester. Elizabeth had just transferred to IWU, and they were introduced by someone Joe knew from high school who was helping Elizabeth meet people around campus.
Although they met early in their college years, they didn’t move pass acquaintances until later in college. Two of Joe’s best friends and baseball teammates had a triplet sister who was best friends with Elizabeth through AGD. They ended up at the same hang outs almost every weekend and finally became friends. Joe says he was smitten from the beginning, but their relationship didn’t stat til the end of their junior year in 2018. The couple married in Yorkville, IL in 2022 and are expecting their first child in July! Joe and Elizabeth are grateful for IWU for so many reasons, but especially for meeting each other.
Peter ’07 and Carol (Rose) Durkin ’07
Peter ’07 and Carol (Rose) Durkin ’07 both came to Illinois Wesleyan in the Fall of 2003 to study Music Theatre. Both recall being the first person each other met on campus outside of their roommates.
For the next four years, Carol and Peter hardly went a day without seeing each other either in class, at the theatre, or peeking in on each other in the practice rooms in Presser. They started dating shortly after playing The Baker and the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods at the McPherson Theatre their senior year and have been together ever since.
Peter asked Carol to marry him in front of the Ames Library in 2012 and they have been happily married for 11 years. Their family has grown with two future Titans - Charlie and Sam. Peter and Carol owe their love story to Illinois Wesleyan and all the fun they had together at school. As their favorite professor Lyuda Kizer always said to them " You guys, it (life) is a comedy!"
DJ ’12 and Nikki (Salansky) Zenger ’12
From Dolan Hall to Forever
In the fall of 2008, during move-in week at IWU, Nikki (Salansky) Zenger ’12, a Chicago suburb kid, and DJ Zenger ’12, a BloNo townie, crossed paths in the hallways of their new home at Dolan Hall. Both Business Majors and working the front desk for their work-study jobs, they quickly became friends, spending time together with a tight-knit group of fellow first-years.
As their friendship grew, so did something more—leading to regular dates at Tommy’s (with DJ occasionally skipping class just to make them happen!). By the second semester of freshman year, they made it official. Whether by fate or subconscious choice, they never strayed too far from each other—DJ pledged Sigma Chi and Nikki joined Alpha Gamma Delta, ensuring they lived just a short path apart between the fraternity and sorority houses through their sophomore and junior years.
After graduation, they both ended up back in the Chicago suburbs before making a big move to Seattle in 2016 for Nikki’s job. In September 2022, they tied the knot in a beautiful Seattle wedding, surrounded by many fellow Titans. And just this month, on February 3, 2025, they welcomed their greatest adventure yet—their daughter, Eva Alexandria.
Jim ’70 and Mary (Arnold) Gale ’70
Jim ’70 and Mary (Arnold) Gale ’70 met in the fall of 1967 on a blind date arranged by Jim’s friend and OX brother Tom Cawley ’70, and Mary’s friend and KD sister Kathy (Gollier) Cawley ’70. Jim and Mary knew pretty early that this was more than just another date. They were married at the Normal United Methodist Church in August of 1968 and continued their studies, graduating in the spring of 1970.
Jim had a low draft number and decided to join the Air Force instead of being drafted. He became a radar navigator on B52s and Mary taught school at their various assignments which included South Dakota, North Dakota and California. They had 3 children and were a military family for 21 years when Jim retired as a Lt Colonel.
56 years later, their love story continues as they share their love with their 3 children and their spouses and 8 grandchildren. They love returning to where it all began, and look forward to their 55th Class Reunion at Homecoming next October.