It All Began at Chatham: Alumni Love Stories
We know this holiday comes at an especially fraught time after a year (and counting) of pandemic and unrest, so we’re taking some time to celebrate stories of love that started right here on campus. In collaboration with Alumni Relations, we’ve pulled together alumni love stories that will warm your heart, make you smile, and maybe add a little spark of hope to your February.
Corrin Thistle '17, MOT '19 and Peter Thistle MOT '19
Peter and Corrin met in their first semester of grad school at Chatham University. The two started attending Bible study together where they grew closer as friends. It only took a few months for them to both realize that this was meant to be more, so Peter asked Corrin on a formal date. He planned a romantic evening which included endless pasta at Lidia's and beautiful flowers at Phipps. The rest is history! They got married on November 1st of 2019 and are living in Delaware with their fur baby Samson.
Allie Reznik ’11 and Jenn Van Dam ‘12
“Although we met the school year before at the first Women of the World Retreat, it wasn’t until RA training in summer 2009 that we got to know each other. We went to Starbucks during the training and quickly became best friends. After graduating from Chatham University, Jenn moved to New York, while Allie stayed in Pittsburgh for graduate school at Duquesne. We still saw each other almost weekly, taking turns with weekend visits. Jenn decided to move back to Pittsburgh in 2014, and the rest is herstory.
In 2017, Allie proposed during a trip to Amsterdam. She’d told Jenn that they were going to the park, but when the train stalled, she started handing Jenn postcards written by family and friends. Without Jenn realizing, Allie followed the photographer to the perfect spot to propose. They had a surprise photo shoot, and finished the perfect morning with the biggest Dutch pancakes ever. A month later, Jenn proposed at their spot in Highland Park. They sat on a bench, and as Jenn went to open her phone she played surprising video messages from family and friends, a tech twist on the postcards from when Allie proposed. They were married at Threadbare Cider House in September 2019, just a month after Allie began her job as an Assistant Professor of Humanities at Chatham. They live in the North Hills with their rambunctious pup and research assistant Benny.”
Maria Shoop '13, MFA '14 and Kim (Webb) Shoop '16
"Kim and I met in Eddy theatre working on The Rocky Horror Show. After a year of friendship, we started dating. Several years later we got married. We have been married for four years now and have two one and a half year olds!"
Christina Sahovey ’11 and Patrick Smith
“I met my boyfriend, Patrick Smith, on August 28, 2015. While not on campus, we met *because* of Chatham! We met at 5801, the bar in Shadyside, as we were both there to wish a fond farewell to Cori Begg (former Director of Alumni Relations). Since I had been involved with Chatham’s Alumni Association and had become chummy with Cori during her time at Chatham, she invited me to her party; and since Patrick had worked with her at Beatty House/ Institutional Advancement (he worked in Chatham’s Advancement Office from 2013-2014 and had also become good friends with Cori), she invited him along with some other current and former Chatham colleagues. Patrick and I had met at a few alumni events prior to that — when I attended as an alum, and he was staffing the event — but had never chatted prior to Cori’s farewell party at 5801. We totally hit it off that night, and I sincerely doubt I would’ve met him had it not been for Chatham, an invite from Cori, and a last-minute decision on my part to go! Patrick and I have been together ever since, about 5 and a half years! (Moral of the story: stay in touch with the Alumni Association and attend alumni events, since you never know who you’ll meet there!)”
Photo credit: Jasmine Peralta @jasperkphoto
Carly Anne Hicks '11 and Caiden Fratangelo '14
"Caiden and I met when he was a first year, and I was a senior at Chatham. We have many fond memories together on campus; in fact, we both remember introducing ourselves for the first time at a Student Activities bingo night event. We were both members of the swim team, and Caiden would come visit me while I worked as a lifeguard. Almost 10 years later, we are engaged to be married in June 2021, having bought our first home together in 2020. We are grateful to have found each other during the one year at Chatham in which our lives overlapped."
Jesse Hinkle ’16, MOT ’18 and Carly (Zelenak) Hinkle ‘13
“Jesse and Carly met in undergrad when Jesse was a first year and Carly was a senior. Both basketball players, they began to spend a lot of time together in Fall of 2013. It was not long at all before they realized that their connection was special and became a couple a few weeks into the semester. Unfortunately, they were never able to play basketball together because Carly graduated a semester early of senior year. They continued to date all through Jesse's undergrad/grad years pursuing her Master of Occupational Therapy as Carly began to work in a lab for a medical manufacturing company. Carly made it to almost every single one of Jesse's sporting events and extracurriculars as her biggest supporter and #1 Fan. Jesse and Carly made infinite amounts of memories building their relationship at Chatham and are still best friends with many of their teammates/classmates. Jesse and Carly got engaged in October 2017 and had their engagement pictures taken on Chatham's campus. In August 2019, Jesse and Carly tied the knot after 6 years of dating. Their beloved friend and basketball coach from Chatham, Sandy Rectenwald, married the couple, surrounded by many from the Chatham community. Jesse & Carly bought a house in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and live happily with their dog and cat.”
Want to keep making ChathamU connections, even after you’ve left campus? Make sure to get involved with the Chatham alumni community for fast friendships, fun events, and who knows… maybe your one true love! 😉 If you’ve got a Chatham love story you’d like to tell, you can share it here, and if you’d like to shout out a Chatham Legacy (The Office of Alumni Relations defines “legacy” as including parents, grandparents, primary caregivers, siblings, aunts/uncles, etc.), we’ve got a space for that too.