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Virginia Wesleyan Is For Lovers
Virginia Wesleyan Is For Lovers
By Leona Baker |ﾃモ February 11, 2011
When Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton announced the engagement heard ﾃ｢€ round the world last fall, the University of St. Andrewsﾃ｢€" the school in Scotland at which the soon-to-be royal newlyweds met as studentsﾃ｢€"was quick to tout its status as ﾃ｢€ Britainﾃ｢€ s top matchmaking university.ﾃ｢€
While no heirs to the British throne have yet to attend Virginia Wesleyan College, the tight-knit community here at VWC has produced an unusual amount of long-lasting personal bondsﾃ｢€"even for a collegeﾃ｢€"including quite a few that have resulted in walks down the aisle.
Perhaps itﾃ｢€ s simply because VWC is a small liberal arts college with a unique, family atmosphere. Meaningful relationships of all kinds are bound to thrive in such an environment.
Or perhaps, as alum Troy DeLawrence ﾃ｢€ 93 eloquently observes, it is because VWC is a place ﾃ｢€ thatﾃモ is not only educating our minds, but harnessing what is in our hearts; allowing the opportunity for us to grow as individualsﾃモ and presentingﾃモ us with the chance to invite others into our lives.ﾃ｢€
Whatever the reason, you might say thereﾃ｢€ s something in the Wesleyan water. In honor of Valentineﾃ｢€ s Day, weﾃ｢€ ve invited just a few of the VWC alums who are now married couples to share some thoughts about their lives together and their time at Virginia Wesleyan. Enjoy, and happy Valentineﾃ｢€ s Day, Marlins.
Kristen Byrnes ﾃ｢€ 07 & John Alutto ﾃ｢€ 07
Kristen Byrnes and John Alutto met at freshman orientation in the summer of 2003. They were both in the LAMP program and had many classes together. Although they knew each other throughout their college experience, they didnﾃ｢€ t begin dating until the end of their sophomore year. They were married on October 16, 2010. John is currently working for GEICO in Virginia Beach, and Kristen is an auditor for Witt Mares in Norfolk. ﾃモ They are currently living in Virginia Beach with their dog "Maverick" and cat "Boots."
"We believe that the small campus environment at Wesleyan gives you the chance to really connect with the people you come into contact with. We are still very close with our friends and mentors from Wesleyan." ﾃ｢€" John and Kristen Alutto
Kara Waters ﾃ｢€ 06 and Jason Byzewski ﾃ｢€ 06
Kara and Jason Byzewski met the first day they arrived at VWC. Their mutual involvement in the VWC PORTfolio Program as well as a variety of campus activities and classes brought them together, and they were married in July, 2008. Jason is a math teacher and soccer coach at Salem High School in Virginia Beach, his alma mater. Kara works at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center as a Senior Aquarist Assistant.
ﾃ｢€ We graduated in May 2006, but we still enjoy staying involved at Wesleyan, particularly by going to soccer games. It is hard to say exactly why relationships like ours are formed at Wesleyan, but we know that we enjoyed our time there and look back on it often and remember all the good times we had.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Kara Byzewski
Janet Naclerioﾃ｢€ 04 & Jason Seward ﾃ｢€ 05
Batten Center Operations Director Jason Seward was introduced to a women's soccer player named Janet Naclerio at a get-together before Lake Taylor Music Festival. ﾃ｢€ I was knocked off my feet instantly,ﾃ｢€ he says. The two dated, spent some time apart and reconnected. Jason proposed on one knee in Central Park in New York City. Janet is a 3rd grade teacher at Point-O-View Elementary in Virginia Beach. They have an English bulldog named ﾃ｢€ Duke.ﾃ｢€
ﾃ｢€ There came a point when I knew I was stronger with her than without her and I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. She is my best friend, and she amazes me each day. I feel people at VWC build such tight bonds because of the natural spirit of community here. The size of the campus has folks interacting and cooperating in so many settings ﾃ｢€" through classes, athletics, Greek organizations and so much more. Many of our friends have remained here after graduation, and we are all just as close, if not closer than we ever were.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Jason Seward
Jennifer Horst ﾃ｢€ 94 & Troy DeLawrence ﾃ｢€ 93
Troy DeLawrence met Jennifer Horst when he helped her move into her dorm room during freshman orientation. ﾃ｢€ Twenty one years and twoﾃモ beautiful daughtersﾃモ later,ﾃ｢€ they are happily married and living in Virginia Beach. Troy volunteers as an announcerﾃモ at VWC women's basketball games, and Jennifer continues toﾃモ contribute to her sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha.
ﾃ｢€ We keep in touch with many of ourﾃモ close friends from Wesleyan.ﾃモ By some strange twist of fate, a few also shared the same happy ending as Jennifer and I,ﾃモ andﾃモ married their best friend. I personally believe that my relationship with Jennifer andﾃモ the relationships shared by our friendsﾃモ are a result ofﾃモ VWC's projection of anﾃモ atmosphere that the campus is that ﾃ｢€~home away from home.ﾃ｢€ ﾃモ It is this environment thatﾃモ is not only educating our minds, but harnessing what is in our hearts; allowing the opportunity for us grow as individualsﾃモ and presentingﾃモ us with the chance to invite others into our lives.ﾃモ In some situations, the invitation is accompanied with wedding bells.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Troy DeLawrence
Carrie Barczakﾃ｢€ 94 and Jim Woolridge ﾃ｢€ 91
The union of Carrie Barczak and Jim Woolridge might best be described as coming full circle. Though their time at VWC overlapped by a year and they inevitably encountered one another during that time, they donﾃ｢€ t have any recollection of meeting. Each went on to pursue a career ﾃ｢€" Carrie in media and communications, Jim in the resort and retail surf industries and more recently in the rental car business. It was a VWC alumni event at Kokomoﾃ｢€ s in Virginia Beach in 2006 that precipitated their being ﾃ｢€ set upﾃ｢€ at a bingo party, of all things, by mutual friends/alumni who were amazed to find out the two didnﾃ｢€ t know one another.
ﾃ｢€ We began dating in January, 2007, got engaged in August, 2007, and got married December 27, 2007. Our son, Carson John Woolridge, was born on October 6, 2008. We live in Virginia Beach with our two dogs, Abby and Oscar. To this day, we find it shocking that we never met while attending Virginia Wesleyan since it is such a tight community. But we know we met because of Virginia Wesleyan. For that we are thankful.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Carrie and Jim Woolridge
Lilly Everett ﾃ｢€ 90 and Chris Dotolo ﾃ｢€ 91
Lilly Everett and Chris Dotolo were both student atheletes, Chris in baseball and Lilly in soccer. They had met by the time they ended up in a winter session class together called ﾃ｢€ Psychology and the Cinema.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€ All that time together watching creepy movies sealed the deal,ﾃ｢€ they say. They recently moved back to the Hampton Roads area with their three girls, ages 6 to 13. Chris is the Director of Annual Giving and varsity head baseball coach at his alma mater, Norfolk Academy, and Lillyﾃモ telecommutes in policy development and employee communications for St. Johnﾃ｢€ s University in New York.
ﾃ｢€ Looking back, Virginia Wesleyan College was a great choice for both of us. There was a great balance of academic emphasis, social activities and athletic competition. Professors were accessible, advisors were available, class sizes were small, student programs on and off campus kept us out of too much trouble, and then there was the beach!ﾃモ We visit Virginia Wesleyan often, and our kids have participated in soccer and volleyball summer camps on campus.ﾃモ Through the alumni association, weﾃ｢€ ve reconnected with other alums, and some of our best friendships through the years continue to be the relationships we forged at Wesleyan.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Lilly and Chris Dotolo
Kelly Powell ﾃ｢€ 90 & Robert Fey ﾃ｢€ 89
Kelly Powell and Robert Fey met through mutual friends while at VWC. They currently reside in Howell, New Jersey, with their 13-year-old son, Connor. Rob is a district manager for Snyder's/Lance, and Kelly works as a case manager for children and families in the state of New Jersey's Early Intervention system.
ﾃ｢€ We knew many of the same people and spent a great deal of time socializing in the campus apartments that used to be known as the Hamptons. The unusual thing is that we were both from New Jersey, and my husband was actually born in a hospital down the street from the house where I grew up, yet we had to go all the way to VWC to meet. I have often reflected upon the fact that my four years at VWC really forever shaped my life.ﾃモ Not only was I blessed to meet my spouse there, but I also met my former roommates, both of whom are two of my best friends to this day, and that tradition has extended to our children who have very close bonds as well.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Kelly Powell
Cheryl Chatfield '88 & Mike Kos '86
Mike and Cheryl Kos reside in Chesapeake with their three children, ages 13 to 16, all of whom have followed in their parentsﾃ｢€ footsteps by playing soccer.ﾃモ Mike is currently the Chesapeake Regional President at Fulton Bank, and Cheryl is the executive manager of their busy household and a small group leader for 7th graders at their church.
ﾃ｢€ I'm not sure how Mike and I really met.ﾃモ It seems like we were just always friends.ﾃモ We were both soccer players at VWC, so it probably revolved around that. We never dated while at VWC; we were just very good friends. Two weeks before I graduated, he suggested we go out for a drink to celebrate.ﾃモ The rest is history. This is a true example of two people getting to know each other really well and then falling in love. People build such tight bonds at VWC because it is such a small campus and you spend a lot of time together with the same people. You get to know each other at your best and worst.ﾃモ It's like we all become a little part of each other.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Cheryl Kos
Robin Morris ﾃ｢€ 87 and Robert Michie ﾃ｢€ 87
Robin Morris transferred to VWC a year after Bob Michie entered as a freshman. Today they have three children, the oldest of which will soon graduate from high school in Henrico County (near Richmond, Virginia), where they live. They recently hosted a recruiting event for prospective VWC students and had a chance to share ﾃ｢€ what [they] loved the most about this dynamic institution.ﾃ｢€
ﾃ｢€ Our first ﾃ｢€~realﾃ｢€ date was an evening after a particularly trying day for me. I was venting to a favorite friend of ours while standing outside the student commons, looking across the campus. At the end of my tirade, I yelled across the field, ﾃ｢€~Well, that's it! Iﾃ｢€ m going to marry Bob Michie!!ﾃ｢€ It echoed so loudly that I was sure the entire student body had heard my proclamation. And sure enough, on November, 17, 1990, it came true. So now we call Bob ﾃ｢€~Mr. Destiny.ﾃ｢€ As married alums we proudly walked away with a diploma in hand and so much more!ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Robin Michie
Jane Shupe ﾃ｢€ 70 & Martin D. Yocum, Jr. ﾃ｢€ 71
Jane and Marty Yocum celebrated their 40th anniversary in August, 2010. They have lived in Marty's hometown, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, since graduating from VWC. Jane and Marty own Yocum & Company, an insurance and investment company. They have two married children and three grandsons. Their son Tripp also works for the family business.
ﾃ｢€ I came to Wesleyan in 1967 and met Marty in January of 1968. He came to college late as he had enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves due to the inevitability of being drafted. Wesleyan was a very small and tight-knit community. I remember seeing Marty in the dining hall, dressed in a coat and tie, which was mandatory dinner attire at the time, and felt sorry for him as he was dining alone. The next day I saw him in math class and remembered that the inventory of math books was depleted so at dinner that night I offered to lend him my book if he needed it. He did borrow it and we became friends, then a couple and that is that! Marty very quickly became a VWC family member and we spent the rest of our days at Wesleyan as a couple in that wonderful family.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Jane Yocum
Ann Peacock ﾃ｢€ 70 & John F. Shappell ﾃ｢€ 70
Ann Peacock and John Shappell met when they both ran for student government at what was then a brand new college. They were married one month after graduation in 1970, VWCﾃ｢€ s first graduating class. Ann has been a member of the VWC staff for 30 years and is now the Assistant to the Director of the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom.ﾃモ John is Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Norfolk. They have three daughters and seven ﾃ｢€ incredibleﾃ｢€ grandchildren.
ﾃ｢€ Our situation was exceptional due to the newness of the College and small number of students and faculty.ﾃモ There were only 40 students living on campus that first year, and we spent a great deal of time together. We learned to know each other very well, very quickly.ﾃモ Those types of bonds last.ﾃモ I believe there continues to be an atmosphere that encourages relationship building within the campus community ﾃ｢€" through residence hall living, small class sizes, and clubs and organizations.ﾃモ VWC is a supportive community and always has been.ﾃモ It is a very special place.ﾃ｢€ ﾃ｢€" Ann Shappell
WANT TO SHARE YOUR VWC LOVE STORY?
The rules: You must both be alums of the College, you must have met or reconnected while both of you were students at VWC, and you must be married.
Send the following: Your names (and maiden names if applicable), the year each of you graduated from VWC, a brief paragraph about how you met, where you live and what youﾃ｢€ re doing now, children (if any), and some insight on why you think people build such tight bonds at VWC.
Also send: A recent photo of the two of you in jpg format.
Send to: Leona Baker, lbaker1@vwu.edu. Please put "Alum Couples" in subject line.