CRIMSON COUPLES Nestled on the western slope of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, it’s no wonder that love blossomed on Western’s beautiful campus.
A toast to 15 married duos who met as Mountaineers
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MEETING ON THE JOB
mad jacks
Peter Fini & Liz Steele Campus jobs at Mad Jack’s introduced Peter (Business and Economics, ‘13) and Liz (Art, ‘14) in 2011. After their first date at Mario’s in 2012, they could be found riding their bikes pretty much everywhere, walking around the snowy campus in the middle of the night, and cooking out on the campus grills once the weather hit a balmy 50 degrees. “Like so many other Western students, we were just some crazy kids looking for a place to go on adventures with other crazy kids, and Gunnison was the most perfect place either of us could imagine for such a life,” says Liz. Since 2016, Grand Junction, Colorado has been home, with Peter working as a financial adviser and Liz as an orthodontic assistant. Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park was the ultimate backdrop for their engagement in September 2019, and a wedding in Golden, Colorado is planned for September 19, 2021. An alum of Western’s hockey team, Peter plays and coaches hockey and returns to Gunnison whenever he can to get on the ice, whether at the ice rink or Blue Mesa Reservoir. Meanwhile, Liz loves “any excuse to get brand new landscape shots anywhere in Gunnison County with Lake Irwin, Ohio Creek Pass and Taylor Canyon being some of our most cherished places,” she says. “Camping, off-roading and hiking with our dogs are our favorite things to do together, and Gunnison will always be much-loved!”
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MEETING ON THE JOB
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Jesse Sheley & Amanda Gibbs Like most incoming freshman, Amanda made a trip to the Western bookstore to purchase supplies during move-in week. The unusual part was making eye contact with junior Jesse, who was working there, and how their paths continued to cross at campus events, like guest lectures, homecoming games and parties. “We had our first date in January 2010, when we went to Power Stop for burgers after ice skating on the outdoor pond at the ice rink,” Amanda says. Jesse and Amanda graduated in 2011, got married in Grand Junction, Colorado the following year, and now live in Corona Del Mar, California with their 7-year-old daughter and dog, Gunnison. She is currently working full time on her master’s degree in gallery and museum management at Western, and Jesse is utilizing his economics degree from Western and a master’s degree in financial planning as a market manager with Merrill Lynch. “Being a small school, it seemed like everyone knew everyone; we were a tight community. We all had something in common: love of the outdoors. There were so many outdoor activities going on all the time that it was easy to find something to get into together,” she says. “We still enjoy rafting and hiking, and also spend a lot of time traveling the world.” One of the best things Western graduates can do is return to Gunnison often and enjoy the nostalgia, Amanda recommends. “Every time we do, it serves as a beautiful reminder of where our journeys began and of all the fun memories Gunnison gave us.” WESTERN.EDU | 3
MEETING ON THE JOB
Marc Ditmore & Molly Stillman When they met on Marc’s first day at Western in fall 2010, Molly had already been a student for one year. Both were in the college’s math program and mainly interacted as tutors for the Math Tutoring Center. “We also snowboarded together a bunch and actually lived across the alley from each other at one point. That is probably the funniest part looking back that we were so close to one another, but it just wasn’t our time to date,” Molly says. Fast forward to January 2014, when she moved to Denver and started a contract position with a financial services firm. “For the most part, I thought my Gunnison life was over. I planned to walk in May 2014, since I had taken an extra semester the previous fall. Most of my friends were doing the same, including Marc,” she says. “Marc and I were able to reconnect during this visit and started dating!” After wrapping up her job in October 2014, Molly moved back to Gunnison, and they both worked in the valley for another year before relocating to Pomona, California and pursuing master’s degrees in mathematics at Claremont Graduate University. They moved to the Minneapolis area in 2017 and married in Lutsen, Minnesota on July 21, 2018. Their pups, Maivy and Missy, keep them busy along with Molly’s work as a principal financial analyst at Ascentis Corporation and Marc’s position as a pension analyst for Willis Towers Watson. “We have several friends who all met their significant others at Western,” Molly notes. “It is such a special place and gave us our marriage, our best friends, and memories that we can never forget.”
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AFTER THE FACT
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Jon Seidel & Katie Paul Sometimes college years are spent in the friend zone as part of a larger group before cupid strikes. Once Jon and Katie graduated from Western and returned to their hometowns, they reconnected. “It turns out we grew up less than 10 minutes away from each other, went to rival high schools and were even born at the same hospital!” Katie says. Jon graduated in 2014 and operates an electric business with his dad, while Katie received her education degree in 2015 and teaches kindergarten in Broomfield. “Our friendship quickly grew into a beautiful relationship, and five years later we said our ‘I do’s’ and are now expecting our first little one, who we can’t wait to take back to Gunnison!” Holding a wedding during a pandemic was a bit stressful since they didn’t know if it would happen or not, she notes, but it took place in Broomfield, Colorado last June and “turned out absolutely perfect!” Well over half of their wedding party were friends from Western. “Neither of us knew anyone when we moved to Gunnison, and it was so nice to be able to create a life for ourselves in the way we wanted. The small community and town made it easy to make friends and always feel safe, no matter where we were,” Katie says. “We can’t wait to get back to Gunni soon and enjoy a float-and-dine date night at Garlic Mike’s and go to Mario’s for some delicious ½ and ½ salad.” WESTERN.EDU | 5
AFTER THE FACT
William Rabun & Cedar Rozzi Although they first connected through the music program at Western, Cedar and William didn’t find true harmony until after graduation. Cedar was two years older and recalled first seeing William during honor band and choir week at Western, when he was a high school senior. “Schools were checking in when he approached the table with his father, instrument in hand. I asked which school he was with, and he very pretentiously said, ‘I’m not here with a school. I’m here to audition.’ I directed him upstairs, and the following year was surprised to see that hotheaded kid,” Cedar recalls. Both were music majors, with Cedar graduating in 2007 and William in 2009. Fast forward to fall 2010, when she was living and teaching music in Maine and he was stationed in Texas getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan with an Army band. “We sent letters back and forth during his entire deployment. He proposed the summer of 2012, and we got married shortly after that when he joined me back in my home state of Alaska,” shares Cedar. William earned his master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and they moved from Alaska to Indiana, where William is pursuing a doctorate in trumpet performance at Indiana University and Cedar is a stay-at-home mom for their three children.
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music program
“Western was the perfect place to attend school because of how multifaceted it was,” Cedar says. “Not only did we get a top-notch education with professors coming from all over the country, we were able to grow into adulthood with a community that offers a variety of unique experiences, indoors and out.”
BIKES AND BROADCASTING
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Christian Saez & Marissa Manzanares How many couples can say they met over the radio? Christian encountered Marissa when she transferred in 2017 to Western, where she produced his show on KWSB Radio. Together they broadcasted Western basketball for the next two years. The result was a cherished relationship and “Best Sports Broadcast in Colorado” awards from the Colorado Broadcasters Association in 2017 and 2018. During their college years, hiking at Hartman Rocks followed by dinner at Double Dragon and drinks at High Alpine Brewery were the perfect date. “We also loved going on walks along the Gunnison River and would do that regularly after classes,” Christian says. Graduating as a strategic communications major in 2018, a year ahead of Christian, Marissa managed Overlook Cafe in Western’s ICELab while he finished school. They moved to Spokane, Washington, where she landed a job as director of digital media for SWX Sports Station. The same company hired Christian as a broadcaster and reporter. Shortly after moving, the couple got engaged and married on August 8, 2020 in Alamosa, Colorado. Terry Schliesman not only is the couple’s mentor and a professor of communication arts at Western, he was set to marry them before the COVID pandemic hit and the wedding was scaled back to only family. “Western was a huge part of our relationship and something that we will remember for the rest of our lives,” Christian emphasizes. “From our times working together at the radio station to the amazing relationships we formulated in the communication art department, we still think back to those memories daily.” WESTERN.EDU | 7
BIKES AND BROADCASTING
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Grant Gipson & Aspen Wallace The first mountain bike practice of the season for Western’s mountain sports team resulted in Grant and Aspen meeting for the first time. A friendship quickly formed, and they spent hundreds of hours together skiing in the winter and racing bicycles in the spring. While Aspen spent a summer working in Lake City as a wilderness guide and Grant was in Eagle/Vail for a job at a bike shop, the two wrote letters and met up when breaks from work allowed. Grant convinced her to sign up for the Silver Rush 50 mountain bike race in Leadville and also committed to doing the ride. After a long, grueling race, Grant confessed that he liked her more than a friend. They dated for several years before graduating in May 2019. They then moved to Golden, Colorado, where Aspen began teaching and Grant started working for Fidelity Investments. After a steak dinner proposal in November, the couple married in Leadville 10 months later on a beautiful fall day with many Western friends present. They continue to live in Golden and ride their bikes as much as possible. “Western was the perfect place for both Grant and me because it offered small class sizes, and the Gunnison Valley is so special for both of us,” says Aspen. “Being able to compete at a high level and still be connected to the university through our academics was a priority for both of us.”
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CLASSIC LOVE STORIES
Jonah Mitchell & Hannah Montoya Mutual friends introduced Hannah (’18) and Jonah (’18) during their freshman year in 2014. She was studying business administration, and he was pursuing a degree in exercise and sport science while playing on the Mountaineer football team as a defensive end. They were both dating other people at the time so remained good friends for more than three years, despite Jonah having “a secret crush,” Hannah says. In summer 2017, the two went on one final “friend date” before Hannah decided to give him a shot as a boyfriend. Two years later, on a family trip to Thailand, Jonah popped the question and they married in Brighton, Colorado on August 1, 2020. The pair enjoys hiking, traveling, “Lord of the Rings” movies, playing with their puppy, Blue, and returning to the “beautiful Gunnison Valley, the place where it all started,” Hannah says.
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CLASSIC LOVE STORIES
Ronald Gile & Lynda Montgomery Ron met the love of his life, Lynda, in the spring of 1963 at a fraternity party. They began dating that fall as juniors, and Ron notes that “Gunnison provided a great atmosphere for falling in love.” The college provided most of their entertainment, and he clearly remembers walks to dinner or the movie theater in 20-degree weather. Ron and Lynda’s best memories are of Oasis Restaurant Western Café “where over a cup of coffee (all I could afford) I proposed.” The couple married on July 11, 1964 in Colorado Springs, Colorado and have “very fond memories of the beginning of our married life at Western,” Ron says. “Western was a great place to go to school. The classes were small, and you got to know the professors by name. They were always willing to provide extra attention and help. It was easy to meet people due to the small size and a good campus life.” Both graduated in 1966, and Ron continued his studies at the University of Hawaii and Lynda received her master’s degree in education. Lynda taught for 30 years at various middle schools in Colorado Springs, while Ron worked in real estate as a broker and real estate appraiser before they retired in Venice, Florida, where bicycling and all sorts of outdoor activities are their go-to fun. They have a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and travel to Colorado regularly, making Gunnison a frequent stop on their itinerary.
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cup of coffee
CLASSIC LOVE STORIES
Jeff Quinlin & Jesse Moran Jesse (Art ’12), met Jeff (Sociology & Psychology ’12) during their freshman year in 2008, when they were in the same group at orientation. They remained acquaintances until spring of their senior year when they reconnected at Timbers Sports Bar and started dating. It didn’t take long for the pair to decide that the relationship was meant to last, getting engaged six months later and marrying at the Mountain Wedding Garden in Mt. Crested Butte on June 14, 2014. “We loved eating at 5B’s BBQ and going four-wheeling at Cement Creek, Taylor Park and Hartman Rocks,” Jesse recalls. “Western was a great school and a fun place surrounded by an amusing mountain playground. There was always something to do! We love to come visit Gunnison and Crested Butte to eat at our favorite restaurants and visit some of our professors still at Western.” The Quinlins are the parents of Declan, 4, and McKenna, 2, and live in Sterling, Colorado, Jeff works as a correctional lieutenant at Sterling Correctional Facility and Jesse owns a photography business, High Prairie Studio. They are in the process of building a home and relish camping in Taylor Park during free time in the summer.
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CLASSIC LOVE STORIES
Tyler Self & Sammi Neel After meeting at a mutual friend’s party, wrestler Tyler walked cheerleader Sammi home and took her to breakfast the next morning. Their first official date was hiking to Crystal Mill near Marble. “We got lost and could only do half of the hike!” Sammi says. “We also used to love dates at the Double Dragon.” The pair graduated from Western in 2018, Sammi in graphic design and Tyler in pre-med, and got married two years later in Spring Branch, Texas. In addition to family and friends attending, a sloth crashed the festivities! Currently, the couple lives in San Antonio, Texas with their golden retriever, Goose. Tyler is working as an EMT and applying to medical schools while Sammi is employed as a group fitness instructor and trainer who helps other instructors learn to teach. “Western provided us with a very unique college experience,” she confirms. “We loved living in such a beautiful area! We hope to go back and visit sometime soon.”
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STAYING LOCAL
David Valladolid & Kenzie Perkins The day before classes began at Western in August 2010, freshmen David and Kenzie met at a Robidoux hall meeting. “Quickly, we discovered that we had the same math class together and would walk together every day to that class. Before I knew it, I had a new best friend,” Kenzie says. They started dating the following year and exactly six years after David asked Kenzie to be his girlfriend, they married at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) on Sept. 23, 2017. The couple continues to call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley home. “We have endless memories of skiing all over Crested Butte and hiking around Hartman Rocks. One of the best is the first time we went to the Devil’s Punch Bowl,” Kenzie recalls. “Not the smartest decision being that the sun was setting as we were headed there, but we made it there and back safely with a great memory.” Kenzie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology in May 2014 and owns 91 Perks Photography, works as a bookkeeper at Gunnison Bank & Trust, and is studying for a master’s degree in counseling psychology. David attended Western for two years before joining CBMR as a snowcat operator, a position he still enjoys along with being on the resort’s trail crew in the summer.
math class
“Western was a great place that brought David and I together through our love for the outdoors,” Kenzie says. “We love attending alumni events and taking our dogs for nightly walks around the campus.” WESTERN.EDU | 13
HILARIOUS MOMENTS
Mark Ellis & Lisa Gurtler You never know when a bowling class will pay off more than just a few high fives for a lucky strike. For Lisa, it was meeting Peter Heyer who introduced her to Mark. “We didn’t really start dating until our senior year (fall of 1983). The summer before, we attended a friend’s wedding and kept in touch from then on” says Mark, who graduated in industrial education and technology while Lisa earned a degree in business education. One of their funniest dates happened when his parents visited for homecoming. “We took them to the movie ‘Risky Business.’ Little did we know that the movie was a bit uncomfortable to see with your parents and the girl you are dating!” In August 1985, the couple married in Lisa’s hometown of Keenesburg, Colorado with several Western graduates in the wedding party. Lisa continued her studies at University of Colorado, earning an MBA in information systems in 1990, only one month before giving birth to the first of two daughters. She currently works as a business analyst for Cherry Creek Schools, and Mark is an independent utilities consultant.
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The atmosphere of a small town in the western Colorado mountains, outdoor activities and the size of classes at Western was appealing to both Lisa and Mark, who have returned to Gunnison regularly for homecoming and spent a long weekend in the valley for the 2018 Crested Butte Wildflower Festival. “We’ve also attended a few alumni gettogethers in the Denver area because who can turn down a lecture from Duane Vandenbusche?” says Mark, who served on Western’s alumni board of directors.
HILARIOUS MOMENTS
Trent McCann & Danielle Waller In the words of the late TV personality Bob Ross, a well-known artist, “happy little accidents” can lead to great things. Danielle “Dani” (Clinical, Counseling & School Psychology ‘08) and Trent (Business Administration ’08) were on one of their first dates in spring 2005 when she spilled an entire glass of Pepsi on his lap at Quarter Circle restaurant. “We laughed so hard at that dinner, where we talked for hours and really got to know each other. We still laugh about that to this day,” says Dani, who was on the Western dance team for four years. “That summer we watched the 4th of July fireworks over the Western W, and it was so much fun and so beautiful! Our first winter together, I taught him how to snowboard at Crested Butte Mountain Resort; so after that, each year we bought season passes.” Both graduated from Western in May 2008 and married a year later on July 31 in Centennial, Colorado with friends from Western making up most of the wedding party. They reside in Littleton, Colorado with their daughters, Kylie, 9, and Kynzie, 4. Trent works as a manager at Discount Tire Company and Dani as the investigations manager for Developmental Pathways.
spilled glass
“We truly believe those years spent in Gunnison helped shape who we are today and have made us both successful in our careers and in our lives in general. We both have tattoos of the Western W,” she says. “We have actually considered moving back to the Gunnison area because it is a place we both love and miss so much.” WESTERN.EDU | 15
HILARIOUS MOMENTS
Bradey Gasaway & Sydney Melvin Bradey won Sydney’s heart after singing rap songs to her at Timbers Sports Bar in 2014. “We knew of each other through mutual classes and the Pig Pen around 2013. I also helped out at the athletic trainers’ office, and Bradey would often come in to get his wrists taped for no reason,” Sydney says. “But the moment Bradey serenaded me at Timbers with a Nicki Minaj song, it was meant to be.” Dancing at Spring Fest and riding bikes all around town afterward, four-wheeling at Hartman Rocks with their dogs, floating the rivers, and having conversations in Legion Park are among their favorite times as Western students. “Western gives you a solid education while also providing opportunities to enjoy life around you. It feels exhilarating to know that you can adventure into the wilderness from every direction,” Sydney says. After graduating from Western in 2015, Sydney with a degree in exercise sport science and psychology and Bradey in psychology and sociology, the couple moved to Dallas, began their careers as educators and married on Nov. 22, 2017. She teaches seventh grade writing and coaches cheerleading. Bradey is the athletic coordinator and leadership skills teacher at a middle school and coaches football and track. They welcomed their first child, Raiden, on New Year’s Eve a year ago.
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rap songs
They stay in touch with several college friends, many who have become locals. “We take any chance we can get to return to ‘Sunny Gunny’ to hike, snowboard and visit Western,” Sydney says. “The Gunnison Valley and Western will always be our home away from home.
Western Colorado University Alumni (970) 943-3464 | alumni@western.edu /WesternColoradoUniversityAlumni /WesternColoradoAlumni
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Contact: Madison Shepherd, ’18 Assistant Director of Alumni Relations mshepherd@western.edu
Save the Date Homecoming October 8-10, 2021 More than a than a parade, more than the lighting of the W and more than a football game! It’s a bond between friends that grows deeper every year. Mountaineer Up!
Editor: Ann Johnston | Writer: Beth Buehler | Designer: Swifthaus Design | Cover Photo: David Dieckhaus