From Classmates to Soulmates: William & Mary Love Stories

February 13, 2025
By Mary Lee Clark

Networks, friendships and lifetime partnerships — the connections students make at William & Mary often last a lifetime. The Class Notes in the W&M Alumni Magazine are a testament to these lifelong connections, frequently featuring announcements of weddings, engagements and family beginnings. According to our alumni data, we have over 5,000 current alumni couples, with many declaring their commitment on the iconic Crim Dell bridge.

For Valentine’s Day, we asked our alumni to share their William & Mary love stories. Here are some of the responses we received. (For more on romance at W&M over time, see an article on Swem Library's collection of letters from 1764 through 1967.)

A Twist of Fate — Don Snook ’61 & Judy Murdock Snook ’63

Don and I had some funny/interesting times during our four-year courtship. Don borrowed my meal card and got caught. Instead of him really getting in trouble, Miss Tinker sent me a card inviting Don to join me for pecan pancakes for breakfast sometime. They were delicious.

Don graduated and went to The George Washington University. On one of his weekend visits, his black VW bug, aka “The Lemon,” broke down in front of the Governor’s Palace. His college roommate was then in law school and the two tied Don’s car to his, and we drove to Richmond. I held my breath while watching Don steer the VW, but we made it. After serving his residency in hospital administration, Don joined the Army as a second lieutenant stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. I taught fifth grade in a suburb of Philadelphia. Phone calls were few and far between, as in those days it was expensive. Finally, we were married.

How did Don pay for our honeymoon? By selling The Lemon! — Judy Murdock Snook

Heartbeats in Harmony — Hal Carter ’74 & Elise Walker Carter ’74

On entering W&M in 1970, I was considering whether to try out for the soccer team or the marching and symphonic bands. Fortunately, I decided on the bands.

Several weeks into my freshman year, I found myself marching next to a cute little blond co-ed who played the clarinet, as did I. By Nov. 1, I had worked up the courage to ask her out and that date went well. We went on a number of dates over the rest of that first semester.

But my love for her truly blossomed in late December, when we sat together for the 14-hour bus ride to Orlando, Florida, where the marching band performed at halftime during the William & Mary football team’s loss to Pittsburgh in the Tangerine Bowl. Being next to someone on an uncomfortable bus for 14 hours and still craving more time with her made me realize how special she was. The band director, Charles Varner, noticed our budding romance and for the next 3 1/2 years made sure that we always shared a music stand.

Now, 55 years later, we are still together, and I have never stopped craving more time with her. — Hal Carter

Madly in Love — Michael Grant Jr. ’08, M.Acc. ’09 & Gwendolyn Hunter Grant ’08

My husband and I met during our freshman seminar, “Madness in Literature.” We grew a deep friendship, both being scholarship athletes from large New Jersey families. Our love for one another grew between longs hours spent at Swem and in the training room. Eighteen years, a master’s in accounting from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, a medical residency and three children later, our love story continues. W&M will always hold a special place in our lives. — Gwendolyn Hunter Grant

Honored to be Yours — Zara Fina Stasi ’12 & Andy Rudd ’11

We met while we were both on the undergraduate honor council. We started dating a few years out of college when we were both living and working in Washington, D.C. We’ve been married six years and have two little kiddos, Theo and Lila. Andy is the best! Thank goodness we both picked W&M. —Zara Fina Stasi

M.Acc. Made in Heaven — Emily Steele Moriarty ’19, M.Acc. ’20 & Kenyon Moriarty J.D. ’22

My husband and I met while I was in my one-year Master of Accounting program and he was in his first year of law school. I also went to W&M as an undergrad. We met the fall before COVID-19 broke out, dated throughout the COVID outbreak, got engaged on the Crim Dell bridge during his graduation weekend in 2022 and got married in the Wren Chapel in fall 2023. — Emily Steele Moriarty

New Year, New Chapter — Erin Liebe ’23 and Bronson Yoder ’23

Erin and I met in “the block” at the business school at William & Mary. During your first semester in the business school, you’re placed in a “block” or cohort of about 40 students who you’ll take all your classes with. Fortunately for me, we happened to choose the same block and spent a lot of time in the same classrooms. I remember the first time I ever saw her, in a virtual study group on Zoom. She looked so cute wearing a pink New York Yankees hat and, in her true fashion, leading the meeting and helping others prepare for the next test.

During the latter part of our junior year, we finally had our first conversation that lasted longer than a couple of minutes. Much to my surprise, it ended with us scheduling a coffee date on our calendars. We met at Illycaffé and potentially set the record for the longest CW walk (five hours)! When we finally said goodbye, all I wanted to do was fill my free time with more dates with her and learn more about her. A few dates later, we began officially dating and I quickly realized that I was dating my future wife.

Last New Year’s Eve, I finally took her on our most special CW walk yet, where we wandered through CW and visited five special spots that hold significance to us. I set up sweet treats, flowers, our favorite books and more at some gardens and gazebos, where we reminisced on our favorite dates and moments so far in our relationship. Then, I arranged for her favorite horse and carriage, “the Madison,” to bring us to our final destination, the Governor’s Palace, where I finally proposed! We’ve made so many beautiful memories together and we still have a lifetime more to go. God placed us at William & Mary for many reasons, and I’m certain that one of them was for me to meet my lovely future wife. — Bronson Yoder