To have and to hold

On campuses throughout our country, February brings thoughts of love with Valentine's Day. Despite the challenges to successful marriages, for many students, finding their life's partner is a deep hope during their college years. It still happens. The University of Findlay has on record 1,012 married couples who dated during their years at UF. We call them the Findlay Faithfuls. During Homecoming Weekend 2019, we invited all married couples whose relationship began at UF to return to campus for a renewal of vows ceremony, as seen in the photo. It was a beautiful day of celebration. The stories of two UF couples give evidence that good marriages are indeed worth pursuing. While Dr. Bret, '99, and Annette Bahn, '00's, story began shortly before they attended the University together, UF helped form a blueprint to cultivate and strengthen their relationship through college football, United States military service, marriage, medical school and, eventually, parenthood. When Dr. Bahn, a navy veteran, spoke at the 2020 Veteran's Day service, he said of Annette, "It is her willingness to help at any cost that I admire so much." Dave, '87, and Kim Emrick, '88, were just friends for their freshman, sophomore and junior years together, not starting to date until their senior year, but they recently celebrated 30 years of marriage. Both Oiler athletes, Dave on the men's basketball team, and Kim playing volleyball for UF, Dave said he noticed her in her first year in Croy before a practice. It took a few years, but his persistence paid off. UF assisted in setting them up for meaningful lives and productive careers that include three children, work for Dave as a Regional Director of Operations for Valicor Environmental, and for Kim as the office manager for Cemplex. Even closer to home, February marks our own wedding anniversary, Roger's and mine, this year, the 40th. We, too, met in college. We were 17. He was a lean, brown-eyed boy who milked cows, listened to opera, read Scripture and Faulkner, and laughed from the depth of his soul. It was the laugh that caught me and keeps me still. We have certainly known what it is to grieve and weep, but it is love that returns us to joy—and laughter. And we count it a privilege to have spent our fourth decade of marriage among the wonderful people who make the UF campus a place where love can thrive. Fell is president of the University of Findlay.