There is something truly special about the way connections spark on our campus. Whether it’s a shared cup of coffee in the Park Blocks, finding a ride from campus to the slopes or a late-night study session that turned into a lifelong bond, your stories remind us why we love this community.
A huge thank you to everyone who shared their journeys of friendship and romance this year. We want to give a special shout-out to our "regulars"—like Yamini —whose annual updates on their PSU friendships have become a highlight for us all. We see you, we appreciate you, and we love that you’re part of this tradition.
Ready for some heart-warming reads? Let’s dive in!
Barbara and Norwyn Newby
Norwyn and I met in January of 1964. We were both freshmen at PSU. Some friends and I were taking a ski class for PE, but had no way to get to Mt. Hood each Saturday. Each week we would pin a sign on a PSU bulletin board saying “4 girls need a ride to Mt. Hood on Saturday, WILL PAY.” Norwyn had lots of space, but no money for gas. I’m sure it was the “WILL PAY” that attracted him. We paid him $1.00 each, and the price of gas was 25 cents per gallon, so he was happy with that. My 3 friends and I rode to the mountain with Norwyn the rest of winter term, but he never asked me out until spring break.
We dated for the next 3 years, and married in August of 1967. We were dirt poor, didn’t even own a car, but very much in love.
We are still in love, our 4 children are thriving, and we have been married for more than 58 years. We limit our skiing to cross-country now (fear of falling) and we spend most of our winters at a second home in Palm Desert, CA. Norwyn and I have been very lucky in life and lucky in love.
Yamini Singh, Aumkar Ringe and Aditi Simha
I met Aditi in the Fall of 2023. What began as a simple introduction slowly grew into a meaningful friendship. A few months later, in June of 2024, I met Aumkar, and the three of us connected almost instantly. In the Fall of 2024, I joined their dance group for the Diwali performance, and that experience brought us even closer. From late‑evening practices to shared meals, from laughing through mistakes to celebrating small victories, we built memories that carried us all the way through June of 2025.
We celebrated graduation together, a milestone that felt even more meaningful because we had walked that journey side by side. Aditi and Aumkar have become more than just friends, they are my chosen family, the people who made PSU feel like home, and the ones who continue to bring joy, support, and light into my life. Our friendship is one of the most beautiful parts of my undergrad experience, and I’m grateful every day that our paths crossed when they did.
Lissa and Dyana
We met at the graduate student welcome party, we chatted a bit and immediately aligned with one another!
Della Simone and Eric Linderme
Eric and I matched on Tinder in May 2025. I was just finishing up my Jazz Voice degree and he’s currently in progress to finish his Film degree. Our first date was 8 hours long and we walked 7 miles all across the city doing fun things and we couldn’t stop sharing and laughing together. After a week or so, we realized that we’d been in neighboring classrooms twice a week, all term long, in Lincoln Hall — he was in 321 while I was in 319. It felt like fate was pushing us together even before we met. Eric and I moved in together and we have two cats. We’ll have our first anniversary right before he walks the stage in Spring. ❤️
Dom Chen and Bret Steggell
We both met at PSU as student leaders! I was the Student Fee Committee liaison to all of the Student Media groups, including the Pathos literary magazine — which Bret was the Editor in Chief of! We started doing our termly meetings and we always ended our calls in great conversations (not involving work whatsoever). Before my last day in office, we met up for coffee at PSU and haven’t stopped talking since. I never would have thought that the love of my life would be my college sweetheart, but I’m so grateful that it is!
Anna Walker and Spencer Garfield
My girlfriend and I met in Fall 2021 in a PSU Women’s studies class called “the goddess” taught by Frodo O. The class was interesting, enlightening and unlike any other class I have ever taken. In a room full of other queer people and women, she immediately caught my eye. But I was too scared to say more than a few words to her. Towards the end of the quarter she passed out Hershey kisses to everyone in the class. I remember rushing home to tell my roommate that the beautiful Butch in my class gave me a “kiss”. When the quarter ended I worked up the nerve to ask her out (over instagram dms 🙈). Life got in the way but eventually six months later we went on a date. We have been inseparable ever since and will celebrate our 4 year anniversary this July. 🫶
Lucy Moody and David Voznyuk
We had two classes together - an online class where we were in many team calls, and one in person. After meeting through a team call, he said “hi” during our in person class. He had me at hello 😉
We’re both Supply Chain students, and now, one year later, we’re still in classes together and graduating in the spring :)
Kati Falger and Joe Jackson
We met in the MBA program (Class of 2015). We got married in 2017 and have 2 amazing boys we adore! We are grateful PSU brought us together in The School of Business.
Aixa Monroy, Sasha Morales, Tania Vasquez and Chelsea Chavac
We met at Tom’s freshman inquiry class, on the second day of school we worked together as a group and have been inseparable since then. I’m so grateful to have met them.
Christian and Shannon Anciete
My wife Shannon and I are proud double Portland State University graduates for both our undergraduate and graduate degrees. Right after graduation, PSU became more than our alma mater — it became the place where we launched our careers and grew up together. Shannon joined Student Legal Services, I joined University Communications, and suddenly our everyday lives were woven into the Park Blocks.
From running student organizations side‑by‑side or taking lunchtime walks through campus, PSU shaped the rhythm of our relationship. When we married in 2014, nearly our entire wedding party was made up of fellow Vikings — a testament to the community that raised us.
We always find our way back to our beloved campus for Homecoming or to volunteer at events like commencement to support and pay it forward to the next generation of Vikings.
PSU has been an integral part of our story from the very beginning, and we’re endlessly grateful for the role it’s played in our lives and our love.
Jinyi and Ryan Voelker
I found the love of my life during a time when I had moved abroad to pursue my master’s degree in education, and while it was exciting, it was also lonely. To fill my downtime and stay connected to my passion, I worked as a photographer for the Vanguard newspaper.
One assignment changed everything. I was paired with Ryan, the writer for the story I had been assigned to cover. What started as a professional collaboration quickly turned into a connection neither of us expected. We talked, shared our experiences, and slowly began building our lives together.
Ryan and I now have three wonderful children and a loving family. Looking back, it’s amazing how love found us when we weren’t even looking for it.
Toby Strider and Fern Isbell
We originally met each other back in Middle School. I was in 8th grade, they were in 7th. Our friendship had continued throughout the years, with ups and downs as any friendship does, until I moved down to PSU in Fall of 2023. A few months into the term, they told me that they were going to be moving down to Portland with their family!
I had started using a dating app around this time to "put myself out there", and it wasn't until someone I had matched with tried to hit on me that I realized "oh, I only like it when Fern does that." You can imagine how flustered I was when I realized this. So, a week or two goes by, and I'm laying in my bed texting Fern and we get into a small argument, because I had been shying away from a relationship with them. I don't know why I was doing so. It just felt awkward for me to go from being friends with them to dating them.
They put their foot down during the argument, and I finally go "okay, then we're dating now." And they said "okay." It wasn't a huge thing, especially since it was an open secret that we liked each other. We were just happy to finally have a label on the relationship, which made it easier. Of course, I got teased by my friends for all the times I reiterated that we were "just friends."
Last December 3rd was our 2 year anniversary. I couldn't be happier than I am currently with them. They're my rock, someone who is constantly there for me and helps me through all my falls and mishaps and breakdowns over classes. They've expressed wanting to get engaged soon, so perhaps there is going to be a ring on my hand this valentines day. :)