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For two centuries, ����APP has been the setting for countless love stories—some sparked by a chance encounter on Mather Quad, others nurtured over late-night ice cream runs to Mitchell’s, and may cemented in the quiet beauty of Harkness Chapel. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, and the university’s bicentennial, we’re delighted to share just a few of the heartfelt tales that began right here at CWRU.

Marking where it all began

Some couples carve their initials into a tree or design a meaningful tattoo, but for Randall (WRC ’80) and Sharon Gurak (WRC ’80) their love became a lasting part of the campus itself. The two met as first year students at Alumni House, and Randy was smitten from the start, but it took Shari a bit longer to come around. “It took two years to convince Shari,” Randall said. Twenty years after their Harkness Chapel wedding, the two commemorated their love with the placement of a bench outside Alumni House—where their story began. Now, as they are approaching their 44th wedding anniversary, their story remains etched into the university landscape, a testament to enduring love.

Finding each other again

Love doesn’t always follow a straight path, as Carl Koch (CIT ’59; GRS ’61, ’64, metallurgy and material science) and Carolyn Hallett Koch  (FSM ’62) know well. Carl and Carolyn first met when he was a senior at Case Institute of Technology and she was just starting at Mather College. After a year of dating, life led them in different directions. 

Some years later, when Carl’s father passed away, a sympathy card from Carolyn rekindled the connection. “She had been divorced for several years but I was married,” he said. Though both lived far apart—Carl in North Carolina and Carolyn in Florida—they kept in touch.

“After my wife of 50 years died, Carolyn and I started to communicate via FaceTime. Then, we visited each other and reconnected.” Carl and Carolyn married in 2016. “We are very happy to have reconnected after all the years apart and enjoy each other’s company greatly,” Carl said.

Connecting across the campus fence

For Pauline Yen Ho (FSM ’69) and Alex Ho (CIT ’67), love blossomed across the invisible fences that once separated their campuses. Pauline arrived at  Flora Stone Mather College as sophomore, while Alex was a senior at Case Institute of Technology. They quickly discovered remarkable similarities in their backgrounds—both had families from Shanghai and had lived in Brazil before coming to the U.S. “Soon, we became a couple, marking the beginning of a journey that has lasted decades,” Pauline recalls. 

The two married in 1969, just after the federation of their schools—a good omen, Pauline believes. Now, after 57 years of marriage, they enjoy traveling in retirement, cherishing their two daughters, three granddaughters, and a lifetime of memories. “The warm friendships that transcend time remind us of the enduring bonds that sustain us,” Pauline says. Their hope is that their journey inspires others to appreciate lasting love and commitment.

Saving lives and finding love

Sometimes, love is found in the most unexpected places—even in the back of an ambulance.  Michael Komarovsky (CWR ’21) and Hazel Herr (CWR ’21, NUR ’25), met during their first year at CWRU while volunteering as EMTs with CWRU EMS. United by a shared passion for helping others, their friendship quickly grew into something more. “We’ve been married almost three years now!” Michael shares, now a student at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of ����APP. Their story is a reminder that sometimes, the best partnerships are forged in service—and in love.