In early 023, Niagara College’s Alumni Relations team called out for couples who found love at NC to share how they met with us, and celebrated NC couples with their first-ever Valentine’s-themed alumni contest. Submissions poured in! Meet 10 alumni couples and hear about how they found their ‘happily ever after’ on our NC campuses.
Winner
After Hours leads to ‘happily ever after’
Alex and Matthew Marischuk
Both Alex and Matthew are multiple grads from NC.
Alex has graduated from Recreation and Leisure Services (2005) and Early Childhood Education (2008) diploma programs, and Early Childhood Education Resource Teacher graduate certificate (2009).
Matthew graduated from Recreation and Leisure Services diploma (2004) and the Mechanical Techniques certificate programs (2007).
“Me and my husband (of 11 years, almost 19 together) met while working at the After Hours pub. We went out on our first date in March 2004 and have been happily together ever since! We now have two beautiful children (ages 10 and five).”
Read more: Campus job leads to lasting love for NC’s top alumni couple.
Honourable mentions
Game changer
Alison Gains and Dalton Ingham
Both graduated from Game Development advanced diploma in 2015.
“My NC memory was working late in the labs on Game Development projects with fellow alumni Alison Gains. After graduating we would go on to work in the games industry together starting at Ubisoft. We are getting married this June!”
Runners up
Isabella Heide and Andrew Osterhout
Heide graduated from the Hospitality Management – Hotel and Restaurant (Co-op) diploma program in 2014, and the Human Resources Management graduate certificate program in 2018.
Osterhout graduated from the Hospitality Management, Hotel and Restaurant (Co-op) diploma program in 2014.
“I met my now husband during the first week of school! We met during our culinary class. Our first date was exactly 10 years ago today, January 15 [the date the contest entry was submitted]!”
We are now married, have a beautiful son, and have another baby on the way! We stayed in St. Catharines.
Honourable mentions
Assignment leads to lasting love
Javiera Ortiz (Culinary Management Co-op, 2010) and Jonathan Krenz (Journalism, 2010)
“Jon and I met in NC when he had to interview me and my friends as international students for the NC newspaper as part of an assignment. That’s when we connected and we haven’t been separated since then.
“We just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.”
Picture perfect
Katie Schonberger and Ryan Ferland
Both graduated from Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film in 2016
“My now husband and I met first year of the Broadcasting program. We were good friends and when we came back for second year, we realized we had a mutual crush on each other. Boom!
“Eight years later we are married. Thanks BRTF for bringing us together!”
Taking care of business
Erin Potvin and Jerrad Kyle
Both graduated from Business Administration Marketing (Co-op) advanced diploma program in 2019.
“Met my significant other in first year (2016) and have been with him ever since! We were in the same program so we had a majority of classes together. We were friends at first in our little group but then started dating and never looked back.”
Budding romance
Dana and Rob Duxbury
Both graduated from Ecosystem Restoration graduate certificate in 2002.
“I met my now husband when we were enrolled in the same program. We started as friends as we worked on projects together. We started dating in the second year of our program.”
Foundational friendship
Karyn Riehl and Adrian Loree
Both graduated from the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film advanced diploma program in 2008.
“I met my (now) husband before school even started at the dorms. Turns out he was in the same program! After a whole year of being ‘just friends’ we started dating and never stopped.”
Love is brewing
Shane Wright (Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management diploma, 2021) and Miranda Rose Neuman (Baking and Pastry Arts certificate, 2020
“Met my current girlfriend who was my RA in the residence and was attending the Baking program. We started dating in the first month of college and have been together for three-and-a-half years now.”
The best medicine
Kati Robertson (Office Administration, General, 2007 and Practical Nursing 2020) and Travis Steeves (Practical Nursing, 2020)
“I met my now fiancé in 2018. We were inseparable from the beginning. We went on our first date during consolidation in 2020. We moved in together January 2021. He proposed to me January 2023!”
