Office of Alumni Relations Love out Loud Valentine's Story Winners

This Valentine's Day, the Office of Alumni Relations wanted to celebrate Springfield College alumni love stories. The following listing are the selected winners of the Love out Loud winners, stories that celebrate the love and lifelong friendships that began on Alden Street. Congratulations to our "LOVE OUT LOUD" Springfield College Valentine's Story winners!

Emily Brown Lilley '14 shared this sweet submission about her husband Ryan Lilley '14.

"Ryan and I met while living in the LC's junior year. In the early months of us dating, we were both headed on big trips across the world; Ryan to Russia with the Springfield College Volleyball team, and myself to Prague. We were both so excited for each other, but Ryan was especially excited to share some travel tips with me since he had just visited Prague a year earlier. He told me to look for his initials at the top of Prague castle. I laughed because I thought it would be impossible, but knew I was still going to try. As I finally made the climb, I looked at each wall I passed hoping to see “RL”, but had no luck. I turned to a friend and asked if she’d take a picture of me by a window with an incredible view, and as I looked at the wall beside me, there were the initials “RL” next to initials of the friends he had traveled with on his euro trip. My heart jumped out of my chest and I knew that this was just the beginning.

Almost 11 years later, we are married with a son and another baby on the way, and a black lab named Alden. Life is good, and we have SC to thank for the first chapter of our story!"

We love love! We are so touched by how Nicole Kern Brown '09 G'10 and Chris Brown '09 found each other.

Nicole shared, "Springfield College is where our love story began. It’s funny to think that Chris almost didn’t go to Springfield College. He had enlisted to join the military after high school but blew out his knee. Luckily, Coach Arroyo '84 and the SC wrestling team took a last-minute chance on him and the rest is history. I like to think the stars aligned for us that day in 2005 - we just didn’t know it yet.

I always wanted to go to Springfield College for their PA program. If anyone has been through this program, you know your social life ends your junior year. I had a rare Friday night free in March 2007 and ended up at the “rugby house” with my roommate and that's where I met Chris. What started out as Cheney lunch dates, lazy days at Alumni Hall, and study sessions at Babson has grown to 17 years together, 12 years of marriage, 2 kids, and a ton of ups and downs along the way.

We have grown up together. From young college sweethearts to parents and both having successful careers, I can barely remember when Chris was not part of my life. We’ve recently relocated halfway across the US and the bond we share has only gotten stronger as we navigate life away from our families. I am forever grateful for all Springfield College has given me personally and professionally, but most importantly, my other half, Chris.”

"Galentine's" Entry

Submitted by Leanne Liguori '04

"I first met Kirstin Lane '04 G'05 on the second day of cross country practice fall of 2000 and she still is one of my best friends 24 years later. We went on to be involved with a lot of the same activities including cross country, indoor and outdoor track, NSO, LTC and eventually lived together junior and senior years.

In fact, she even came and lived with my family during one summer. Since college we have remained close even though we live hours apart. We have been in each other's weddings, celebrated the arrival of children, and have leaned on each other during hard times and the best of times. We still meet up for dinner at least once a season and know the other would drop everything if they were needed. Truly grateful for Kirstin. She is my family and it’s all because of our time at SC."

Nancy Khachian Quinn '82 and Karl Quinn '82.

Nancy shared, "I met my future husband, Karl Quinn, at Springfield College during the winter term of my sophomore year. We were A&P (Anatomy & Physiology) Lab partners and dissected a cat together. I learned how to take blood pressure on Karl’s arm! We both started out as PE majors and eventually switched to Health/Fitness (the second graduating class of this new major)—later we received our MS in Adult Fitness from Queens College. At SC, we had Modern Dance with Louie Ampolo in the old Judd Gym and shared many lecture halls together on the 2nd floor of the BC.

Our first date was on Valentine’s Day 1980—a dance in Karl’s dorm, Gulick Hall. Michael Jackson’s hit song, 'I Want To Rock With You' played and we danced and danced. That’s when I knew he was the one! I played that song over and over again— enough times to annoy our upperclassmen neighbors! My record album “Off The Wall” got worn out on the 4th floor of Massasoit Hall.

After the Valentine’s dance, Karl took me to Anthony’s Pub where we danced some more. We held hands as we walked through the snow and the magic began! I still have those two wooden nickels from Anthony’s with the date written on the back, February 14, 1980.

We were married June 24, 1984 and will be celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary this year. We have two daughters and recently became grandparents on 11/25/2023. Karl and I were honored to chair our 40th SC Reunion in 2022—which was amazing! We both cherish our Springfield College memories and the friendships we made that continue to this day."