9 Brown love stories that will warm your heart

May I have this dance?

Karin Paredes ’01 and Joseph Wright ’01

“We met when we were bright-eyed sophomores living at North Caswell. We would spend hours chatting in the kitchen about anything and everything. Karin was on the ballroom team and Mezcla and mesmerized me when we would dance together. We became friends first and then junior year I told her how I felt via handwritten letters while she was studying abroad in Paris. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was all very romantic. However, she was from New York and I from California so we thought it didn't make sense to pursue something long distance and preferred to remain friends.

Two years after graduation we went for it and never looked back. Nineteen years and two children later, we’re still just two college kids making fun of each other and laughing at our inside jokes like we would at Brown. In the summertime, we drag our kids back to campus, reminisce, and split a Meeting Street cookie on the Main Green. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Ever True.”

—written by Joseph Wright ’01

A pin and a promise

Brooke Mitchell ’59, P’88, P’90 and Michael Mitchell ’59, P’88, P’90

“I met Mike at the end of our first week of our first year at a Pembroke/Brown dance in 1955. Later, we were ‘pinned’ when he gave me his fraternity pin to wear over my heart. Later married (in 1961). Three daughters, two chose Brown. No longer married but still a family. Ever True.”

—written by Brooke Mitchell ’59, P’88, P’90

Finally finding “home”

Jini Chatterjee ’10 and James Witkin ’10

“James and I both graduated from Brown in 2010, but our backgrounds were worlds apart. James grew up in suburban Delaware, had barely traveled overseas before college, and went to Brown to pursue his passion for math and economics. I was raised in cities all over the world and went to Brown precisely so I didn't have to do math anymore. We didn't interact much at college (James's sole memory of me is closing the door on him at a dorm party) but ended up living just a few streets apart in New York after college. When I met James again, I was struck by his warmth, humility, and intellectual curiosity. Because of my nomadic upbringing, I had always felt like an outsider, but with James, I was home. Despite our wildly different backgrounds, we discovered our mutual love for science fiction, outdoor adventures, and my cat, Ramona.

As of this Valentine's Day, we've been together for more than a decade! We're still very different people with sometimes conflicting worldviews, but we've learned to grow from and teach one another. Every day ends up being an adventure, and I'm grateful to Brown for bringing us together despite the odds!”

—written by Jini Chatterjee ’10

From fruit flies to “forever”

David Estin ’87, P’22 and Mindy E. Wiser-Estin ’87, P’22

“Mindy Wiser and I were paired as TAs for Dr. Hagy’s Bio 47 Genetics course senior year. We had to meet in Arnold Labs at midnight to separate virgin fruit flies and prepare them for mating experiments. The rest is history. Thirty-five years later, we have just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and are excited to see our son graduate in May at our 35th Reunion.”

—written by David Estin ’87, P’22

Still the one

Leslie Row ’88 and Gordon Row ’85

“The first time I met my husband, we were with different dates at the senior ball at the Rosecliff mansion in 1986. The second time I met my husband was in October 1987 when I was living on Lloyd Avenue and he came to visit my housemate. I asked him, ‘Who are YOU?’ We knew within a short time of dating the next spring that we were each other’s ‘one.’ This May we will celebrate 30 years of married life, and I am happy to say he’s still the one!”

—written by Leslie Row ’88

Making headlines

Toby London ’65 and David London ’64

“It was 1961 when sophomore Brown Daily Herald (BDH) news director David met Pembroke freshman BDH reporter, Toby. It was love at first sight! We were married two weeks after Toby’s 1965 graduation. Two careers, two great kids, two wonderful granddaughters, and two retirements later, we are living back in Providence near the campus where we met for the very first time. 2022 will be our 60th year as each other’s Valentines!”

—written by Toby London ’64

Friends for life

Elizabeth Schiff ’81 and Marianne Chelovich Quoyeser ’83, P’15

“I know this is not what you meant by 'love story,' but I did meet a special someone when I was at Brown. It was September 1979, and we were both playing on the volleyball team. I was a junior and she was just a dopey freshman. The following September, we bumped into each other walking across campus and the emotional connection was instantaneous and undeniable. That day, my relationship started with my ‘special someone,’ and Marianne Chelovich Quoyeser became my best friend. Here we are over 40 years later and, although we haven’t lived in the same city since 1981, the year I graduated from Brown, we are still best friends.”

—written by Elizabeth Schiff ’81

ADOCH with the assist

Allison Bernstein ’09 and Andrew Garin ’09

“Andy and I met on the plane to A Day on College Hill (ADOCH) in 2005. Last summer, we took our infant daughter by our freshman Pembroke dorms! The admissions officer who covered both our high schools back in the day probably gets some credit.”

—written by Allison Bernstein ’09

Will the real Joyce please stand up?

Katrina Carlson ’86, P'18, P'20 and Kenneth Carlson '86, P'18, P'20

“Met my hubby at Brown! He was a senior and I was a sophomore. He had been wanting to meet me, so when he saw some lost keys glimmering in the grass and I was walking out of Sayles Hall, he grabbed the keys, ran up behind me, and asked if they were mine. The key chain said ‘Joyce’ on it so he said ‘Excuse me, are you Joyce?’ We engraved that on keychains as favors at our wedding. We’ve been happily married for over 30 years with three children. Thanks, Brown!”

—written by Katrina Carlson ’86, P’18, P’20