Despite going to school in the same building, living blocks apart, and having mutual friends, Mary and I did not actually meet until we left the University of Louisville campus. While we were students at UofL, Mary and I were involved in raiseRED Dance Marathon, and, as head of the organization her senior year, Mary was responsible for hiring the next group of student leaders. I, fortunately, was one of these students. In the days before my interview, I talked to a few of my friends about what to expect, and Ethan Sammons told me that I would love Mary if I got the chance to meet and interview with her. While I don’t think he meant it like that, he was certainly right. Our meeting had to wait because Mary was not assigned to my panel. I was selected for the University Outreach position, and part of my job was coordinating alumni mentors for student leaders. My mentor was less than stellar, so Mary graciously stepped in and served as my alumni mentor. Starting in June 2020, we talked almost every day about anything and everything, raiseRED and non-raiseRED. For the next few months, we spent countless hours texting and talking on the phone, and became good friends. Throughout much of this time, COVID restrictions limited in-person activities, so we did not actually meet in person. As she will happily tell you, Mary made the first move in January 2021 when, during the course of one of our conversations, she said, “So, are you ever going to ask me on a date?” I am happy to say that I took her up on it immediately, and we went on our first date a few days later. I knew that Mary was special almost immediately after our first date, and I asked her on a second and third date without her prompting me to. After our third date, I mustered up all my courage, told Mary how I felt, and asked her to be my girlfriend. Mary told me she’d think about it. One week and a freezing dog-training date later, Mary made up her mind and said yes.