Orange Love: Community Members Share Their Syracuse Romance Stories
They came to Syracuse in pursuit of higher education and left with their true love—and a lifetime of Orange memories.
Feb. 13, 2026
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Love stories have been unfolding on campus for generations. For Valentine’s Day, Syracuse University Today asked community members to share their romance origin stories and the many love-filled moments that have followed.
Couples responded with photos spanning decades: wedding portraits in the Rose Garden at Thornden Park, Otto posing with newlyweds, families cheering on Athletics teams in the Dome and bridesmaids adorned in blue and orange.
Here are some of our favorite Orange Love stories shared this year.
Brooke Alper ’04 and Josh Lipschitz ’99, G’01 met on campus in fall of 2000 through a mutual friend. At their November 2004 wedding, all of the tables were named after campus buildings; and they now work to instill their love for all things Orange in their kids!Jennifer (Pattee) ’97 and Scott Berry ’97 met on campus and began dating in 1996. Their 25-year marriage is still going strong and Syracuse remains a special place in their hearts.Joshua ’02, G’04 and Sarah (Buynovsky) Mitchell ’03 met at Sadler Hall in the Fall 2000 semester. The pair was married in Hendricks Chapel on July 17, 2004, took wedding photos in the Rose Garden at Thornden Park and went on to have four kids. They hope at least one of their children will someday choose to attend Syracuse!Michelle ’06 and Jason Diaz ’06, both graduates of the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, shared this adorable snap of their wedding day tribute to Otto the Orange.Stacey (Katz) ’99 and Michael Friedlander ’99 first met as undergraduate students, then reconnected and fell in love after graduation. They return to campus annually for visits and have taught their children that “Orange is a lifestyle, not just a color,” Stacey says. On July 4, 2026, the couple will celebrate 20 years of marriage. At left, their 2006 wedding features a contingent of Syracuse alumni; at right, Stacey and Michael pose on University Avenue during a recent visit.Benjamin Gallishaw ’19 and Ellie Legg ’20, G’21 pose with Otto at their August 2025 wedding. “We met at an off-campus party in 2017, shared a moment on the Kissing Bench and took our engagement photos on campus,” Legg says. “We love Syracuse!”Recent grads Trinity Marie Lowe ’25 and Jordan Ferguson ’25 shared this adorable photo sitting on the iconic Syracuse University wall. “We met at an off-campus party fall semester of freshman year (October 2021) and have been inseparable ever since!” Lowe says.“Sometimes you not only find your partner at ’Cuse but your entire bridal party, as well,” says Ingrid Skoog ’04, who wed Matthew Peterson ’04 after a campus romance.Lori Smith Dotterer shared vintage photos of her parents, Raymond ’52 and Reva (Freeman) Smith ’52. They were married during their senior year in December 1951 and shared nearly 60 years of marriage before Raymond passed away in 2011. At left, the couple poses together at a college party; at right, on their wedding day.Former Syracuse students and current Orange parents Deirdre ’94 and David Thomson met the first night of their freshman year in 1990. They lived on the same floor of Day Hall, kissed on the Kissing Bench and shared the folklore of the mythical bench in the Save the Date for their August 1999 wedding. “Our first dog was a golden named ’Cuse, our daughter Riley [’27] is a junior in Arts and Sciences and our son is a current applicant to the musical theatre program,” Deirdre says.
