Samantha’s first day as Cleveland State in 2009 was full of unknowns. She was very unfamiliar with the campus and didn’t know anyone.

Little did she know, her future husband would be her stand partner in the CSU Wind Ensemble.

At first the two didn’t hit it off.

“I sat next to him and he basically ignored me for the rest of the class!” Samantha said.

Throughout that first year, they occasionally talked and enjoyed spending time with friends at Becky’s Bar, one of their favorite places. Flash forward to the end of the spring semester, Samantha and Kirk found themselves talking to each other more.

But as Samantha admits, “I couldn’t stand him most of the time!”

Her final words to Kirk at the end of their May commencement ceremony performance were “I can’t wait to not see you the rest of the summer!”

So much for that.

Two weeks later, they met for lunch. After a few more meetings (they never called them dates), they really clicked and the two officially began their journey together on July 3, 2010.

They spent their final years at CSU together performing in wind ensemble, clarinet choir, exploring Cleveland, and supporting each other through their final steps towards graduation.

“Kirk proposed in 2012 at our spot in Chagrin Falls where we started dating, and two years later we tied the knot on June 14, 2014. We are happily living in Lyndhurst with our 5 (yes, 5!) cats,” Samantha said.

Kirk is a PE electrical engineer, and Samantha is an elementary music teacher in her home town.

“We are so thankful that CSU brought us together through a path that we both love; music.”