Lumberjack Love

I’m axing you to be mine

Northern Arizona University

8 min readFeb 5, 2021

Northern Arizona University is a place where students meet, study and fall in love too💛💙

Stories from those who’ve fallen for their fellow Jacks 💛💙

Chelci & David Schroeder

We met at Cowden Hall in Spring 2010. He lived on the first floor and I lived on the third floor.

We sat next to each other during a game of Apples to Apples and the rest is history!

Here we are with our little Lumberjack and wouldn’t change a thing. Married 6 years this May!

Corrine & Martin

Martin and Corrine met in 2009 — Corrine was a sophomore studying criminology and criminal justice at NAU and Martin (who had traveled all the way from Norway) was visiting his brother, an international student studying on the mountain campus.

Martin had one month to spend in the United States and with his travel visa expiring, he planned to make the most of that time seeing the state’s attractions. That is until he met Corrine…

When Martin’s month long visit was up, he returned to Norway and couldn’t get Corinne out of his mind. The day after his return, he applied to NAU (he knew a good thing when he saw it!) and returned to Flagstaff for the 2010 spring semester.

Before they knew it, Corinne was graduating with a Bachelor’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice and landed a job in Cottonwood with Child Protective Services. Martin, with 3 semesters to go, continued to pursue his photography degree (check out his Insta).Summers were spent in Norway together and Corinne eventually got a job in Flagstaff to be closer to Martin for his last year of school.

Following Martin’s graduation in 2013, the couple moved to Norway. They returned to Flagstaff over Christmas in 2014 and to Corrine’s surprise… Martin proposed in front of Old Main.

Two years after that — a marriage in… Flagstaff 🌲

Bianca & Oscar Bujanda

We met during my freshman and his junior year in December 2011. We reconnected a year later at Relay for Life in 2013.

We’ve moved across the country together twice, dated for six years, and married last year in front of Old Main.

Cara & Paul Tracy

We met when we were Previews Counselors the Summer of 1987 and have been together ever since!

In November, we celebrated our 31-year wedding anniversary, which included a trip to Flagstaff of course! 🌲💗

Jessie & Jason Geroux

In 1997 we both lived in McConnell. I had a work-study job at the front desk and he came to check out a vacuum….

We started dating, were engaged within 11 months and married within 3 years.

Feb. 19th we will celebrate our 21st anniversary.

For Zach and Erika, Graduation day is extra meaningful

After graduation, I had a lunch celebration at my home here in Flagstaff. I could tell my mom and boyfriend’s family was being secretive about something, but I tried to ignore it.

As we walked up a small hill into a part of the forest to take more photos, I realized that we were walking kind of far.

All of a sudden, I heard music playing and saw one of the pretty gazebos in the woods wrapped in twinkle lights with a violinist!

Zach got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him — and of course I said yes!

I graduated cum lade and gotten engaged in the same day, fairytales do come true!

For Carl and Julie — NAU and August 25th are special for 3 reasons:

1) We met 8/25/89

2) We got engaged 3 years later on this day

3) We moved our own daughter into her dorm at NAU!

Tom Johnson & Traci Ludwig

We met in Physics class and started dating in 1989.

We just celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary.

Lesley Crossman Pecharich

We met at the old Lumberjack Stadium in 1987. In and out of each other’s lives throughout our college years.

We went our separate ways for many years in between but found our way back to each other in 2015 and married on October 12, 2019!

The Lumberjack spirit had a way of bringing us back together forever ❤️

Becky Heinrich Clapp

This is our engagement picture in front of Old Main in 1988. We got married March 4, 1989 and will be celebrating 33 years of marriage next month.

NAU/Flagstaff will always be special to us! ❤️

Maddie Carlton and Favian Palacios

My future husband and I met in our first class at NAU!

Erin Gilson Cole

Met at Tinsley Hall on Move-in day ’90.

Celebrating 28 years this summer 🥂

Lucy Sandoval Ferris

We met in the Media Center in 1987. Almost 30 years, 20 years in the Air Force, 6 different AFB, one overseas and 4 kids later still going strong ❤️

Kelly & Eric Taylor

We met at Sechrist Hall in 2005 and then walked at Relay for Life in the Dome together! We’ve been married ever since.

Love you, Eric!! 💙💛

Jessa & Justin Mully

Met at NAU in 2013, engaged in 2017, married in 2018 ❤️

Silky Sharpe

We met in 2015! And celebrating 5 years together. Went downtown for our first date! Love the memories at NAU!

Jason & Renee Keele

I chased Renee Keele up to NAU in 1997. Married in 1998.

Kerry and Ray Pohlmeyer

Love our 💙💛 Story! Lifeguards together at the OLD NAU Natatorium from 1994–1997. NAU Alumni class 1996 & 1997. Married 1998.

Moved our freshman daughter to NAU 2019!

Nikki & Sean Funke

We met out dancing. He played football & I was the volleyball freshmen of the year. Now it’s all history.

Our baby girl is named Arizona because that’s where her Cali mamma and Kentucky dada first laid eyes on one another.

Kaitlin Smithson

I met my husband at my very first class at NAU in 2009 😍 How did he pop the question? By proposing in front of Old Main.

Mindy Barrett & Ryan Thomas

Met in 1994 at a party, graduated in 1996, and got married in 1997. ♥️ Love taking our boys to Flagstaff 🌲

D.j. Salch

We met in August of 1999. I was on the drumline and she was a cool chick who liked ska music. We graduated in ’02 and just celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. NAU is where it all started and we couldn’t be happier! Love you Katie!

Chris & Ashley Marchese

Met in the Union in Fall of 03. Married 4 years later. Now live in North Phoenix so we can get to Campus in 90 minutes. Even after all these years, the school has to be close. SigEp & ADPi.

Gina LaRee Schwartz Patterson

We met at Reilly Hall❤️

Kelsey Charlyn Burkhardt

Jared and I met our first day as freshmen at NAU in 2009. A mutual friend introduced us during the welcome week concert. He swears up and down that I called him ugly when we first met but we’ve been inseparable ever since. 😆 More than 10 years together, 2 puppies, and a lot of adventure. We now live in Washington state!