How do life partners find each other? At the University of Cincinnati, amid classes, co-ops and campus events, a few lucky souls cross paths with the meet-cute who becomes the lasting love of their life. Others realize a spousal destiny only after graduation.

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, five alumni couples share their Bearcat love stories — personal tales of romance, devotion and continued engagement with UC.

On the first day of Spanish class at UC Clermont, Michele Wells Walker, PharmD, Cler ’88, Phar ’15, was already seated when Warren Walker, Cler ’92, walked in late and without a textbook. “I was trying not to scoot chairs around and be noisy, and everything fell apart,” Warren recalls. Fatefully, he found a seat next to Michele.

When the professor asked students to open their textbooks, Michele came to Warren’s rescue. “I offered to share my book with him,” she says. She also noticed something interesting about the young man, whose name she did not know. “He had on a pink argyle sweater and argyle socks that had pink in them. And I kind of liked the boldness of that, because not every guy was willing to wearing pink at that time. I thought if he has confidence to wear that, he’s probably someone I would want to get to know.”

Warren was taken with Michele’s eyes and smile. “She was the most beautiful person in the room. She made me very comfortable. She was a very welcoming person.”

It didn’t take long for the two to date. Long conversations in the Clermont College parking lot led to mutual understandings of their respective strengths: The witty, laid-back, socially deft Warren and the determined, type A Michele were a perfect fit. Two years after meeting, Warren proposed in the Clermont College parking lot, and Michele accepted.

Michele Wells Walker, a pharmacist at Mercy Health Clermont, and Warren Walker, a loan officer for USA Mortgage, became the first married couple to be honored as Distinguished Alumni from UC Clermont, he in 2011, she in 2024. Their relationship with UC will continue in perpetuity through their establishment in 2012 of the Walker Family Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math at UC Clermont.

Caleb Booker, A&S ’19, CAHS ’24, and DeNesha Bell-Booker, CECH ’17, CAHS ’22, met in second grade in 2002. Caleb remembers their being in line alphabetically, Bell then Booker, on their way to the school gym. “I’m one of her oldest friends,” Caleb says. “I might be her oldest friend.” DeNesha remembers Caleb as a nonchalant child who never flaunted his smarts by raising his hand each time the teacher asked a question. “He knew the answer and you knew he knew the answer,” DeNesha says. “He was this little kid with dimples who sat in my quad.”

Friends for decades, the two nearly hit a speed bump after DeNesha’s graduation. “I was working at DHL, and she called me and basically said she didn’t want to be friends anymore,” Caleb recalls. “I was like, ‘What? Why don’t you want to be friends anymore?’ I was very surprised. So I invited her over, and we ate chicken and we talked. And I said, ‘You know what, I could see a future here.’”

Turns out, so did DeNesha. “That was her way of shooting her shot,” Caleb explains. “What she was really getting at was, ‘We should think about being together.’ It’s funny now, but I was confused.”

Says DeNesha: “I loved how understanding he was, how we could talk about anything and disagree or agree. It didn’t seem forced. I felt I could be my complete self around him. I love how supportive he is, how he shows up for his friends. I love how driven he is, and how independent he is.”

Both later earned master’s degrees in social work at UC. Caleb, who is also a U.S. Army veteran, is a care coordinator at Cincinnati’s Talbert House. DeNesha is a maternal health supervisor at Healthy Moms and Babes. They married in 2024. This past year they began participating in UC Alumni Association events, including Homecoming and a campus get-together for veterans.

Diane Weidner is vice president of investor and media relations at American Financial Group; Rob Weidner is controller at a local family office. They have season tickets to UC football and basketball games, they enjoy lifelong friendships with fellow UC graduates, and Diane is a member of the Lindner College of Business Advisory Council. Their two oldest sons are Lindner College of Business graduates, and their youngest son is in his third year at Lindner. They’re not sure their 1-year-old grandson will have a choice of schools, as he is already well outfitted with Bearcat gear. 

Decades later, the History of Western Civilization textbook from Diane and Rob Weidner’s freshman year sits proudly on their bookcase in their home office, a happy reminder of their early college days.

“It’s kind of mind-blowing when you think of what a different path your life could have taken with one decision,” Diane says. “I thought I was going to go to Miami University. But I got a great scholarship offer to go to UC.”

The Weidners, who will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this year, have another reason to be especially grateful to UC. In August 2023 Rob underwent a live-saving bone-marrow transplant at UC Health’s Blood Cancer Healing Center, and this month he joined Edward Faber, DO, MS, his hematologist/oncologist, on the basketball court and rang the cancer healing bell in celebration of his recovery. “There’s no question they saved Rob’s life,” Diane says. “We’re so proud of the work UC Health is doing, and we are especially proud of the advancements that UC Health is pioneering.”

Asha White, A&S ’11, DAAP ’23, and Marché Gendrew, UCBA ’09,  CECH ’10, say their shared Bearcat background has played an important role in their lives. In 2019, several years after both had graduated, Asha saw Marché at a Pride Weekend party at Queen City Radio. “I went to say hi to her because she was with people I knew, and I thought she was beautiful. She had the prettiest smile and she had really cool tattoos, so that was my opening line: ‘I like your tattoos.’”

It wasn’t until later when, Marché, a social worker with Cradle Cincinnati at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, had been talking about her desire to settle down when a few friends took matters into their own hands and created a job posting for a “Great Partner in Life” on Facebook. Marché never expected anyone to respond. But Asha, an artist, entrepreneur and education director at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center, saw the potential for a happy match. 

Asha recalls, “I replied, ‘Happy birthday, and can I get an application? I think I meet your job qualifications.’ She said, ‘Send your resumé.’”

The two went on their first date a few weeks after Asha answered Marche’s Facebook ad, and they’ve been together ever since. They’re engaged and are planning a June wedding. They stay connected to UC by attending Homecoming events and by meeting with current UC students. Marché gives presentations about clinical and institutional career options in macro and micro social work, and also helps guide Black students who are considering the field. Asha, who earned her master’s degree in art education 12 years after earning her associate degree in communications, visits with DAAP students, “hopefully inspiring them and explaining that things don’t have to be linear.” She also accepts UC co-op students at her job in Kennedy Heights and in her own business, Asha the Artist.  

Dom Iacobucci, co-founder of 39Forward, a Cincinnati-based design and business strategy firm, and Jess Iacobucci, a business operations executive at GE Aerospace, were engaged in 2008. They were married in 2009 at St. Monica St. George Church in Clifton while the Bearcats defeated Fresno State (in a “White Out” game) a few blocks away at Nippert Stadium. “We hoped to make it to the end of the game with Jess in her white dress,” Dom says. “We didn’t make it, but we were able to get some awesome pictures on the field post-game. That day is a fond memory for many of our friends, several of whom tailgated, went to the game, came to our wedding, then went back to see the last quarter of the game before attending our reception.”

Both remain closely involved with their alma mater. Dom is a UC adjunct professor who teaches “Inquiry to Innovation” at the 1819 Innovation Hub. He supports students through the NEXT Innovation Scholars Program and DAAP’s Experiential Explorations Mentorship Program. Jess serves on the Lindner College of Business Advisory Council. Together, they attend campus events and donate financially to the Lindner Business Honors Program, the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute, and UCATS.

Michelle Wells Walker: “First of all, be kind to each other. We all have our faults. Respect one another and support one another in life’s endeavors and challenges.”

Warren Walker: “I’ll steal something from what my mom said. Every person changes, so you want to marry someone you can change with. Things happen, and we’re not the same person we once were. Find someone who will change with you.”

Caleb Booker: “I love how we got married. We had it in the photo studio with just our photographer, our videographer, and an officiant. It was very small, intimate, and I loved every minute of it.”

Asha White: “Communicate. We communicate like nobody’s business. We have check-in Sundays. We just check in and ask, ‘How are you doing? How was your week? Is there anything you want to bring up?’ We carve out space.”

Marché Gendrew: “Work on your healing. Really work on the traumas and things that impact you in a relationship and dig into your mental health and ensure you are creating safe spaces for people and working on your healing journey.”

Jess Iacobucci: “It’s a partnership. You can navigate the different demands and challenges of life — whether that’s a dual career, living abroad, kids, family and friends — with solid communication and supporting one another.”