10 Columbia Love Stories to Melt Your Heart This Valentine's Day

Here at Columbia News, we love love, in all its forms: romantic, platonic, realistic, fantastical. We've also felt our hearts frozen a little solid as of late, given the bitterly cold temps and snowstorms that graced us this January and February. 

That's why we're more excited than any year before to be back with 10 heart-warming Columbia Love Stories from the Columbia Alumni Association that will make you want to snuggle up to someone special this Valentine's Day.  

These stories have the incredible ability to transport us to the Columbia campus across time and space, illustrating how love that starts at Columbia travels all over the world and back again.

The best part is, you can join the love-fest. The Columbia Alumni Association is accepting submissions of Columbia Love Stories until February 20, 2026. You can fill out the submission form here. The initiative began in 2014 and so far has more than 500 stories in its archive, ranging from meet-cutes to marriages to best friendships made across campuses.

Footwork, Meet Fate

Alyson Goulden (SEAS’13) & Nehemiah Loury (CC’13)

“We met in 2009, at the start of our freshman year, when we both auditioned for and made Raw Elementz, a hip hop and break dancing team on campus. We officially became an item in March 2010 on the night of our dance team’s annual showcase, Rawcus, in Lerner Hall. We got to spend all four years together and graduated in 2013, Alyson with a degree in Civil Engineering and Nehemiah with a degree in Astrophysics.

“We have been living together in San Francisco since 2015, and while we absolutely love being in California, we always make a trip back to NYC at least once a year. When we decided to take a walk around campus in November 2022, Nehemiah (finally) proposed to Alyson in front of Alma Mater! It was perfect to celebrate the next chapter of our lives back where it all started.

“We just got married in October 2023 and were so thrilled to celebrate with our family and friends, including a large group of wonderful folks we met while at Columbia. As dancers from the start of our relationship through today, we made sure to put on a full performance for our first dance!”

In the Golden Afternoon Light of Low Plaza

Kevin Hom (SEAS’70) & Brenda Eng Hom (BC’70)

“It was freshman week at Columbia University in the fall of 1966. I stood by my window in Carman Hall, watching students stroll along College Walk, the campus alive with the excitement of new beginnings. Then, in the golden afternoon light, I noticed a group of young women crossing the plaza, their laughter drifting through the crisp autumn air as they made their way up the steps of Low Library.

“My roommates and I quickly realized—they were Barnard freshmen, heading to President Grayson Kirk’s reception. Without hesitation, we grabbed our freshman beanies, dashed down the dormitory stairs, and made our way to the event, eager for an introduction to our new classmates.

“And that’s where I met Brenda Eng. A psychology major with a beautiful smile and an intelligence that instantly captivated me. Winning her over wasn’t easy—it took persistence, charm (or so I hoped), and a fair bit of luck. But somehow, I did.

“Six years later, on a cold December day in 1972, I found myself walking up those same steps again. But this time, I wasn’t heading to the library. I was making my way to St. Paul’s Chapel, where Brenda and I stood before our families, our professors, and the friends we had made at Columbia and Barnard, ready to begin our life together.

“Now, 52 years later, with two children and a grandchild, I often think back to that moment—the instant I looked out my window and saw the love of my life walking up the stairs to Low Library. And I’m forever grateful that I followed her there.”

‘A Place We Are Eternally 21’

Clare Deegan-Kent (CC’92) & Robert Kent (CC’92)

“According to Bob, he saw me across campus on our first day of school in 1988 (and he’s right, I was wearing a tie-dyed crop top, jeans, and a black bomber). We flirted for a few weeks, but my roommates and I dismissed him as a muscly meathead (his nickname was BamBam). 

“Fast forward to the indescribable atmosphere on campus after the game that broke our football team’s horrendous losing streak on Oct. 8. We shared a kiss amongst the revelry and had our first date the next night at Broadway Cottage. I revised my opinion on his intelligence, and we continued to date for the next four years. He was a football player, and I was a cheerleader, a combination that felt almost subversive at a school like Columbia. We married less than two months after graduation.

“Almost 32 years later, we’ve created 13 homes in three countries and have raised three incredible daughters. We consider Baker Field to be a place where we are eternally 21. We’ve had a life of adventure and laughter, and hope that our love story has a multitude of chapters still to be written.”

Friends, Colleagues, Soulmates

Nancy Moyers (SSW’23) & Kendall Kolenik (SSW’23)

“I met my best friend, Kendall, in our first semester at the Columbia School of Social Work. It was like I met my soulmate! We had so much in common. Not only did our long-term career goals align with opening a private practice in the future, but we also had sooo many things in common regarding our personalities and the way we view the world. We both had the same internships for the two years at CSSW, and now we work together!

“I feel like it was meant to be that we met at Columbia. Right place, right time. I'm so grateful to have met my best friend while in school here! The day we graduated, with our families around us, was truly so special.”

The Sparkle That Never Fades

Seth Unger (CC’97) & Allison Jaffin (CC’97)

“It was December 1993, and the winter tree lights of College Walk were sparkling in her eyes. Judging by the photo we took that night, she was definitely not offended by my…shall we say…‘style’ in the least (South Beach equestrian was it?). We had no idea, as we headed together to the Low Library Rotunda for the annual Winter Wonderland first-year semiformal, that we’d be spending the next 30+ years together.

“After a summer camp wedding in 2005 and the addition of twin Columbia Lion cubs to the pride in 2007, here we are in 2026. Those cats turned 18 and finally left the den, but turns out they were different breeds…a Northwestern Wildcat and a Princeton Tiger. Most days, we don’t hold it against them.

“Huge shout-out to the entire CU grounds staff for taking the time to expertly install those lights every year and for making dreams come true.”

A Marriage of 75 Years, a Family With Eight Columbia Degrees

Marvin Lipman (CC’49, VPS’54) & Naomi Loeb Lipman (BC’51, GSAS’52)

“We met in 1948, when I was a senior [at Columbia College], and Naomi was a sophomore at Barnard. We were both members of the Columbia Players—she as an actor ('Iphigenia in Aulis,' 'Murder in the Cathedral,' etc.) and I as a participant in the Varsity Show's ‘Pony Ballet’ and a member of the Players' management. Our first date was at the Columbia vs. Princeton football game (we lost). I never did propose; we just took it for granted that we would spend the rest of our lives together. 

“We were married in 1951 and will celebrate our 75th wedding anniversary next June. Following graduation from Barnard, Naomi earned a master's degree at Columbia as the first woman ever to win Princeton's Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. I had just finished my first year as a medical student at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“Naomi went on to teach English at Barnard and later was a copy editor for Farrar, Straus and Giroux and at 'Consumer Reports.' I practiced medicine with the Scarsdale Medical Group for over six decades and have recently retired. Along the way, we had four wonderful children: Barry (a master luthier), Amy (BC’80, GSAS’90, a special education teacher), Mark (a musical theater keyboard artist), and Harry (CC’86, LA’90, an attorney). As a family, we have eight Columbia degrees.”

Hired at Columbia, Rooted for Life

Clifford Jacobs (SSW’16) & John Rowell

“In April 2017, a taxi dropped John off on 116th Street and Amsterdam. John was excited to interview for a position within Columbia Residential Life and was told to meet his interview host, Cliff, at the gates on Amsterdam. Little did he know, he was about to meet his future husband.

“Cliff (a Columbia School of Social Work alum) had such an amazing time as a student and graduate hall director at Columbia that he decided to stay and begin his professional career between the gates. A few months after the interview, John was offered the job and took the role, not knowing how it was going to change his life for the better.

“Columbia holds a special place in John and Cliff's hearts as it is where their love began and continued to grow through COVID, new jobs, and long distance. Cliff and John got married on June 28, 2025, surrounded by their friends, family, and fellow Columbia colleagues, a testament to the amazing connections they made while on campus.”

Love in a Unicorn Onesie

Tamar Schwartz (BC’19) & Samuel Schwartz (CC’20)

“Tamar and I met roughly five years ago. I remember that brisk March Friday evening quite vividly. My future roommates were hosting a social gathering at their apartment. I was the new kid on the block at the time, having just started to integrate into the Orthodox Jewish community on campus. I remember walking into their Ruggles apartment that evening, eagerly yet with some apprehension. I was excited at the prospect of meeting and engaging with new people, yet intimidated by just how conspicuous my jeans and shoulder-length hair were in a room full of yeshiva-leaguers on Shabbat. Not long after my arrival, I was accosted by a girl who was dressed rather oddly. Specifically, she donned a unicorn onesie. This intrigued me, as well as her rather blunt opening address of: ‘I don’t know you. Who are you?’

“My first conversation with Tamar lasted the entire duration of the evening. In that conversation, the differences between our mutual backgrounds and upbringings were laid bare. She explained to me her days in Yeshiva, while I talked about my experience in public school, not so subtly noting that I was the captain of the football and baseball teams, and how most of my Friday nights were spent battling local rival schools on the football field. ‘What girl doesn’t love a football player?’ I remember thinking to myself. I was confused as I noticed the slight shock that flashed over Tamar’s face as I mentioned my activities on Friday nights of days past.

“Tamar and I uncovered even more differences as we broached the topic of literature. My praise of Hemingway was met with an audible gasp. I remember how Tamar’s entire demeanor shifted when she began professing her love for the works of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. Her face lit up, the chaos and noise around us seemed to suddenly dissipate, and in that moment, it felt as if the two of us were in the corner of the room entirely alone. As our conversation continued and I looked into her blue eyes, the realization gradually swept over me that I had somehow, by the grace of G-d stumbled upon the most wholesome, intelligent, and beautiful girl I had ever encountered.

“What was not so gradual, however, was the moment I fell in love with Tamar. It had been exactly a week since that first encounter. During the course of that week, I had been riding such a high from our first conversation that when the blunt realities of life finally overshadowed the seeming unreality of Tamar, I found myself in a new low. The stress of school began flooding my thoughts as I began my walk to the guys’ Ruggles apartment on that Friday evening for the second consecutive week. Additionally, my father’s deteriorating health seemed to completely undermine any sense of joy I could have hoped to experience that night. It was enough for me to reason that my differences with Tamar were too damning to overcome. And so, disheartened, I turned around in the direction of Butler Library. But as I did, I heard the warmth of a familiar voice call: ‘Sam?’

“As I turned around and saw Tamar standing there in the middle of West 114th St., I instantly fell in love. Her smile served as a promise for better days ahead. And the prospect of our future companionship lessened the burden of the uncertainty of my father’s terminal illness. I have been in love with Tamar Hoodle Liberman ever since that moment. And on July 3, 2022, we got married.

"I’m currently a second-year dental student at Columbia's College of Dental Medicine, and Tamar is pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology at Farleigh Dickinson University.  We welcomed our first child into the world in July, named Donald, after my father."

From Day One

Henry Sondheimer (VPS’70) & Judith Sondheimer (VPS’70)

“My wife and I met on the first day of medical school in September 1966 at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. However, our ‘origination’ stories vary slightly. Judy says that the 12 women in our class (total class size of 120, pretty obviously 10 percent) met the night before classes started and looked over the class picture book together...and that she selected me out of it. My recollection is that she approached me the next morning on our way to breakfast while I was buying 'The New York Times' and asked if I would share it with her. I happily complied, and we have been happily married for 56 years. Alas, only one of our two children went to VP&S, the other attended medical school in Chicago.”

‘Thank You, God. Thank You, MTA. And Thank You, Columbia Student Directory.’

Jasmine Jacobs-Wingo (MPH’12) & Matthew Wingo (VPS’15)

“I was traveling uptown on the 1 train with a friend who got off at 125th St. ‘Weren’t you in that play?’ I looked up and saw that a blonde guy in a salmon-colored tank top and aviator eyeglasses had asked the question. I was momentarily taken aback—not because of him, but because he was the second person that day to ask me about a role I’d had three months prior. In March, I’d played Oberon in ‘A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream’—a Bard Hall Players production. Not exactly Broadway.

“Normally, I’d increase the intensity of my mean mug in the case of an unsolicited subway conversation, but this guy seemed innocent enough. Have you ever locked in on a new face and, for a split second, had the inexplicable feeling that person would somehow become important in your life?

“I affirmed his question, and he sat down in the still-warm seat beside me. We chatted briefly about his Memorial Day plans and how I’d be moving to Rio de Janeiro in about a week until the train arrived at 145th St., and he stood and said goodbye. I figured that was that.

“Back in my Washington Heights studio, I opened my laptop.

• From: Wingo, Matthew

• To: ‘Jacobs, Jasmine Lindsay’

  hi jasmine,

  I was the sunburned medical student that you met on the train...i hope you don't mind that i looked you up on the directory. I enjoyed meeting you and I would like to see you again at some point and hear more about your plans in Brazil before you leave. Let me know if you are available sometime this week. Or... if you think you'd rather not meet up, it is totally fine to pretend that you never received this email and not respond : )

  happy memorial day!

  matt

“Through a few emails, we exchanged availability laced with attempted wittiness. We were close to finalizing a date for Monday when I let my inner saboteur have her way. I canceled. His reply carried the first of many clapbacks I’ve experienced over the years; he guessed he’d have to be satisfied by our new Facebook friendship, he retorted:

“‘I’m sure that clicking the “like” button on your Brazil photos will be every bit as fun as a date (that was a joke, but don't interpret it as passive-aggressive, I am just expressing remorse that I didn't ask you out sooner).’

“Once again, I figured that was that. On the day of my flight, I made my final rounds before heading to JFK—hugging friends goodbye and stopping at Hammer (now Long) to make a copy of my passport (yes, I should’ve done this sooner). Someone descending the stairs made eye contact with me, but I wasn’t wearing my glasses. Was this the same guy I met on the train? If I waved, would he think I was crazy? He spoke first. Phew. ‘Aren’t you leaving for Brazil today?’

“Yes, we had our subway encounter, but I think the moment in the stairwell was actually the beginning—at least for me. Even after he got rejected, this man still remembered my moving day.

“Here we are in 2025—married for nearly 10 years with new job prospects, a high-spirited toddler, the pain of two miscarriages, a Tabby cat that doubles as my shadow, and all the other ups and downs that constitute a shared existence. Our partnership certainly hasn’t been easy or even always enjoyable, but our love has withstood. Thank you, God. Thank you, MTA. And thank you, Columbia student directory.”

Want more #ColumbiaLoveStories? Check out the full archive from the Columbia Alumni Association, spanning the past 11 years. You can share your story this year here.

Stories have been lightly edited for length.