Reunion Turns Romantic for Happy Couples

Two alumni chose Mount St. James as the backdrop to propose to their longtime loves

They said yes!

As if reunion wasn’t already enough of a party, two romantics seized the chance to pop the question last weekend.

After eight years of dating – four of which were on The Hill – Harry Chiu ’12 got down on one knee before longtime love Chantal Gonzales ’12 at the couple’s five-year reunion on Saturday. Chiu, a political science major, spent months secretly planning the special day. His romantic proposal took Gonzales, a Spanish major, on a stroll through the pair’s college days and ended in the Hanselman Hall common room, where they spent many a night together studying for exams.

That same day, Chris Lally ’12, a biology major, asked the love of his life, Linsey Barker ’12, a psychology and health professions major, to live with him happily ever after. Lally, too, did some behind-the-scenes preparation and asked facilities to unlock the building where he and Barker had taken calculus together years ago. The couple’s walk just happened to bring them to their old classroom, where they reminisced and found themselves sitting in their old seats. “When her back was turned, I got down and did my thing,” Lally said.

So how did both alums know these ladies were the ones? Easy, they said.

“I smile when she smiles,” Chiu said, referring to Gonzales. “To be happy, I have to make her happy.”

“She’s beautiful, brilliant and a total sweetheart,” said Lally, referring to Barker. “Anyone who has ever met her would agree that this is the biggest no-brainer, and that I got really, really lucky.”

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