Flyers for Life

By Brian Doyle '13

Author bio
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
Profession: Director of National Accounts
Favorite UD home: 1715 Frericks

During my second year at UD, I met a girl named Rachel, and you could say the rest is history.

We both found our way to UD following family ties. I visited my older sister a couple of Sib's Weekends and fell in love with the University of Dayton. I was blown away at how nice and welcoming everyone was; I felt the sense of community. Rachel grew up going to UD basketball games. She toured UD in 5 degree weather and still felt right at home. Rachel and I met through mutual friends. Our relationship developed over the rest of our time on campus.

Fast forward to 2016 when I staged the surprise of a lifetime for Rachel. I wanted to propose in front of the Immaculate Conception Chapel, because UD meant so much to us. Our college friends were already in Cincinnati with us. We planned to host a tailgate for everyone at an Ohio State football game, and I thought the trip to Columbus would be the perfect time to propose. They told Rachel that they wanted to stop at campus in order to get some pictures, a roommate tradition, and go to the bookstore. I was waiting in front of the Chapel when she turned the corner from the walkway in between the Chapel and St. Joes. The look on her face was priceless!

UD has been so important to our lives that we wanted to get married in the Chapel. We met at UD, I proposed at UD and we met our lifelong friends at UD. We wanted to celebrate at the place that made our marriage possible. Plus, the Chapel is beautiful! In spring of 2018, with 35 flyers in attendance and 13 in our bridal party, we were surrounded by the kind of lifelong support and community we feel so connected to.

UD was our home for four wonderful years, and now we have found our home with each other as fellow Flyers. The memories, friendships and experiences we had at UD molded us into the couple we are today. We will be forever grateful for that and continue to celebrate our relationship. We can imagine ourselves renewing our vows at the UD Chapel in the future and will always feel connected to the community in Dayton.