Legacy of love: many alumni not only receive an extraordinary education at HPU, they also meet special people who remain in their lives forever, such as a best friend or spouse. There are more than 1,200 HPU couples happily married thanks to their experience at HPU. Below are a few love stories that began on campus.

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Donald Haynes (1955) met the love of his life at High Point College in the spring semester of 1954 when she was a freshman. Miss Clarice Bowman, religion faculty, organized what was known as "Fellowship Teams" that went to local churches to help with their youth ministry, and Don was a team leader. When the regular pianist could not attend one evening, arrangements were made for a substitute. When Donald arrived at Crestwood Presbyterian Church on Greensboro/High Point Road, he saw this beautiful girl playing the piano with precision and gusto. It was "love at first sight." Joan Parker Haynes (1956) was "hard to get," but Donald persisted. The couple became engaged in the fall of 1955 and married June 1956 and are nearing 58 years of marriage.

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The tree under which Donald received his first kiss is no longer on campus, and Dr. Qubein still teases him about removing his "kissing tree." One had to steal a place in those days because kissing too near the women's dorm would bring a reprimand from the housemother. The couple returned to campus in 2006 for their 50th anniversary celebration.

As an upperclassman, Charles Cobb Riddle (1960) helped Carolyn Gibbs Riddle (1961) register for her first semester of classes at HPU, as well escorted her to all the freshman events in 1957. They began dating on Friday, Sept. 13 of that year, and in December, Carolyn decided that Charles was the one. Three sons, two daughter-in-laws and eight grandchildren later, they will celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary this September.

Robert M. Dean (1961) met Carol Rappold Dean (1962) at HPU in 1958. They were married the summer of 1961, and celebrate their 52nd anniversary this summer.

Beverly Molitor Gebicke (1969) and Mark Gebicke (1971) met at HPU in the fall of 1967. They started dating in 1968 and were married in 1971. They will be celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary this year. They have three sons and daughters-in-law and one grandchild. Mark says, "Not only did HPU provide both of us with a great foundation for the future, but it also gave me the opportunity to find my best friend and soul mate."

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Carolyn Huzzen O'Brien (1984), an Alpha Gamma Delta, and Bradley O'Brien (1985), a Pi Kappa Alpha, met at HPU and were married in 1986. They recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary.

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Amy Marshall Audlin (1992) credits her best friend, Samantha Dillon Sapp (1993) for being...