Your Penn State Love Stories for this week includes three couples; they met at tryouts for the Singing Lions, the cheerleading team, and the Blue Band, respectively. They didn’t know that they would find their future spouses in the process.

Introducing…

Jessie and Brian

He is: Brian Poole, Class of 2011

She is: Jessie Leo, Class of 2011

They first met: At auditions for the Penn State Singing Lions during the first week of both of their freshman years, though neither made much of an impression on the other. (Plus, Brian made the group, and Jessie didn’t.)

What happened next: At Arts Fest the following July, Jessie was at a party with a bunch of the Singing Lions. (Even though she hadn’t made the group that year, she went to all of their performances and made friends with most of the members.) Brian was at the party, and it was his birthday. Though they hadn’t gotten to know each other during the school year, she wished him a happy birthday and they continued to talk for most of the night.

“He had me laughing the whole night, and I was surprised I never noticed how cute and funny he was,” Jessie said.

The next morning, she saw him again as she was carrying her bags back to the car, and he stopped to help her carry them. (She said she thought it was extremely sweet.) The next time she saw him after that was the beginning of the next school year, when she re-auditioned for the Singing Lions. That time, she made it, after which they really hit it off.

Now they’re: Engaged, getting ready to be married at Penn State in July 2014

And have been together: 4 years

Their soundbite: “Two years later, during our last concert with the Singing Lions, Brian proposed to me onstage right before the last song. It was so beautiful. Both our families were in the audience, and we were surrounded by all our best friends! It was incredible and couldn’t have been more perfect.”

 

Jennifer and Corey

He is: Corey Mislinski, Class of 2008

She is: Jennifer Mislinski, Class of 2007

They first met: At cheerleading tryouts in 2005. Jennifer was already on the team and Corey was transferring to University Park from Altoona. Jennifer was looking for a new partner, and, after stunting with Corey, “something just clicked.”

What happened next: After a while, they became best friends, then fell in love and moved to the Philadelphia area to start their jobs.

Now they’re: Married — with a baby on the way!

And have been together: 6 years

Their soundbite: “At 2009’s Homecoming game, he got down on one knee in the end zone — in the snow — and asked me to marry him. The rest is history.”

 

Chrissy and Adrian

He is: Adrian Smith, Class of 2012

She is: Chrissy Keller, Class of 2012

They first met: At the first day of Blue Band tryouts their freshmen year. Though only one of their friends actually made the band, participating in tryouts allowed them a few extra days to get to know each other before school started.

What happened next: They kept getting to know each other as friends — they each had significant others for the first half of the year — but they eventually started dating after spring break. After one study abroad and several internships apart from each other, graduation and placements in jobs reunited them in New Jersey. Adrian proposed to Chrissy in New York on a carriage ride through Central Park.

Now they’re: Engaged

And have been together: Nearly 5 years

Their soundbite: “We adopted a kitten who is also a Nittany Lion fan! He represented with a Penn State bow tie at Homecoming this year.”

 

Check back next Friday for some more Nittany Lion love — and feel free to submit your own story about how you fell in love at Penn State.