Alumni Love Stories: Degrees of Love

Brenda and Vern Bennett (MD'87)

"My husband Vern and I were married in 1983 while he was in second-year medicine at the U of S. Our first home was in Wollaston Hall at the university high-rises. I took night classes in education at the U of S and worked as a dance teacher to put him through school.    

In those days we could not afford anything special for Valentine’s Day. Not to be undaunted, Vern trudged through freshly fallen snow on the grounds between the buildings. He asked me to look out our ninth-floor window. When I looked at the ground between the buildings, I could see a huge heart with: VB loves BB. It was the best Valentine’s surprise ever! I will never forget it!  

We have been happily married for 42 years and have two sons. After graduation, Vern became an MD, teaching at the U of S College of Medicine. I taught school and owned Brenda’s School of Baton and Dance for 40 years. Our sons began their education on campus as children at St. Andrew’s in Saskatoon Montessori. Later, our oldest son became a business and law graduate.     

We are very happy and proud to call the University of Saskatchewan our campus and to call Saskatoon home!"

- Brenda Bennett

Jen (BA'16) and Bodan Worobetz (BA'17)

"My husband Bodan and I first met briefly at a party through a mutual friend in 2013. But our interest in one another grew in the first floor of the Arts Building. After our first meeting, every Tuesday and Thursday we would cross paths in the exact spot the photo provided was taken, while I was waiting for the doors to my Shakespeare class to open, and he was rushing to get to his French tutorial. While the encounter with a small smile and wave was brief, I began to look forward to it every day I had class. As luck would have it, the summer after our first meeting, we got summer jobs at the same business, and fell in love.

The following school term allowed for us to take some courses together, so we took a philosophy class and would sit in the back holding hands while taking notes in the same classroom I would wait outside to see him the winter semester before.

We got engaged in 2014, I graduated in 2016 with a degree in English, and my husband graduated in 2017 with a degree in economics. In 2019 we were married; in 2020 I began working for the university and in 2023 we welcomed our amazing son."

- Jen Worobetz 

Lynn (BSN’79, MN’04) and Timo Jansen (BE’80)

"Timo Jansen met Lynn (McGillivray) in Feb 1977 at a party in Seager Wheeler residence. Lynn brought an Orange Crush to mix with her beverage. Timo gave up consuming alcohol for Lent. He locked in on the Orange Crush and asked if it belonged to anyone. Not hearing any response, he drank the Crush.

Later, when Lynn couldn’t locate the Crush, she asked who drank it. Timo owned up to the action. Lynn was quite annoyed and expressed her anger—this was their first conversation. Timo was attracted to Lynn’s sincerity and pursuit of justice. To make amends, Timo issued an invitation to go out for a drink. This was the start of their now 49-year relationship. Timo had a Crush on Lynn!

We were married in 1980. Lynn returned to the U of S to obtain a MN (2004) followed by a PhD from Western. We have four children; all are U of S graduates."

- Lynn Jansen

Camille Jansen (BA’20, BSc’20) and Emmett Fortosky (CJAZZ’18, BMUHON’18, BEd’21, CTESL’23)

"Camille Jansen and Emmett Fortosky met at a Louis' open mic in January of 2014 where they bonded over learning Spanish, enjoying music, and their passion for socializing late on Monday nights. After years of running into each other at the PAC, where Emmett worked, and various music events, they (finally) went on their first date in 2017.

As their love kindled they found themselves consistently drawn to the U of S. Going to shows together, or in Emmett's case playing shows, visiting the beaver dam by the Education Building in 2020-2021 and, in Camille's case, eventually finding work there always kept them close to campus. The university has been such a large part of our love story that our wedding reception was held at Louis', with a live band of course!"

- Camille Jansen

Chris (BSN’13) and Caitlin Schindel (BSN’12)

"We met on the U of S cross country team in 2010 and got married in 2012. She was hard to catch then, and I’m still chasing her today." 

- Chris Schindel 

Trudy Betthel Coucill (BEd’95) and Joseph Coucill (BSc’96)

"We met in 1991 when we were neighbours at Seager Wheeler Hall. We dated for several years, then went our separate ways. After losing contact for a decade, Joost sent me a letter to see how life was. We managed to meet up in Regina and it was like no time had passed at all. This summer we will celebrate our 20th anniversary."

- Trudy Betthel Coucill

Rozanne (BSc'75) and Neil Tennent (BSc'76)

"I met my future husband while studying to get my biology degree. We met at a Marquis dance during Welcome Week activities. We were in the same ornithology class and spent a lot of our field trips 'people' watching instead of bird watching! We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary July 31, 2026."

- Rozanne Tennent

Daniel Ford Beavis (BFA'00) and Clare Middleton (BFA'02)

"Two generations of love! I found my wife in class at the U of S. My wife's parents also found love at the U of S."

- Daniel Ford Beavis

Joan (PGD'73, MN'89) and Bob Middleton (BSA'57, PGD'73)

"My parents Joan and Bob Middleton went to university together and met in a continuing education class in the 1970s. My dad graduated from the college of Agriculture and my mom has a Master of Nursing degree from the U of S. She went on to teach for several years at USask."

- Submitted by Clare Middleton 

David Zakus (BSc'75) and Debbie Spicer (BEd'75)

"After meeting at a Hub dance in 1971, we discovered we were in the same chemistry 101 class. Four years later, after finishing our BEd and BSc degrees, we got married in Saskatoon and left for a ten-month world journey, after which we settled in Toronto. Now, we are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary.

We have many great memories of our time at the U of S. We both later went on to graduate studies, Debbie becoming a long time high school principal in Toronto and later an inspector with the Ontario Ministry of Health. David became professor of preventative medicine and global health at University of Toronto, McGill U, U of Alberta and Toronto Metropolitan University. How time flies."

- David Zakus 

Chaithu Sridhar (BSc'25) and Jason

"About three years ago, I first crossed paths with Jason at the McLean Hall for math help from the Math and Stats Student Society (MS^3) club as I needed some guidance. We were introduced to each other, though nothing came of it at the time. Last year, we were reintroduced by our mutual friend at Thorvaldson where we had some friendly banter and quizzed each other on random facts. After months of keeping in touch as friends, we decided to start dating and have been together since!"

- Chaithu Sridhar

Brandon (BEd’00, BSc’00, MEd’06) and Shelda Stroh (BA’98, BEd’00, MEd’06)

"Shelda and Brandon met in the College of Education through some mutual friends. We completed our university degrees at the same time and married. Returned to the University of Saskatchewan and did our master's degrees together. We have worked in education and raised two wonderful children together."

- Brandon Stroh

Kristina (BA'03, BSc'12) and Tim Schmidt (BA'17)

"Our love story started in 2000 when my now husband and I took the European heritage course with Avi Akkerman in Prague in the Czech Republic. We didn't know each other. By the end of the course, I gave him my number. He lost it. Avi emailed me telling me that this guy from the course wanted to connect for the final project. We connected, but it was not about the final project. We've been together since. Married and have two kids. Avi also came to our wedding, where we shared our story."

- Kristina Schmidt

Russell Isinger (BA’88, MA’97) and Katherine Smytaniuk (BA'88)

"I first met my wife Katherine Smytaniuk (BA'88) in 1985 when we were both hired as student tour guides at the then Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker Centre. We worked up in Prince Albert over the summer months at the John and Olive Diefenbaker House Museum (which the university operated for the city), and then worked in Saskatoon at the Centre during the fall and winter terms. We started dating during the summer of 1986, and we will be celebrating 40 wonderful years together this coming August."

Russell Isinger (BA’88, MA’97)