Andrea Shearer, Associate Professor and Dance Division Director, School of Theatre and Dance
Met her spouse at Kent State in 1993

I was in the Dance Division office in early January, preparing classes for the upcoming 1993 semester when then Dance Coordinator Darwin Prioleau told me to pick up the phone: “This sounds like something you’d be interested in.” It was psychologist Branton Shearer, looking to survey kinesthetic individuals to validate his research on what ultimately became the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales currently in use in more than 20 countries throughout the world. Learning about the Multiple Intelligences opened up an entirely new world to me, and since I love surveys, I eagerly helped in enlisting other faculty members and classes in the effort.

To thank me for the help, he took me out to lunch. Six months later, we were engaged. And this August we’ll be married 18 years.

As he says, meeting people is “one of the additional benefits of research!” In this case, it was a super bonus for both of us. Do I need to throw in a cautionary statement to the effect that “results are not typical and not everyone who participates in a survey is likely to marry the principal investigator?”

Beth Allison-Christy, Administrative Assistant, Dean’s Office – Kent State East Liverpool
Met her spouse at Kent State in 1995

It was 1995 – summer semester, I was working in the Business Services department at the time. Our desktops didn’t have all the “latest” software, so when working on reports, I had to spend time in the computer lab. It was a Friday, and getting close to the end of the day. I’m rushing to get some final accounts entered into Lotus. The lab has a student worker who is shutting down the many computers as part of his ending day duties. I started to leave to run back to my office for a file when I noticed the student heading toward the computer I was working on. In my head I thought, ‘oh no I can’t lose all that work he better not shut that down’— but that’s not what came out of my mouth. As I was at the doorway I shouted “You turn that off, I’ll knock you out!” … That’s the first meeting with my now husband Ron Christy.

The following Monday when I came into work – there was a supersize Snickers bar on my desk – a peace offering! From there we chatted occasionally and ended up being married two years later on May 24, 1997. It may not be the most romantic start to a relationship – but we became good friends getting to know each other.


Stina Olafsdottir, Manager of Student Accounts Receivable, Bursar’s Office
Met her spouse at Kent State in 1994

My husband and I met at Kent State when we were both students back in 1994 and got married a year later.

Are you a Kent State faculty or staff member? Did you meet your spouse at Kent State? Send a brief account of how you met to einside@kent.edu by Tuesday, Feb. 14. Your story could be published in e-Inside this month.