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College Sweethearts: Meet Katie and Jerod Lenderman

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at App State chapter.

It seems almost impossible to find your soulmate in college. That guy you met at the bar who’ll only text you after midnight is probably not your knight in shinning armor. Dating in college is hard, and you’re probably thinking you’ll never find your Prince Charming. Well, don’t give up hope just yet! The person you’re meant to be with is out there, and they may just be across campus from you. Check out this couple that were able to found their soul mate in college. Meet college sweethearts: Katie and Jerod Lenderman!

Yes, that’s right, it is actually possible to meet your future husband or wife in college!

Katie and Jerod were students on campus from 2001-2005. Katie spent her time majoring in communication/public relations, while Jerod was on the Appalachian State wrestling team, majoring in accounting and political science. Katie was involved in the Resident Student Association and was on the Homecoming Court. Balancing his time between wrestling and schoolwork, Jerod was also a member of the Honors Accounting club.

You’re probably wondering where they found each other. Well, shockingly, there are other places to meet someone besides bars and frat parties, and, spoiler, there are also better places to meet someone. Katie and Jerod met each other during their Thursday evening Campus Crusade for Christ meetings.

When asked what their favorite college memory was, they said it was during a snow and ice storm. They decided to walk across campus at night in the snow. They were the only ones on campus at the time, and according to Katie, “It felt like our own winter wonderland.”

Their fairytale continues after college. After graduating in 2005, Katie and Jerod got married on May 27, 2006 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Isn’t that just the perfect wedding venue for this fairytale couple?

Their story doesn’t end there as the two continue to be successful after college. Katie went on to work for human resources at the Biltmore Estate as a recruiter blogger. Jerod went on to work for Big Four Accounting CPA as a bond research analyst and director of corporate banking. Fancy, huh? Yes, wrestlers are smart too!

The two made a big move from their home in Charlotte, NC to the big city, NYC, when Jerod was offered a job there. It was a big change for the North Carolina natives, but they were ready for the new adventure. The two then made another move down South to Houston, where they currently live with their bulldog, Diesel.

The couple is excited for their next big adventure as Katie is currently pregnant with the couple’s first child and is due any time now! Their plans for the future include growing their family and traveling more. Who knows what the next big adventure is going to be for these college sweethearts.

So don’t give up hope, it is possible to find your soul mate in college. Their advice for dating in college: “Get involved on campus and try to meet as many people as possible. Keep in mind, this is the best time in your life to meet the largest pool of like-minded people who are single and likely have similar life aspirations. Be true to yourself and be sure the person you are dating is as serious about the relationship as you want them to be.”

Taylor currently works in television production in New York City. Her current project was for a Sesame Work Shop show called 'Helpsters' that is now streaming on AppleTV. While at Appalachian State University, Taylor majored in Film and Creative Writing. She enjoys reality TV, college basketball, binge-watching Netflix, eating Mexican food, and cuddling with her cats. Her dream is to be a television show writer. For inquries, she can be reached at taylorpdills@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylordills/