More Than Just a Summer Crush

As far as Brendon Maxwell Whalen knows, only two marriages have taken place between “Creekers” and “Islanders.” He does not consider his Sept. 4 wedding to Megan Goetsch, in the open waters of Connecticut’s Thimble Islands one of them, despite the origins of their relationship. Ms. Goetsch, 33, and Mr. Whalen, 35, entered each other’s…

Connecting on a Rooftop

At a rooftop party in 2014 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, a college friend introduced Erin Jaeger, who had recently moved to New York, to Mahen Gunaratna, by saying, “He’s our new roommate, he’s great, he’s the best,” Ms. Jaeger said. “It was very cordial — it wasn’t sparks are flying,” said Ms. Jaeger, now 30…

Their Second Date ‘Sealed It’

When asked if there was a seminal moment when he knew he wanted to marry Claire Christine Galiette, Harold William Strunk, otherwise known as Billy, did not hesitate. “Honestly, our second date sealed it for me,” he said. “You bring in playoff baseball, beer, all-you-can-eat hot dogs and great conversation, and you have me pretty…

Ice Cream Topped with Easy Conversation

Martin MacLachlan (left), and George Kapelos first met in 2012 at an ice cream emporium in Toronto, where both live, and their attraction was immediate. Mr. Kapelos arrived on his bicycle, and ordered cardamom. Mr. MacLachlan showed up in shorts and had chocolate. Mr. Kapelos didn’t neglect to admire Mr. MacLachlan’s legs. “I noticed his…

Brought Together by a Friendly Cupid

Erica Ann Fugger and Viswanaath Gowri Sanker like to joke that they owe their relationship to a friend who played Cupid. After matching on Tinder in 2014, Mr. Gowri Sanker, 31, who goes by Vish, realized he and Ms. Fugger, 29, shared a mutual friend, Shreyas Khandate. He asked Mr. Khandate about Ms. Fugger, but…

In Quarantine, Their Romance Blossomed

Anne Huntington met Sam Sharma through a mutual friend in Manhattan in December 2019 and married him on Sept. 7, a mere nine-month blip on the whirlwind radar screen. “Ours was a Covid-inspired romance,” said Ms. Huntington, 36, who graduated from Colgate and is the president of the Huntington Learning Center, a nationwide tutoring and…

Defying the Family Cycle of Addiction

I am the mother of four, but addiction is my ever-present extra child. My grandparents died of alcoholism. My father-in-law did, too. My 43-year-old brother died of a heroin overdose in May. He became addicted after taking prescribed OxyContin following an appendectomy. When my 13-year-old daughter needed hernia surgery as my brother was hitting rock…

Sutter receives funding for collaboration of care

Rebecca Sutter, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, received $62,500 from Action in the Community Through Service (ACTS) for: “ACTSPWC – GMU Collaboration of Care.” As part of this project, ACTS will co-host five social work interns with the Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinic in Manassas, Virginia. Additionally, MAP Clinic staff will provide six in-service behavioral…