Erik Speakman '18 and Mickey (Juricic) Speakman '18

We met through a mutual friend our summer going into Junior year! For both of us being very outgoing and involved in the Lewis community, we were both surprised we had never met each other before that night. From that night, we hit it off and definitely love at first sight for me. The rest of that summer, I took Mickey to her first Cubs game, concerts, and hung out with all of our Lewis friends. After we graduated, it was time to propose which of course had to have Lewis incorporated in this special occasion. I proposed at Time Plaza on December 12, 2020. It meant so much to me to propose at Lewis where our story began. We got married on October 9, 2021 and life has been wonderful ever since! We now live in Los Angeles, California. I am an Air Traffic Controller at Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center and Mickey is a Registered Nurse and Glendale Adventist hospital.

Jacob Floresca '19 and Elizabeth (Campa) Floresca '19

Jacob & Elizabeth met freshman move in day on August 26th, 2015 at the Flyer's Den when they both reached for the same bowling ball. Fast forward to present day, the couple welcomed their baby boy, Mateo, who is also a future Flyer! Jacob and Elizabeth got married in October of 2021 and just moved into their new home close to Lewis to continue the love and support the give and receive from the Lewis University Community. The Floresca's love being Flyers and being a part of their Alma Mater events!

Ryan Ward '20 and Hannah Cross '19

We met quite a few times before we “officially” met and started dating. With Ryan being a baseball player and pilot, and me being a golfer and pilot, the athletes and pilots all intermingled at Lewis. There were many times throughout the fall semester that we crossed paths at the recreation center, sporting events, or social gatherings. There was even a time where my friends and I watched the Lewis baseball inter-squad game and met Kim (Ryan’s mom) and Babe (Ryan’s dog). He had the flight block just before mine that semester. I got the same plane he had and when I went to go pre-flight, I noticed the keys were missing. I yelled down the hall, “Hey you! Where’s the key?!” When he turned around I thought “wow what a cutie!” We were (finally) formally introduced by our mutual friend Sara. She helped us exchange contact information because she thought we would be cute together. We went on our first date downtown Chicago on December 4th, 2016. We’ve been inseparable since then. Ryan asked me to marry him in the most beautiful and special way possible. After 5 years of dating, we know each other really well. Ryan planned a date and made reservations at the local Italian place in Traverse City. We’ve had the goal to go somewhere new to eat every time he visits rather than going the same place twice. We wanted a picture in front of the big Christmas tree in the middle of downtown. Everything was closed and there weren’t many people to take our picture. I was just about to walk over to the one person on the sidewalk to ask her when Ryan got down on one knee. He said “Hannah, will you marry me?” And I said “Yes!” about a thousand times. Little did I know, the one person on the street was the professional photographer he hired to capture our special moment! It was a perfect, romantic, and surprise night. He’s my forever co-pilot! 

Omar Ortiz-Roche '12 '16 and Lauren Ortiz-Townsend

We met at our on-campus jobs in the IT department. I was a lab assistant and Rob worked for service desk. After work, he would walk me to my car and we would stand in the parking lot and talk until we were practically the last two cars in the lot. One day, he decided to ask me to dinner. We talked for hours over a couple plates of pasta. Nearly 4 years later, the conversations have never stopped. In November of 2021, Rob asked me to marry him! Forever begins in April of 2023 and we couldn’t be more excited!

Jonathan Hicks '14 '16 and Toni (Focosi) Hicks '15

My husband (Jonathan Hicks, 2014 (BS), 2016 (MSF), COB) and I met at Lewis the summer of 2013. I was going into my junior year and he was going into his senior year. Before meeting on Facebook, I honestly had no idea who he was. At first, he played it off that he also did not know me, but then confessed that he has been eyeing me across Charlie’s . Our first date was TEN HOURS LONG and honestly something out of a rom-com. He picked me up from my parents’ house, took me to Cantigy where we looked at all the beautiful flowers. Then he took me to a local carnival where we rode our favorite rides and spent the time talking about our lives and our goals. To end the date, he took me to a water fountain at night where we watched the fireworks from the carnival. The moment I met Jon, I knew he was special. I never felt more myself, more comfortable with anyone else but him. About a month of dating, the fall semester began. We were inseparable. Our friend groups collided and we supported one another at our clubs’ events (he was the president of AMA and I am a sister of Theta Kappa Pi). We have many memories from our first year together whether it was binging out at the den, attending spring formal and the birthday bash, or winning a Halloween costume contest dressed as a minion and Gru. Not only did Lewis become my “home away from home,” but it also gave me my best friend and soulmate.

Four years into our relationship, Jonathan popped the question. We knew immediately that we wanted to get married at Lewis because of how special it had been to the two of us. Our big day was on October 5th, 2019. We were married in the Sancta Alberta chapel and Father Spiess (former College of Business professor who was a great mentor to my fiancé) officiated our wedding. We couldn’t have picked a better place to get married and say our vows than the place where it all began. 

Jon and I are proud Flyers. Lewis will always have a special place in our hearts.