By: Sarah Vahlkamp

It is said that everything happens for a reason, and the reason this couple didn’t meet until their junior year in college proved to be worth the wait.

Dina Catanzaro 89′ and Jim Garland ’89 both lived in the St. Louis area before attending Quincy College. Dina decided to attend QU right after high school, while Jim didn’t arrive until he transferred his junior year. It wasn’t until the fall of their junior year, however, that they were officially introduced and found they had more in common than they realized.

“The funny thing is, I knew some of his friends, but had never met him,” said Dina.

As juniors, Dina and Jim both lived in Lind Street Hall, which is now referred to as Willer Hall. Jim played soccer for QU, and Dina was friends with many of the soccer players. Their mutual friends, same business classes, and shared residence hall all contributed to Jim’s persistence in meeting Dina at parties or by chance in the hallway.

“Looking back I always say it was a good thing Jim was (very) persistent in running into me and getting to know me…. and well, the rest is history!” said Dina.

The two continued to date throughout college and in 1988, during Christmas break their senior year, Jim got done on one knee and proposed to Dina by the Christmas tree. Jim and Dina graduated five months later with Jim receiving his degree in business management, and Dina receiving hers in marketing.

After graduation, they moved back to St. Louis to begin their careers and were married in May 1990. They now have two children together, Michael, 22, and Connor, 20. Jim and Dina Garland celebrated their milestone 25th anniversary last year and look forward to celebrating 26 years this May.

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