College is of course about academics and reaching career goals, but student experiences reach far beyond the classroom at Minnesota State Mankato. Building relationships, sharing common and often changing values and finding someone who is on the same journey as you can be a huge, life-altering part of the university experience. Which is why the Alumni Association sought out couples who found love on campus to tell their stories.
The result was MavMarriages, a social media campaign in which alumni shared a different kind of success story than you usually see. We have the extreme pleasure of sharing these stories with our larger alumni audience in hopes of sparking excitement and pride among our Maverick love birds.
No one would have predicted when I met Don Buchanan on campus in that I would become his wife 48 years later! Don and I first met in when I was a year-old just out of high school—not as a student at Mankato State College but as secretary to Dr. Roy B. Don had joined the Mankato State College faculty in the academic year.
He remained there, with a two-year interruption to complete a doctoral degree at Indiana University, and enjoyed a year career as a teacher, coach and administrator. He retired in and pursued his hobbies, including wild game hunting, waterfowl decoy collecting, watercolor painting, photography and writing.
Don was happily married to his high school sweetheart, Ora, for more than 50 years when she passed away in I accepted his invitation and that first date led to more dinners and soon a proposal. I married Dr. Donald W. Buchanan, retired Dean of the College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, becoming a bride for the first time at age 65! Our fairy-tale wedding took place on July 15, , and we are looking forward to celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this year!
