Relationships form at Maryville College

College, for many people, is when they find who they want to be for the rest of their lives. Sometimes, they find who they want to be with as well, and Maryville College is no exception. There are many people at the college who met their significant other through the school — staff included.

There are plenty of love stories on campus going on around us every day. Whether it be because of athletics, sitting next to each other by chance on the first day of class or joining the same club, love stories are starting around us all the time.

Jordan McCullough and Arielle Kilday are both employees of Maryville College whose separate love stories started here as well. They now work in the admissions office. McCullough is an Admissions Counselor, while Kilday is the Associate Director of Admissions.

McCullough met his wife, Madalyn, their freshman year here at the College. They had several classes together their freshman year, but their story truly begins in the spring semester of that year.

Both of them were taking a New Testament class together, and they were also in the concert choir together. Over spring break, they had to leave classes early in order to go preform. They spent two weeks studying together, and the rest follows from there.

“We spent two weeks straight together studying for a New Testament class,” McCullough said. “After spring break, we ended our high school relationships, and shortly after that we started dating each other.”

They studied together trying to get an A on Dr. Ervin’s first test, which Mr. McCullough was able to achieve for the first time ever. The McCullough’s story only continues from there. In the spring of 2018, McCullough proposed to his now wife.

“I proposed in Beeson Village over a grilled cheese and tomato soup,” McCullough said. They graduated from Maryville College together that same year and recently celebrated a year of marriage together on Jan. 5.

Kilday has a similar story, as she met her now husband at the college as well. Both of them were involved in sports. Mrs. Kilday played volleyball, while her then boyfriend played baseball.

“Maryville College didn’t do anything in particular to bring us together,” Kilday said. “But I do guess athletics had a role.” Neither of them are from the area. Mrs. Kilday is originally from Naples, Fla. Her husband is from Greenville, Tenn.

“We were friends for a couple years before we started dating,” Kilday said. “We didn’t start dating until our junior year.” They continued to date throughout college and after college as well. They graduated from the college together in 2005. They have now been married for over ten years.

College is so much more than just meeting the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with, but it is important to recognize the love all around us — especially with Valentine’s Day nearing. Each day a new love story begins, even here at the college. There are many more love stories of employees and students here. 

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