Jake and Nikki met in 2017 at North Central College in Illinois. Nikki, a Freshman and Jake, a Sophomore, were both a part of a school organization called Cardinal First for First Generation students of family's who did not receive a higher education past high school. Jake and Nikki briefly met in the fall of 2016 during a Cardinal First welcome event on campus where they intermittently passed each other on campus and at Cardinal First meetings during the fall.

Later that winter, in January, our mutual friends on the Women's soccer and Men's Volleyball team aided in further introducing us, where we became friends, leading to dating in March 2017. We dated throughout both our undergrad programs and Nikki's Master program for Occupational Therapy.

We officially moved to Pennsylvania in the Spring of 2022. Later becoming engaged in November of 2022 in Ligonier, PA. Since becoming engaged we have been grateful to buy a home in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, PA in December 2023.

After growing our lives over the past 7 years we are looking forward to getting married with our friends and family supporting and celebrating with us!