It was a Friday morning on the University of Kentucky's campus, and Maya had just added a Psychology minor to her undergraduate plan. She was in her first psychology class, sophomore year: Psych 215, Experimental Psychology.

"Are you in Psych 215 too?" Maya said as she took a selfie in front of a classroom (Funkhouser, Room 306A) right next to Jackson who was doing the same. "Yeah, nice to meet you. What is your name?" Jackson responded. They were taking selfies in front of a specific classroom as an introductory assignment for the class. It was January 13, 2023, at 10:51am when the following selfies were taken:

Little did Jackson know, Maya already had eyes on him, and this was not the first time she was noticing him.

Jackson + Maya spent the next few months getting to know each other during walks to and from class each week. The butterflies were there (and still are!), but Jackson finally asked Maya on a dinner date on March 10, 2023: the Friday before spring break. They went to Goodfella's Pizzeria followed by Graeter's Ice Cream. The date went so great, that they met at Old School for coffee the following morning before leaving town for break.

Fast forward about one month, Maya invited Jackson to her sorority's formal. These were Jackson + Maya's first photos together-- as the night went on, they clearly got more comfortable with each other and let the nerves wear off.

Jackson + Maya spent the next few months falling madly in love with each other. They enjoyed getting to know each other's families over holidays and friends throughout the weeks. They quickly realized that they didn't ever want their love for each other to end. From impromptu date nights to spending hours studying biochemistry, Jackson and Maya couldn't get enough of each other.

The past few years have been full of birthday celebrations, coffee dates, days on the lake, sports games, concerts, travels, hikes, studying, and hand-holding. Jackson and Maya have been alongside each other during the highs and lows of admissions into medical and dental school. They are each other's constant.

Jackson and Maya have built their relationship on trust, honesty, love, and joy, and have found the kind of comfort in each other that only comes when you've found your person. On October 4, 2025, Jackson asked Maya to be his person forever and marry him!