- Michelle Allen Souder, W’93, and David Souder, W’93
- Amy Raslevich, W’93, and Jeffrey Kelly, W’93
- Stephanie Newman Cohen, C’93, W’93, and Matthew Cohen, Eng’93, W’93, WG’98
- Stephanie (Bell) Loller, C’93, and Bill Loller, W’93
- Danny Boockvar, C’93, L’96, and Laurie (Mayer) Boockvar, C’92
- Niko Phillips-Dias, C’93, and Martin Dias, W’93
- Marty Chazin, C’93, and Stacey (Wolfe) Chazin, C’94, W’94
- Sharon Toback Slotkin, C’93, and David Slotkin, W’92
- Alice Lai Platt, C’93, and Mark Platt, C’91
- Debbi (Stoll) Stern, C’93, and Brian Stern, C’93
- Elaine Divelbliss, C’93, L’98, and Steve Livenson, C’93
- Nicole (Weaver) Marshall, C’93, and Stephen Marshall, C’93
Michele Allen Souder, W’93, and David Souder, W’93
Amy Raslevich, W’93, and Jeffrey Kelly, W’93
How we met: Dorothea Schlosser and Tom Kopczynski introduced us sophomore year (they are also married 1993 classmates), although we had our first class together and didn’t know one another (Economics 101).
Stephanie Newman Cohen, C’93, W’93, and Matthew Cohen, Eng’93, W’93, WG’98
We married May 1994 after meeting in September 1989. We met at Stouffer dining hall. His fraternity brother introduced us because his band was looking for a female singer and I sang. I remember being so nervous to meet him, as if he was some music executive or something. We went on our first date that October and have been together ever since. We have three kids ages 17, 15, and 11, two boys and a girl.
Stephanie (Bell) Loller, C’93, and Bill Loller, W’93
We are a Penn couple! We met Freshman year but did not start dating till Sophomore year. My volleyball teammate and his Fraternity brother were dating, and that’s how we met. The four of us were having dinner at the Food Court on Walnut Street. The other couple didn’t work out, but we did, and we are all still friends. The photo of us at Penn was our first Fraternity “Formal” (Alpha Chi Rho, April 19, 1991- I know that from the date stamp on the photo!) taken in my High Rise East room. We were married a year after graduation (1994) and have two girls, now ages 13 and 2 1/2 (yeah, we know, big age gap, and yes, the little one was planned!).
Stephanie and Bill Loller then and now photos
Danny Boockvar, C’93, L’96, and Laurie (Mayer) Boockvar, C’92
Editor: Don’t you have a, “we got engaged on Locust Walk story?”
Danny: Yes!! Proposed at statue of Ben Franklin on Locust Walk , the exact same spot I asked her out on first date seven years earlier.
Danny Boockvar and Laurie (Mayer) Boockvar after their engagement on Locust Walk
Niko Phillips-Dias, C’93, and Martin Dias, W’93
Martin and I met in the summer of 1989 at a Pre-College class to introduce students of color to the African America Studies program. The week-long program started in July of our freshman year. There was a book assigned to the participants with a paper to write during the program. I did not do my job as a future college student. I didn’t finish the book. But, Martin had not only read the book but took copious notes on the book. To make up for my lack of preparation, I, along with another participant, asked Martin for his notes. Martin was quite gracious to share but he had a mischievous side to him too. I can’t recall what was requested in exchange for the notes but that experience left an impression on me.
During freshman year, Martin and I had mutual friends so we socialized in similar circles. I lived in the Upper Quad, and he in W.E.B. Dubois House-the social center of Black student life. I hung out often at Dubois House, so it was common for me to get chaperoned to my dorm by friends. Martin was one. He was big on not letting me walk the campus alone late at night. He was a gentleman, and that was nice. All this time we were friends. It was not until a spring formal in 1990 sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi that we had a real date. We were set up to ask each other to the formal because his roommate was dating my close friend and they wanted us to double date for the formal. That was the beginning of our relationship becoming a thing more than friendship. That was close to 28 years ago. Wow, time flies.
Marty Chazin, C’93, and Stacey (Wolfe) Chazin, C’94, W’94
Sharon Toback Slotkin, C’93, and David Slotkin, W’92
David and I met in April 1989. I was visiting Penn after being accepted, and David was a freshman. I had come to visit Penn with David’s cousin who I had gone on a teen tour with. We met Friday afternoon…and now almost 29 years later, 2 kids (one of whom will be starting Penn in the fall), we celebrated David’s 25th in 2017 and mine this year!
Alice Lai Platt, C’93, and Mark Platt, C’91
We met at a Kappa Sig rush party; a rushee brought me as his date. Knowing us in college, I’m not sure anyone would’ve bet on us getting married.
Editor: The photo on the left?
Alice: That’s the first photo of us ever. Parents weekend. I did not want to meet his parents so soon— we had only gone out a few times and weren’t serious. It helped that there was a group of his friends going with us. His parents took us all to Bocce. It was my first time having BBQ chicken pizza, and I loved it! And I guess I stuck it out with him, too. Ha!
Debbi (Stoll) Stern, C’93, and Brian Stern, C’93
Brian and I met during Spring Fling freshman year. We started dating and I started falling for him. A few weeks later, I woke-up with a pit in my stomach. We have cousins in California named Stern! What if I’m dating my cousin?! I panicked and called my mom at 2:00 in the morning. I tried to act calm but it just blurted out… “Do we have a cousin named Brian in California?” Thankfully, no! I was relieved and fell back asleep. My mom still teases me about it to this day.
Brian’s Favorite Moment: My favorite moment at Penn was meeting my best friend and wife. Debbi Stoll grew up to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
Debbi’s Favorite Moment: Yeah, I liked meeting Brian, too. I’m still waiting for him to grow up!
Elaine Divelbliss, C’93, L’98, and Steve Livenson, C’93
Elaine Divelbliss and Steve Libenson met at our very first Penn Homecoming in the fall of 1993. Steve was working at Monitor Company in Cambridge while I was working in Pittsburgh at PNC Bank and applying to law school. We met up with our Penn friends for the Homecoming game at Franklin Field and then all made our way to Smokes. During our senior year, Steve and I both lived in large houses off campus with many friends — all of whom knew each other quite well, except for the two of us. We never met. With everyone together at Homecoming, Steve and I found ourselves side-by-side in a booth at Smokes where we talked for hours about our many shared interests, especially our shared love of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that booth and mostly because of the Steeler thing, Steve popped the question as kind of a joke: “Should I ask you to marry me now or should I meet your family first?”
He met my family a few months later, and we were engaged in June 1994. We were married in June 1995 in the Pittsburgh suburbs where I grew up surrounded by many Penn friends, who we count among our dearest friends to this day. We have lived in Boston, Princeton, the Upper West Side for many years, and most recently Ridgewood, NJ. Steve is a partner in the strategy consulting practice at Rosetta/Sapient, and I’m the General Counsel of Virgin Mobile USA. We have three amazing and exhausting children, Daniel (15), Lindsey (13), and Claire (6).
In our spare time, we travel with our family to fulfill our autistic son Daniel’s dream of experiencing subways and other cool transportation around the world, explore all things theater, dance and arts with Lindsey, and do pretty much whatever Claire tells us (she’s fierce for a kindergartner) — and of course we travel to Pittsburgh during the season to raise our children in the Steeler tradition.
Elaine Divelbliss and Steve Libenson with their children in Rome
Nicole (Weaver) Marshall, C’93, and Stephen Marshall, C’93
Our story was simple in origin but has most certainly grown to the extraordinary since the fateful moment we set eyes on each other at Penn. It was early our freshman year in October. Both Stephen and I lived in High Rise South. Stephen was on the Penn sailing team with my freshman roommate. One day he came knocking on dorm room 911 looking not for a future life partner but for my roommate who was on the sailing team with him.
Stephen: I was caught of guard when Nicole answered the door. I said to myself, she is so beautiful, just do what you came for and don’t make a fool out of yourself. You will know what to do next time you see her.
Nicole: I was struck by how handsome Stephen was. There were definitely sparks flying!
Our first date was a double date with Penn friends to a movie and Boathouse Bar at The Rittenhouse Hotel. Afterwards, our friends went home and we strolled through Rittenhouse Square together where we would later picnic regularly with our children. I vividly remember the walk through the Square as well as our first date alone at The White Dog Cafe. Stephen and I dated all four years and both graduated in 1993, celebrating jointly with our families.
We married in 1998 and have two gorgeous daughters, both sailors! We love taking our girls to Penn’s campus and enjoy living near Philadelphia so we can take advantage of being part of the Penn community. Stephen and I will be married 20 years this May and every year we are more and more grateful that he knocked on my door that day.
Stephen: I should add that my parents met at Penn as well. We are trying not to burden our daughters with the responsibility of both getting into Penn and meeting their soulmate here!
Penn Class of 1993 25th Reunion Countdown
The weekend of February 9 – 10, 2018, marked 13 weeks until the 25th Reunion of the Penn Class of 1993 (May 11 – 14, 2018)! Meet us at the Button!
Join us we count down the weeks to our reunion #93tothe25th:
- Do you have old photos or mementos from our time at Penn? Photos of Spring Fling? Football at Franklin Field? Classes at DRL? We are taking a trip down memory lane and would love for you to share your memories with our class in a future post. Please email us upenn1993@gmail.com!
- Follow us on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.
- Classmates are invited to join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
- Donate to The Penn Fund in honor of our reunion! We want to break the 25th reunion participation giving record and every gift matters!
Book Your Hotel Room for Alumni Weekend NOW!
The Marriott Downtown (where we had a Penn 1993 and a Penn Alumni room block) is sold out for Alumni Weekend. There are alternative hotels near by. We recommend booking ASAP! Please see our class website for additional details.
Frankly Penn 