JAMES & JANELLE (HARTZELL) HOFFMAN
Current hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Number of years married: 3
Graduation years: James, 2008; Janelle, 2010
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your spouse?
Janelle: He can always make me laugh.
James: Her ability to make me laugh, her understanding and being able to lift me up when I need it sometimes … not to mention knocking me down a peg now and then.
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your spouse or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Janelle: We first met at Hotel Happy’s during my first semester as a freshman (he had just transferred from Penn State Schuylkill) although we didn’t start dating until a year later. I was coming down the main staircase as he was coming up with a few other rush, and as he recalls, I may have missed a step and fell into his arms. The rest is history!
James: Met Janelle at Hotel Happy’s when I was pledging.
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Janelle: He took me to Baby’s Diner downtown for my birthday, and we both got milkshakes and burgers. That is still one of my favorite places to visit when we go back to State College.
James: Baby’s for her birthday. They have the best milkshakes in State College.
Q. What’s your best AZ-related memory from your wedding day?
Janelle: All of the brothers singing “Dream Girl” to me while Mark Lowery held my hand during the whole song. I think Mark had a little too much to drink that day …
James: All the friends that made that day more enjoyable.
Q. What would your spouse say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Janelle: I’m not sure because I don’t have any bad habits.
James: My new patterns in eating and sleeping habits.
JOE AND AMY (YEISER, soon-to-be) LESLIE
Current hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania
Number of years dating: 2.5, getting married November 2014
Graduation years: Joe, 2009; Amy, 2012
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your significant other?
Amy: His sense of humor – his laugh is absolutely contagious, and it’s very hard to stay in a bad mood for too long when you’re around him.
Joe: She puts up with me and laughs at my stupid jokes.
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your significant other or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Amy: Other than getting rides to and spending time at the Nittany Lion Fall Classic, my first memory at Alpha Zeta is probably family dinners, when I started to feel like I was finding my family away from home.
Joe: First met at Fall Classic, then of course dancing in the AZ basement.
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Amy: It was a long time coming until we had our first official date, and I remember being very nervous and worried about if we would have anything to talk about. I was about a month away from turning 21, and all I wanted was a beer to help calm my nerves. But very shortly into the date, I realized there was nothing to worry about because I was having dinner with my best friend.
Joe: I just remember thinking to myself, “I can’t believe this girl’s going to give me a chance.”
Q. What is something AZ-related that you’re looking forward to on your wedding day?
Amy: Having my brothers sing “Sweetheart of Alpha Zeta” to me!
Joe: Celebrating with my AZ brothers and sisters, singing and dancing to all our favorite songs.
Q. What would your significant other say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Amy: Doing the dishes or cleaning the house at odd hours.
Joe: Not cleaning up after myself and constantly yelling at the pledges for not doing the dishes. Not a smart move when you only live with one other person.
Photo credit: Rusty Yeiser.
DOUG AND RACHEL (KILGORE) SATTAZAHN
Current hometown: Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania
Number of years married: 5
Graduation year: Doug and Raechel, 2007
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your spouse?
Raechel: I appreciate that Doug is a cool, calm and collected guy. Let’s just say that I’m a bit opposite of that, so we balance each other out nicely!
Doug: Raechel puts 100% into all she does, plus puts up with me everyday!
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your spouse or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Raechel: Doug and I initially met during our freshman year at Penn State. That fall we had a couple of classes together. By late November/early December, all of our friends (you know who you are) were doing their best to convince the two of us to start dating, and our first official date was at the AZ winter formal.
Doug: Probably going to the parties and then walking her home to Runkle Hall.
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Raechel: I believe that it was a rather spur-of-the-moment thing for us to attend the AZ formal. Both of us had spent some time at the house that fall and got to know many of the brothers and sisters there. They invited us to the formal. Each of us had gone to the Dairy Science Club formal the weekend before stag, but Doug must’ve mustered up the courage to ask me to the AZ formal the next weekend. The formal was fun, although I do remember feeling very young. We were some of the only freshmen there.
Doug: AZ Winter Formal 2003. I remember thinking we made a pretty good couple. It was when I knew this was going to be something good.
Q. What’s your best AZ-related memory from your wedding day?
Raechel: Doug and I were so happy that all of our pledge class siblings were able to join us on our special day. Of course, them singing Sweetheart of Alpha Zeta to me was a highlight.
Doug: All my pledge brothers were in attendance. Also, two brothers and two sisters were in the wedding party.
Q. What would your spouse say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Raechel: I believe it was during our time at the house that I would exclaim, “Douglas!” when I was mad at him. I don’t think Doug likes it too much when I call him by his full name.
Doug: Hmm, not cleaning up after myself? I’m not sure, although if we had a pool table, it would be wasting too much time around that.
JOE AND JESSICA (ROSE) SPANGLER
Current hometown: New Berlin, Pennsylvania
Number of years married: 4
Graduation years: Joe, 2008; Jessica, 2009
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your spouse?
Jessica: Joe’s one of the few people in this world that makes me laugh. He understands me for me, and I’ve never had more in common with anyone else.
Joe: She gets who I am.
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your spouse or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Jessica: The first time I remember Joe was at the first party I went to when Chip (aka Larry Ansell) was convincing me to pledge AZ over a bowl of margaritas. I just remember thinking Joe was pretty cute, and everyone seemed to be drawn to his personality. It wasn’t until over a year later that we actually had our first date.
Joe: I can’t remember.
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Jessica: Outside of AZ events, our first official date was to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then a small get together at my apartment. There was a group of us spending the evening together instead of going to one of the College of Ag dances.
Joe: Someone posting picture of us playing Twister on Facebook.
Q. What’s your best AZ-related memory from your wedding day?
Jessica: The most vivid AZ memory from my wedding day was of course having the Sweetheart song sung to me. But on top of that, it was a drunken Nate Heim singing the loudest and holding my hand through it all.
Joe: All of the AZ brothers singing to Jess.
Q. What would your spouse say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Jessica: Honestly I have no idea! I know he wishes I would’ve picked up some of Mike Woods’ recipes or learned to like alcohol more. The worst habit I picked up in college was my need to be super organized, but that’s more contributed to taking way too many classes at one time.
Joe: Eating deep-fried food.
Photo credit: Lydia Rose.
JOHN AND ERIN (MUNGER) STINAVAGE
Current hometown: Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Number of years married: 7
Graduation year: John, 2003; Erin, 2005
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your spouse?
Erin: He is very helpful with my parents’ dairy farm and how he works extra to make sure we have enough firewood for the winter or if we need extra money. (Thank you, honey!)
John: She has given me two beautiful kids (Cameron and Kendall).
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your spouse or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Erin: We sort of knew each other before Penn State (from 4-H), and I didn’t know he was at the school or the fraternity. I went to a house party during my fourth semester to visit a friend, and John was the first person I ran into that night. He was the one who had gotten me join AZ.
John: Hotel Happy’s! (She came to the house as a rush … I think … I was drinking …)
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Erin: We started hanging out while I was “pomping the float” during homecoming 2003, but our first official date was wings and bowling. I remember how funny it was trying to coordinate what time to go because we both had barn chores to do first.
John: I can honestly say I can’t remember.
Q. What’s your best AZ-related memory from your wedding day?
Erin: We had a lot of people from AZ, and I can’t forget when all the men come up to sing “Dream Girl” to me.
John: The guy’s bridal party lifted Erin up and carried her around after we sang “Dream Girl.”
Q. What would your spouse say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Erin: I don’t know if I have any bad habits from there so it will be interesting to see his answer … LOL
John: I don’t honestly think she picked up a bad habit.
JASON AND CHRISTINA (PETERSSON) WOLFE
Current hometown: Riner, Virginia
Number of years married: Christina – 10 years (11 in May); Jason – 10 years? Did I get that right?
Graduation year: Jason, 1999; Christina, 2000
Q. What do you like best or most appreciate about your spouse?
Christina: He is an amazing father, a loving husband, an incredibly hard worker and family focused.
Jason: She is a caring and selfless person and a great wife but an even better mother to our children. I would like to point out that I have helped hone her excellent patience and tone down the OCD trait.
Q. What’s your first memory of meeting your spouse or interacting with them at Alpha Zeta?
Christina: I met Jason when I was visiting PSU as a high school senior at the Nittany Lion Fall Classic where he was calling bids in the sale ring, which should have caused me to run away, but I still decided PSU was the place for me! Once I was at PSU as a freshman, he and a few others invited a group of us girls over to visit the house, and we were later offered bids. At Alpha Zeta, Jason always kept the mood light and the music playing.
Jason: We first met when she came to the Nittany Lion Fall Classic on her prospective student visit. As I remember it, she was instantly drawn to Penn State after meeting the crazy ringman taking bids. At Alpha Zeta, she was in a group of girls that were targeted as potential sisters after the controversial decision to bring women into the fold as members. I was a rush chair, so naturally it was my duty to recruit outstanding new members.
Q. Describe what you remember from your first official date.
Christina: We didn’t start dating until he had graduated and I was in my senior year. He pestered me for long enough that I finally agreed to a date. Our first date was for pizza. Then he took me to meet his family, and I fell hook, line and sinker.
Jason: It was following a night at the Brewery with our friends, Velveeta. We were left behind by our group that night and had a nice walk home. We went to Brothers Pizza the next night for our official first date. It only took her another couple weeks to convince me that we should make it an official couple. I was concerned about her maturity, but the prospects of marrying a future Ph.D. and retiring in five years sold me.
Q. What’s your best AZ-related memory from your wedding day?
Christina: I remember being serenaded so vividly, which I still think is such an awesome tradition (although if the guys could actually get in tune, it would make it so much more tolerable on the ears!). We had AZ brothers and sisters flanking us on either side at the altar that day, as well as so many behind us in the church. It was so wonderful to have that support!
Jason: I remember having all of the many friends from AZ there, both in the wedding party and to help celebrate! We had a singer, guitar player and even had an Alpha Zeta brother take care of my family’s dairy farm so they could all come to Massachusetts for our special day.
Q. What would your spouse say is the worst habit you picked up from your days at Alpha Zeta?
Christina: Accepting the bet of $1.
Jason: If she says anything other than Brother Standish, she is making it up!
Photo credit: Chelsa Yoder Photography.