Mr. and Mrs. Holy Cross

By K.P. Palmer

Each year I waited with patient anticipation of the Mr. and Ms. Holy Cross Pageant, just knowing it would be “my year.”

I did not win my freshman or sophomore year, and was named Ms. Runner-Up my junior AND senior year. It was a huge shock losing senior year, I genuinely believed I would win for persistence if nothing else. Not that I am bitter or anything. I’ll get over it, really!

One of my fantasies about winning this pageant was actually to fall in love with Mr. Holy Cross and for us to become the quintessential Holy Cross College couple. Looking back, I am glad this did not actually happen (no offense guys). However, for two Holy Cross alumni my silly fantasy became a reality. In 2003, Robbie Couch and Teresa Van Hoozer were crowned Mr. and Ms. Holy Cross. On August 11, 2007, they tied the knot in real life becoming Mr. and Mrs. Holy Cross.

Robbie and Teresa met at Holy Cross College in the fall of 2002. Although they were both from South Bend, they had never met before attending Holy Cross. Robbie says this is why the college has been such an influential part of their lives. “We grew up in the same town, but we would have never met if we hadn’t decided to go to Holy Cross.” When they met, Teresa was a sophomore, Robbie was a freshmen and they hit it off right away.

In the spring of 2003, both Robbie and Teresa decided to participate in the pageant. However, they insist they intended to enter separately and never thought they would win. They decided to perform their talent together and performed a swing-dance. From what I have heard, their performance was awesome. They went on to do the evening wear and interview portions of the event and were crowned with the title of Mr. and Ms. Holy Cross.

Teresa went on to Purdue University to major in nursing, Robbie transferred to Valparaiso University to major in business management, and the ideal Holy Cross couple stayed together over the next few years. Robbie proposed on Christmas Eve of 2006, and they were married a year later. Where do you suppose the ceremony took place? The Holy Cross Chapel of course! They even used the Holy Cross bus as their limo, which just proves how much they love Holy Cross. I have been on that bus before, and the trip could not exactly be called a luxury cruise. Either way, congratulations Robbie and Teresa, your story is like a fairy tale! As for me? I am trying to open the pageant to faculty, staff, and alumni. You know what they say, fifth time’s a charm…