Emily Neelon |
Two weeks ago, Mehling Hall Director Gina Loschiavo was rowing a boat in the ocean off the coast of Haiti, taking in the sunny skies and sandy beaches, when she spotted a group of people holding signs on the shore. She squinted, and made out the words “Will you marry me Gina?” And suddenly, her boyfriend of almost one year proposed to her.
When Loschiavo boarded the plane at the commencement of spring break to go on a service immersion trip to Haiti with UP students, she had no idea she would come back with not only great memories serving abroad, but a diamond ring on her finger.
Loschiavo and her fiance James Donovan have been dating since late last May and met through mutual friends. Donovan had been in the works of asking Loschiavo to marry him for over four months, and enlisted the help of others on the service trip.
Donovan had a difficult time keeping his engagement plans a secret from Loschiavo, putting the plan into action once he decided to propose in Haiti.
“It was hard for me to keep it quiet and wait months before I could do anything with (the ring),” Donovan said.
Loschiavo had the suspicion that Donovan would propose, but had no idea he would do it on the beach in Haiti.
“I thought he was going to do it on my birthday weekend, but I was wrong,” said Loschiavo.
Senior Amanda Ewing, who led the service trip to Haiti, was in on the plan.
“I was so excited I just couldn’t keep it in,” Ewing said. “It was really cool to be a part of (the proposal).”
Ewing, who has known Loschiavo since she began working as Mehling Hall director in August 2012, was an advocate for the relationship since its start and after meeting James in early May 2013, was in support of the couple.
“Gina, you have to date this guy,” Ewing said she recalls saying to Loschiavo.
Corrado Hall Director Michael Wode was also present at the proposal.
“He proposed in a humble location in Haiti which says a lot about their relationship,” Wode said. “It’s built on service towards others and each other.”
The engagement doesn’t feel like reality for Loschiavo, who hopes to get married in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher next summer.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. I always look at (the ring) and think ‘this is so weird! How is that on my finger?’”
