Nine years ago, they were building their love in University Hall, now she’s building University Hall. Ochuko and Hannah Evwaraye met in 2007 while completing the study hours required of student athletes. Hannah played golf and Ochuko played soccer.
Both sat at study tables in University Hall. Now Hannah is working on the architecture team that redesigned the building.
“I had seen Hannah on campus, but I had never spoken to her until I met her at one of those study tables,” Ochuko said.
The next year, the two sophomores found out they were both majoring in architecture and started dating in November.
During their time at the University, the couple was very involved with their sports, other campus activities and each other.
“We ended up having a lot of classes together since we were the same year. From there we were able to really connect because we were both student athletes…We were both able to understand each other,” Hannah said.
The two tried to support each other during sporting events as much as possible.
Ochuko said he would get some members of his soccer team together and go to as many of Hannah’s golf meets as possible, following her around from hole to hole and holding supportive signs.
The same dedication was put into finding a group of friends and heading to soccer games for Hannah to cheer Ochuko on.
“People always are surprised when we tell them we played a sport and did architecture because architecture is notoriously known for being demanding,” Ochuko said.
While it was difficult, Ochuko and Hannah agreed that the University’s small program and classes, paired with “deep, individual attention from professors” and understanding of their full schedules really made them successful throughout their time at the University.
“It took more work on our part…to do homework on a plane or work on a model in a hotel room…as long as we put in the effort a lot of teachers were forgiving,” Ochuko said.
One of their favorite teachers was Andreas Luescher, University professor of architecture and environmental design.
“Both displayed clear understanding, creativity, and a commitment to work very hard to become an architect,” Luescher said.
While busy, the couple didn’t miss out on the several local businesses commonly known among University students.
“One of our first eating out dates was at Easy Street and obviously Pollyeyes,” Hannah said of their favorite restaurants in Bowling Green.
Ochuko added Cookie Jar to the list, mentioning that when working late in the studio it was common to get Pollyeyes on the way to Cookie Jar.
After four years of busy schedules, the two graduated from the University they loved together in 2010. While they had finished their undergraduate degrees, to become officially licensed in architecture a masters degree is necessary.
Ochuko and Hannah began applying to graduate schools with the hopes of getting into the same schools. While each applied to several schools, the couple applied to six of the same schools, but they didn’t get accepted into any of the same programs.
A heartbreaking separation came next when Hannah went to Ohio State University and Ochuko traveled all the way to Georgia Tech.
After a year of paying out-of-state tuition, Ochuko decided to save money by trying for residency and in-state-tuition. To earn in-state-tuition, Ochuko would have to stop going to school and work full time in Georgia.
During his year off, Ochuko decided on a whim to reapply to OSU, and he was able to return to Ohio and close the gap between he and his Falcon Flame.
“That was really tough because at that moment I realized that this was really a serious relationship,” Ochuko said. “If we didn’t have that time together at BG to get really close we wouldn’t have been able to be apart for two years.”
Hannah went on to graduate from OSU a year later and Ochuko followed the next year.
“Being in school we were always worried about finding a job together in the same city,” Hannah said.
Despite the worry, the two both found jobs at architecture firms in Columbus, Ochuko at Meyers and Associates and Hannah at BHDP.
After two years living hundreds of miles apart, the two now work only five minutes and a couple blocks from each other.
The couple married in October of 2014 in Columbus, the middle location between her family in Cleveland and his in Dayton.
The two have contributed to the University through their service in several ways. They returned to sit as critics on a jury to judge masters students final proposals. This last year was the first year a class has graduated from the University’s relatively new architecture graduate program. The University is currently going through the accreditation process.
While at the University, the Evwaraye’s were also able to tour the new architecture building. When they attended classes, they were by the airport for the first two years and the old insurance building on Poe Road the third and fourth years.
“It was hard to look up to upperclassmen for help,” Hannah said about the split up department. “I’m excited for them that they’re together now.”
The program moved to Moseley Hall the year after they graduated.
A year and a half ago, Hannah returned again to Bowling Green to try and win the Moseley renovation design job along with her team of architects at BHDP. BHDP was in the top two interviewed companies, but didn’t get the job.
The company did, however, go back to win the University design job, and they did.
“I was sitting at work and we were going over the design…and I had this realization that this was the building where me and Ochuko met, and I never put it together until then,” Hannah said.
While walking through the abandoned theaters in University Hall to take measurements and photos, one of Hannah’s team members found an edition of The BG News from Nov. of 2007. The paper featured a photo of Ochuko in one of his soccer games from the same month the couple started dated.
Now, Hannah travels from Columbus to Bowling Green every Thursday to look over construction by Mosser to make sure it matches design and stays on budgets.
“It’s been good so far. Mosser’s a really good team,” she said.
The couple plans to remain in Columbus for at least a while, as they’ve bought a condo and see that as a step toward a more permanent residence in the city but said they’d be open to moving in the future for different opportunities. Ochuko said it made sense to begin in Ohio with all the family and friend connections they have in the state.
“We just look at it like five minutes at a time,” he said.
Regardless of where they are or end up, the two have a unique connection to Bowling Green and the University, especially as the first college they attended and where they met.
“It’s just something about BG…It’s just a big part of our relationship, knowing we both have such a connection to this school,” Ochuko said.
