In this read, we learn the story of Scott Garvin ’17 (he/him) and Kevin Gehringer ’19 (he/him). Their relationship began and grew in their time at Rowan. Both hold degrees in Music Education and Education: Subject Matter Specialization. Scott works as the Vocal Music Teacher at Clayton Middle School and High School. Kevin works as the General/Instrumental/Choral Music Teacher at Magowan Elementary School.
What made you both choose Rowan? Did you know each other prior to attending?
Kevin: “We actually didn’t know each other prior to Rowan. We were born and raised in two completely different states. I was born in Jersey, and Scott was born in Pennsylvania.”
Scott: “I actually had never heard of Rowan. I grew up in Philly and knew I wanted to go somewhere that was far enough away that I felt like I was going away to school, but close enough that I was able to make it home in case something happened at home (my mom has been sick my whole life). I went on a website that asked a ton of questions about school size/location/major and paired you with compatible schools. Rowan came up on mine and I went to visit. I remember going on a tour of Rowan and it was the first tour I did without my parents. I loved walking around campus, but I think the feeling of independence and really feeling like I was in college sealed the deal.”
Kevin: “I knew about Rowan way before I started applying for colleges. My uncle went to Rowan (Glassboro State at the time), my band director went to Rowan, there has been many people I have known that have told me just how great this school is. I would even go to Rowan in high school for All-South Jersey Honors Band; I would rehearse in Wilson Hall with the All-South Jersey Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band for an entire weekend before putting on a Sunday performance in Pfleeger Hall. These experiences were actually big reasons why I wanted to pursue Music Education in the first place. Because I knew so much about the school already and knew how great of a reputation it had, I decided to apply and commit!”
How did you meet?
Kevin: “The Rowan Music Department is pretty small and close-knit, so we always knew of each other. I always thought of Scott as… a little intimidating. He was the choral librarian, the choir section leader, the upperclassman. He was a HUGE part of the music department! I was accepted into Rowan as a saxophone player, but I also decided that I wanted to sing in the choir, too. So, my sophomore year, I decided to audition for the Rowan Concert Choir.”
Scott: “Now during Kevin’s audition, I was organizing music for concert choir nearby. When I overheard Kevin’s audition, I thought to myself… Who was THAT?! He definitely caught my attention! When I found out it was Kevin, I thought “Dang… he can SING!” And that was definitely the start of my crush. That semester, we had Concert Choir, Men’s Choir, and Clarinet Class together. Through these classes, we were able to get to know each other a little more. One thing led to another, and we decided to go on our first date at Jersey Mike’s in the Student Center (how romantic). The rest is history!”
What are some of your favorite memories together at Rowan?
Scott: “Unfortunately, because I was student teaching in the spring, I wasn’t able to spend a lot of time on campus with Kevin while we were dating. But I do remember right before we started dating, I left a seat open next to me in Clarinet Class… and he did NOT take it! Clearly, I was devastated by this blatant act of disrespect and told my friends that I was over him. However, by the next day, we were sitting next to each other in Men’s Choir, each trying to sound our best to impress each other.”
Kevin: “The DRAMA!”
Scott: “Listen, that’s what happened!”
Kevin: “My favorite memories at Rowan with Scott always involved choir. I loved performing with him in our Concert Choir and Men’s Choir performances, it always made the music feel even more special for me. My other favorite moment was when we had our first kiss in the Holly Pointe Commons Parking Lot. Scott was dropping me off after one of our date nights. I know what you’re thinking, between our romantic first kiss in a parking lot and a romantic first date at Jersey Mike’s, we should star in our own romance movie! But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
How did meeting at Rowan influence your relationship?
Kevin: “When a relationship begins in college, it kind of feels like your relationship is put in a vacuum. Since we were both in the same major, we already had a lot of things in common. All of our classes were in the same building, we had many mutual friends, we had similar schedules, and because of this, our relationship naturally became much stronger in a much shorter amount of time than if we didn’t meet in college. Rowan was where we both knew that our relationship would work. Rowan made us excited to reach big life milestones together after we graduated and gave us a strong foundation we needed. And five years later, we hit our first big milestone as a couple and got married on November 27, 2021!”
Scott: “I guess you can say things worked out.”
Like what you see?
Photos by:
Anton Drummond
Story by:
Nick Flagg, senior theatre and advertising double major
Related posts: