By Noah Heiing
BLUFFTON, Ohio — Jackson Clark and Annie Mendenhall took a gamble on love and hit the jackpot with each other. When Clark and Mendenhall went to Casino Night in 2023, they had no idea how much their lives would change. Almost a year later, Clark and Mendenhall are still happily together and continue to find ways to improve their love for each other.
Prior to this Casino Night, Clark, junior business administration and marketing major, and Mendenhall, junior Middle Childhood Education major, knew of each other through their various roles on campus however they never talked. Clark asked Mendenhall to dance with him at Casino Night and from there, the rest is history.
The day after Casino Night, Clark and Mendenhall had their first “date.” Clark invited Mendenhall over to his room to help with some “interior design.”
“I was over in a friend’s room, and he came over and said he needed help with interior design,” said Mendenhall. “Then he told me he needed help moving a couch from the basement into his room.”
It may not seem like an ideal first date, but Mendenhall and Clark look back and laugh about the memories they made all because Mendenhall helped Clark move a couch.
“I really wanted a couch, and I wanted a reason to hang out with her,” said Clark. “I didn’t want it to be awkward so I wanted to ask to hang out in a creative way.”
From the start of their relationship, Clark and Mendenhall agree the time spent between them was lots of things, but never awkward.
Mendenhall said how some love is artificial, quick and easy, but it is not the case for them. Mendenhall added how she never has to try to feel loved, love is something that Clark gives her naturally and frequently.
“I feel there is a difference between knowing you love someone and knowing you want to spend the rest of your life with someone,” said Mendenhall. “Going to church with him multiple times is when I realized I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
Clark and Mendenhall attribute their relationships success to strong relationship with God and their families. Some of Clark and Mendenhall’s favorite activities to do together include going to SteviB’s, hanging out with family, playing Fortnite and going to church.
“I think having God in a relationship is a key to success,” said Clark. “Now that I found my partner, it’s like a life journey with her and we couldn’t do it without God by our side.”
Mendenhall likes Clark’s honesty, faith, confidence and humor. He likes her humor and willingness to help.
“I don’t think there was a specific time that I fell in love with her,” said Clark. “I think it is something that continues to happen over and over again.”
