Orange Crush contest highlights OSU love stories

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Linda and Emmett Carter enjoy their visit to Berlin during a People-To-People Goodwill European tour in 1964.

While receiving a world-class education at Oklahoma State University, many students also find love.

For the past two years, the university’s Valentine’s Day contest “Orange Crush” has encouraged OSU students, alumni and fans to share their OSU love stories on OSU’s social media platforms. Whether the stories are about a person finding their spouse or focus on their love for their alma mater, there is one common theme: The love was all made possible because of Oklahoma State.

Jennifer Vinyard and her family shared their story during last year’s contest

Linda and Emmett Carter share a moment when they visit England during a People-To-People Goodwill European tour in 1964.

“I met my husband in class my sophomore year,” Vinyard said. “We had different lab partners, but I had such a huge crush on him, I would stay after class to talk to him.”

After continuously running into each other for more than a year, her future husband finally asked her out and they have been together since, Vinyard said.

Finding love at OSU seems to be a family tradition for Vinyard. Her parents and grandparents also experienced love that blossomed from a chance encounter at Oklahoma State.

Vinyard’s father played basketball for Coach Henry Iba. Her mother would sneak into Gallagher-Iba Arena with her friends and watch practices. Occasionally, they were caught and chased out by Coach Iba himself.

With Vinyard’s daughter attending OSU, the family is eager to see if she will experience a similar love story

Andrea Aggarwal entered Orange Crush to share her parents’ story. Aggarwal’s father, Emmett Carter, says it was love at first sight when he saw his now-wife, Linda.

Emmett was entering his sophomore year and Linda was entering her freshman year at OSU when they met was at the 4-H office. Both had been active in the organization throughout high school. Linda was signing up for a People-to-People Goodwill Trip to Europe in 1964, and Emmett could not resist accompanying her on this trip — no matter the sacrifice.

“The cost of the trip was $1,200, a significant sum of money in those days,” Carter said. “After discussions with my parents, they decided I could sell four cows to pay for the trip to Europe. We were engaged by the end of Linda’s last semester at OSU.”

Orange Crush is yet another way the OSU Family can share memories of the deep connections they have made while on the campus and because of OSU.

Orange Crush runs Feb. 9-13. To find out how to enter, contest rules and the list of prizes visit contests.okstate.edu.

Story by Alex Marianos