Augie Sweethearts: Beth Ellman and Jim Rokaitis, Class of 1984

Submitted by Beth Ellman Rokaitis of Modesto, Calif.

Our love story began in our freshman year at Augie in Swedish class.

I came to Augie as a legacy (Ardis Johnson Ellman '53) intending on getting my one year of foreign language done so I could transfer back home to University of CA Santa Barbara. Jim sat in the back row of class with his friend Scott and noticed me, sitting in the front row. We briefly talked at Octoberfest that fall, dancing a polka which became our "first dance".

By March of that year I had pledged Delta Chi and Jim GAB. I finally had to take the first step and asked him to a Delta Chi informal called Double Vision. We dressed up like cowboys. That night on the dance floor we shared our first kiss and the rest, as they say, is history.

We dated all 4 years at Augie (yep...I never applied to UCSB) and married in 1986. We just celebrated our 31st anniversary!!! Augie will always hold a special place in our hearts. We enjoyed a great education and made wonderful friends but most of all...we found each other.