College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

Who doesn’t love a good Hilltopper love story? There are literally thousands of them.

In honor of Valentine’s Day this weekend, WKU’s Amy Bingham talks to a WKU couple who matched up nearly 30 years ago in this week’s View from the Hill.

Martha Sales first moved off campus her senior year at WKU.  Turns out her future mate lived right across the street.

“We just became friends, started doing things together, just hanging out.”

“Actually I was real good friends with her roommate at first so I would catch rides to work and I would spend a lot of time at her place because of her roommate.”

Within six months, that friendship had blossomed.

“He gave me a watch like Valentines. We started dating I guess official as the students call it, oh ya’ll official, and then it was Christmas that same year he asked me to marry him so it really wasn’t even a year.”

Martha says she can think of at least two things that made her realize Shawn was the one.

“Probably what helped more than anything, I’m a daddy’s girl and my daddy really liked him.”

“One common thing that we had and I think that’s still the strong common and that is our belief and our faith in God.”

As for Shawn, Martha caught his eye nearly two years earlier when he spotted her moving into what is now known as Minton Hall.

“I didn’t realize what it meant at the time but I’ve never forgotten that moment. Long before we had a relationship. I always say that God pointed her out to me.”

Nearly 27 years of marriage and two grown children later, Martha, in her role in student engagement at WKU and Shawn who is now a pastor, continue impacting students.

“The more they change, the more they stay the same. I mean they really need much the same thing they did when we were students.”

As life comes full circle for this Hilltopper couple, Martha says she just has one question.

“If you had to do it all over again would you?  (pause, laughter) Cut!”

Shawn says the answer is most definitely yes.

Martha says she has witnessed many more Hilltopper love connections during her time working at WKU. Some have even had Shawn perform their wedding ceremony.