ABAC students Joey Schoonover and Alyssa Sweat are celebrating their recent engagement.
Schoonover first noticed Sweat playing volleyball. It was Sweat’s freshman year and Schoonover’s sophomore year. They didn’t quite know each other yet, but Sweat admired him from afar.
“I never thought Joey would notice me,” Sweat said.
After spending time together at ABAC’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), they caught each other’s eye.
The couple knew they were the ones for each other on a spring break BCM mission trip. Having instantly connected during the trip, Schoonover asked to be Sweat’s boyfriend soon after.
“He’s very thoughtful and mature and can balance having a good time and participating in leadership. When he goes to speak, you want to listen to him,” said Sweat.
Schoonover went through multiple plans to propose to Sweat. He was anxious as he planned out the proposal with his mother.
The planning for Sweat’s birthday party took place two or three months before. Schoonover wanted to take the chivalric approach and get Sweat’s mother’s blessing.
“As we got closer, I thought I could talk to her the night before. I ended up not being able to. Then I talked to them that morning at Hog-N-Bones. I will never forget it because they told me afterward that they were expecting it. But I asked [her] mom if I could do it today, and then she responded, ‘Today?’”
Sweat was completely surprised as she thought they were just taking pictures at their friend’s house. They were going through different shots and positions for the pictures when the photographer asked Sweat to pose for some single photos of her looking off into the trees. She stood there for nearly five minutes while Schoonover got the ring.
“I thought, oh, nothing’s happening. How could I be so gullible? But, I’m glad I was,” Sweat said. She gave her perspective as a woman seeing online videos of people getting proposed to and adoring them, calling them “delicate.”
Sweat’s world stood still during her special moment.
“I said, ‘Actually, right now?’ Not in a bad way, it was very serial. I thought, ‘Say yes!’” said Sweat. “I wasn’t expecting it at all, but it was a great experience.”
They cherish the fact that their relationship has brought them full circle to where it all started for them. The ceremony will be held at ABAC’s chapel and the reception at the Peanut Museum at the GMA.
During this interview, the love between Schoonover and Sweat was infectious. Their love and admiration of one another was on full display with each flash of Sweat’s smile whenever she talked about her fiancé.
Schoonover and Sweat’s engagement shows that anyone can find love here at ABAC—all it takes is time and patience.