It was far from love at first sight for BCIT alumni couple Ria Renouf and Jon Hall.
“Snobby, serious, and too smart for me,” recalls Ria describing her first impression of Jon, who was her former BCIT classmate and is now her husband.
“Technically, the first time we saw each other was on a bus,” explains Jon. He says that while heading to take an entrance exam at BCIT, he recognized the book series Ria was reading. She caught him staring.
“I was a bit creeped out, but thought he was harmless,” Ria shares.
While they saw each other a couple more times at BCIT, they didn’t really connect until one fateful day in September 2013. Hurriedly leaving campus, Ria had just swung open the door, hitting Jon—who happened to be on the other side—smack-dab in the face.
“I felt so bad and apologized profusely,” says Ria. “I quickly realized how easy to talk to he was. We became really good friends after that.”
As Ria got to know him more, she says she became drawn to his passion for life and sense of humour.
Jon chuckles: “What can I say? I’m really great at fourth impressions.”
Building a foundation for love at BCIT
Soon after, the Broadcasting and Online Journalism alumni bonded quickly over their shared experience as students seeking to fast-track employment.
“Our friendship was forged in the crucible of BCIT group projects and tight deadlines,” shares Jon. “We got used to dealing with stress around one another and practicing trust and empathy.”
As a beat reporter for CKNW at the time, Ria says she often covered heavy stories that weighed on her. When she needed a friend to lean on, she says Jon genuinely supported her.
While in the program, Jon and Ria received scholarships through the BCIT School of Business + Media. Ria, who is now Managing Editor for New West Anchor, shares how the award supported her success: “It was an absolute relief. It made me feel recognized for my hard work and gave me the chance to focus on my studies while fully preparing myself for the next chapter in my working life.”
Give to BCIT students and help them achieve their dreams.
After graduating in 2015, the alumni friends stayed connected by working on a podcast project together. In 2017, after being single for some time and still good friends, Jon half-joked how it would be funny if they went on a date.
They decided to take a chance and find out for themselves.
“For our first date, we went to a little Italian restaurant in Horseshoe Bay,” reminisces Ria. “The romance just cascaded from there. It was nuts.”
Jon proposed to Ria later that year and they got married in 2018. Now married for five years, the couple are doing something right and offer some words of advice on love and marriage.
Advises Jon on keeping the magic alive, “Say kind words to each other, unprompted. Cheer for each other. And it doesn’t hurt if you learn how to cook a meal they like.”
For those wanting to take a chance on love, Ria says, “There is no dress rehearsal in life. If you feel comfortable, and the opportunity feels right, say ‘yes.’ It’s how I ended up in an amazing, supportive, and loving marriage.”
Do you have a BCIT love story you’d like to share? Contact us.
Read more BCIT alumni love stories.