VCU news

By Leila Ugincius

Bill and Veronica Gaballah received their bachelor’s degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University in the mid-1990s. His in accounting. Hers, business administration. But their paths may have never crossed if they had started out in their respective majors.

Instead, the two were pulled together almost as soon as they set foot on campus.

“We were both health-related majors coming into freshman year,” Veronica said. “First semester, we had almost every class together. What are the odds?”

Somehow Bill always ended up sitting behind Veronica. He would lean over to ask her questions about homework and assignments.

Veronica didn’t know it at the time, but Bill was stacking the odds in his favor.

“I would always take the seat behind her and initially would ask her questions I knew the answers to just to talk to her,” Bill said. “We began talking in - and after - multiple classes. As we continued to talk, it eventually led to a friendship, inquiring about family life and interests.” 

This was well before cell phones and texting so the two would talk on the phone for hours. Their only forms of communication were landlines or face-to-face. Many nights they would fall asleep while still on the phone.

Not long after meeting, Bill realized Veronica’s sweet Southern charm was the first thing on his mind in the morning and last thing on his mind at night.

Meanwhile, Veronica found Bill full of life, and appreciated his “ridiculous” dimples. But she didn’t realize she saw Bill as more than a friend until another girl became his lab partner in one of those shared classes.

“I immediately decided she had to go,” Veronica said, laughing. “There was clear competition there as she refused to learn my name and constantly called me ‘Bill’s girl.’ [A few months later] I ordered a vanity plate that said just that — BLS GRL — and I have it to this day.”

Every day after class, Bill and Veronica walked together to Franklin Street, where Bill lived (Rhoads Hall) and Veronica worked (the VCU Department of Physical Education at the Franklin Street Gym — now the STEM Building). One day, Veronica asked Bill if he wanted to see one of the free movies screening at The Commons. They went to Piccola’s for pizza before watching “Class Action” with Gene Hackman.

That was October, only two months after they met. Bill knew it was serious when they both started to mindfully make room in their daily routines for each other. “I started considering her opinions with regard to life, fraternity pledging and courses,” he said. “I’d let her run me all over the VCU tennis courts.”

But most telling, friends started to notice they were inseparable.

“He was eating dinner with my family on the weekends,” Veronica said. “He was going fishing and playing pool with my dad and brothers-in-law. By [the next] fall we were engaged and moved into an apartment in Southside.”

Almost 35 years after meeting, they’re still going strong. VCU has been a part of it all along.

“VCU has been like our extended family,” Veronica said. “We are huge VCU Basketball fans and spend most anniversaries at the A10 tournament. … We’ve supported each other through so many of life’s moments as we were just 17 when we entered VCU. To realize it’s been 30 years married — 34 together — and three kids already is just unbelievable.”

Of those three kids, their oldest, Adam, is continuing the VCU tradition, studying as a freshman in VCU’s Honors College. Should he ever forget the university’s impact on his family, there’s a daily reminder. On his way to class, he often passes his parents’ brick on the Shafer Court pathway. It reads, “Where it Began | The Gaballahs.”