Thanks to Kevin Hostetler, ESIA BA ’08 and Joe Walker, ESIA BA ’07 for sharing their story with us!
In 2004, Kevin Hostetler, ESIA ’08, and Joe Walker, ESIA ’07, were both accepted to the Colonial Cabinet, a group of student leaders that facilitate the transition of new students and their families into the GW community.
Little did these two young men know how fortuitous that appointment would be.
“We were at a pizza party organized to meet and get to know our fellow cabinet members,” Joe says, reminiscing about the first time he met Kevin. “We became fast friends, and I was immediately drawn to his big smile and fun, warm personality. He was one of those people you just wanted to be around.”
Kevin recalls that night, too. “Joe had long, curly hair back then—I’ll never forget seeing him for the first time at the party. My first impression of Joe was that he was incredibly kind to everybody around him. It would be tough to find a person who dislikes Joe. He is a caring, patient, and amazing friend.”
A relationship quickly developed between the two, and over the course of the next three years, they spent a lot of time together on campus. As fellow students in the Elliot School of International Affairs, they often sat side-by-side in class. “It adds a bit of competition in the classroom when your boyfriend is also taking the same course!” Kevin laughs. “But our biggest overlap at GW was Colonial Cabinet. If you look at pictures from our wedding, almost every one of our friends has some connection to the people we met through Colonial Inauguration.”
The couple celebrated their wedding on November 12, 2016 in Palm Springs, California. Most of the friends in attendance hailed back to their GW days, including all six members of the wedding party. “In addition to being a wedding, it was also a college reunion,” Joe says. “GW friends flew in from across the country (and from abroad), which added to the fun and joy of the weekend.”
“It was a magical night—perfect weather, a beautiful sunset, and a sense of joy,” Kevin says. “One of the most memorable parts of the night was when we took a GW group photo. It was amazing to see how important the university was to our lives, and to see the friends, colleagues, and networks that came from our time at GW.”
Kevin and Joe moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue career opportunities, and many of their fellow Colonials ended up in Los Angeles as well. “[Having friends from GW out here] made our transition to L.A. much easier,” Joe says. “GW is still a big part of our lives.” —Mary Follin
