San Diego State Alumni Jason and Veronica Farran hold SDSU close to their heart, even more than a decade after graduation. Literally, they have never lived more than a mile away from campus.
“It’s part of us, you know. It’s who we are,” Jason said. “We’ve been talking about trying to buy a house close to where Veronica works, and I think one of the first things that I said was ‘Wow, you know how long of a drive it’s going to be after basketball games?’”
Jason graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Veronica graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in English. The pair started dating in 1999 when Jason was a junior and Veronica was a freshman. Jason was in the Sigma Pi fraternity and Veronica was in the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
“A friend of mine called me at 9:30 at night and said ‘Oh, I’m going over to Sigma Pi to see somebody, do you want to come?’ And I’m like ‘No, I’m already in my pajamas, I’m not going out,’” Veronica said. “And then she said please, and she gave me the guilt trip like ‘Do you really want me to go to a fraternity house by myself?’ And it just so happened that she was going to see him!”
She went on to say that she was interested in him as soon as she saw him, despite the many other people that were there that night.
“I didn’t want to talk to them, it was all about him,” Veronica said with a laugh. “Just starting to get involved in the sorority and meeting different guys in fraternities and things — quite honestly, he seemed really sweet. He didn’t seem like a jerk. He was well-mannered.”
“I thought she was really cute,” Jason said. “She carried herself really well, I could see that she had confidence in herself. She was a very pretty girl.”
Jason is now the owner of video production and photography company as well as a website development company. Veronica is a principal at K-8 school. They have both found their education at SDSU to be an asset to their professional lives.
Jason remembered taking a general education history class toward the beginning of his time at SDSU. He recounted how the professor put a list of books in front of the class and told the students that they were all optional. The professor went on to explain that for exams, students would be expected to answer general questions based on the knowledge they had gained from what they chose to read. Though at first overwhelmed, Jason now feels grateful for the experience.
“Throughout the semester I was learning because I wanted to learn, not because the professor was telling me. So that really guided the rest of my collegiate career and also in my work,” Jason said. “I was learning because I wanted to do things.”
Veronica took an Italian class as a foreign language graduation requirement. She found it very challenging, but her professor’s patience and willingness to work with her for hours at a time resonated with her.
“I think when I went into teaching I remembered that,” Veronica said. “I wasn’t good at it, or I didn’t think I had a strength in it, but through her patience and belief in me — I mean she really stressed to me that I could do it, put your mind to it, practice — I think I took that into teaching and just had an amazing amount of patience for students who kind of sold themselves short.”
One of the biggest things that has aided their careers is their support for each other. Jason remarked on his gratefulness for Veronica’s ability to keep him grounded. This was especially important to him during his career in politics.
“I worked for an elected official for 11 years. When I would come home, she didn’t want to hear anything about politics, which was good for me because all day I would be talking about it, and then I get home and it’s the last thing I want to talk about,” Jason said. Then he added with a laugh: “And she’s also the type of person who would call me on trying to censor myself a little bit.”
Veronica says Jason’s presence has made an impact on her career as well.
“Whenever there was an event, or I was coaching sports, or ASB adviser, whatever it may be, he was always at events. He was always helping out,” she said. “Even now, he comes to all of our events. His new company films all of our concerts and photographs all our events and stuff, so he’s just kind of been in it.”
The Farrans were married in 2005, and have been together for a total of 16 years. From the point of view of someone in a relationship that has successfully lasted all this time, Jason shared some advice for couples who are currently attending SDSU.
“You’re in college and what you’re doing in college isn’t going to be who you are in six or seven years. You’re gonna do stupid stuff. Don’t let the stupid stuff screw up what could be later on in life. I think that’s kind of why we lasted, because I did a lot of stupid stuff and she stuck it out,” Jason said.
Veronica interjected with a wholehearted laugh before he continued. “You never know when you’re gonna find the love.”
