Ben Lippen Alumni Association

02/23/2026

Alumni Sweethearts: Jessica (Fairhart) McCain ’13 & Matthew McCain ’15

Their story started in guitar class. Matt had noticed Jessica the year before and remembers thinking, “Who is that girl?!” Jessica, on the other hand, thought of him as a friend at first, a fun & high-energy fella who could always make her laugh and put her in a good mood.

Jessica and Matt made it official with the ultimate teenage first date: Chick-fil-A and a movie. Shared interests and his fun, steady energy made their friendship feel effortless from the start. Before long, Jessica realized she couldn’t imagine life without him. He had become her best friend and safe place.

After four years of dating, Matt proposed in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Disney. Jessica knew a proposal was coming sometime, but the Disney surprise made it extra special.

They were married in 2018 and now live in Irmo, where Matt is a PA in the Neuro ICU at Prisma, and Jessica is an RN currently staying home with their almost 4-year-old son. She’s also a photographer and a women’s self-defense instructor for SASS Go.

A favorite BL memory? Jessica scrambling to memorize the U.S. presidents while Matt softly strummed his guitar so she could sing them in order, while the rest of the class played the assigned song. Mr. Essig was understandably confused!

If they could relive one moment at BL, it would be those sweet, simple afternoons hanging out after soccer practice. No big plans, just time together. 💚💛💚💛

02/23/2026

It was a GOOD DAY at CU! 🐅 Loved catching up with these Falcons, hearing stories, and filming some fun interviews!

Thanks to everyone who came through to say hello — it was SO good to see your faces!! Where should BL on the Road go next?
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02/12/2026

Alumni sweethearts Jonathan Cochrane ’09 & Alex (Stoker) Cochrane ’09 met in 6th grade but didn’t start dating until junior year. Jonathan thought Alex was smart, pretty, and athletic. Alex thought Jonathan was funny, sweet, and adventurous. That’s a strong start. 💚

One of their favorite early memories was a special prom scavenger hunt around campus that ended at the CIU reflection pond, where Alex had to cast a fishing pole to reel in balloons holding Jonathan’s invitation (see photo). Game days were a highlight. Jonathan says seeing Alex, a cheerleader, wear his football jersey on Fridays was basically the coolest moment of his teenage life.

Jonathan knew within a few months that Alex was the one, while Alex says it took her just a little bit longer 😉. She loved his kindness, adventurous spirit, and heart for God and family.

They began dating at 16 and married five years later in 2012. After another scavenger-hunt proposal at Clemson’s Lake Hartwell (complete with a guitar serenade), they officially began forever. Jonathan had carved their initials into a tree when they first started dating in high school, and the night before the proposal, he cut the tree down and brought the initialed cross-section to the proposal spot! The couple still has it in their home.

Now they live in Greenville with their four kids. Alex teaches at a homeschool co-op and homeschools their children, and Jonathan works in real estate development.

02/10/2026

After graduating from Ben Lippen in 2020, Mac Johnson went on to play Division I football at The Citadel before transferring to Charleston Southern.

Today, he works for the Miami Marlins selling box suites and season passes, and when he’s off the clock, he’s catching - and releasing - massive sharks from the shore (yes, really!).

Mac has built a fast-growing fishing and outdoor platform, bringing in over 70 million views in the last six months. He landed his first 9+ foot lemon shark at just 15 years old, and that pretty much set the tone. Since then, he’s gone after bigger and tougher species, building his own custom rigs, hand-welding hooks, and using heavy-duty gear to handle some of the ocean’s biggest predators. His largest catch so far is a 13-foot, roughly 1,300-pound great white shark!

One of Mac’s most meaningful experiences to date was helping free a rare, endangered sawfish that was tangled in abandoned fishing lines and returning it safely to the water. A once-in-a-lifetime experience with an animal that few get to see, and help in a meaningful way.

Looking ahead, Mac plans to collaborate with bigger creators, travel internationally to target new species, and keep leveling up his content, all while continuing to grow his charter business and succeed in his role with the Miami Marlins. Still on his list is the mako shark, a deep-water challenge he’s hoping to tackle when the timing is right.

Follow along on Instagram and catch more exciting videos on YouTube and other platforms .

02/02/2026

Meet alumni sweethearts Teal (Atkinson) Williamson ’14 and Greg Williamson ’13.

They first met at a Friday night varsity football game, Teal in 8th grade and Greg in 9th. They still remember (and laugh about) the very first words they said to each other. They both thought the other was cute… but instead of jumping into dating, they became best friends first.

At Ben Lippen, Teal (cheerleading, track) and Greg (baseball, football) made so many memories: Mrs. McClintic’s class, basketball games in the superfan section (Greg sitting right behind the cheerleaders), hanging out after baseball games, and constant phone calls to “debrief” life. Teal even helped set Greg up on a few social dates before they were ever a couple!

Their first date? Frog gigging. 🐸 They caught 14 frogs, took them back to Greg’s house, and he fried them up and insisted they eat them. Safe to say, it was memorable!

They started dating the summer before Teal’s senior year and did long distance through Clemson and The Citadel. Four years later, Greg surprised her with roses, leading her through the Clemson Botanical Gardens, and proposed at the end of the path.

They were married on January 27, 2018, at The Farm at Ridgeway and now live in Columbia. Greg runs Williamson Engineering & Consulting, and Teal is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Prisma Health while also staying home with their son, Banks.

If they could relive one BL memory, it would be their Winterim trip to Nicaragua. The trip where their friendship grew even deeper, and they both started to realize this just might turn into something more.💛💚

Did your love story begin in the halls of Ben Lippen? Whether you met at a Friday night game, in class, on a team, or didn’t start dating until years later, we want to hear from you!

Share your story for our annual Alumni Sweethearts feature at the link below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXzhtmWYfJBEIrQ-sOgklMVWe8sxffkoIIlEQ5B7CijB6KWA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=116350737142533656232

01/28/2026

Richard Van De Water ’08 didn’t plan on becoming a photographer.
Like many careers, his path had its share of ups and downs, and one of those turns became the catalyst for what he’s doing now. During COVID, Richard traveled to Hawaii for a few weeks after a job transition. He borrowed a friend’s “very basic, nothing-fancy camera,” and while he was there, he thought: “Maybe I should try this.”
Looking back, he believes the Lord used that season to redirect him. Learning photography from the ground up, he began navigating the uncertainty that comes with breaking into a creative industry, putting in the work, and trusting God with the outcome.
That outlook eventually opened doors he never could’ve planned, including working with Tara-Leigh Cobble on a project that took him to Israel in 2021. The subsequent book, Israel: Beauty, Light, and Luxury, hit the NYT bestseller list, and the whole Israel experience left a lasting mark. “It reframed the Bible for me. Less like something distant and more like something textured and real.” He shared that professionally, it changed everything.
Now living in Charleston, South Carolina, Richard’s work is known for being emotional, honest, and alive. His goal remains the same: “I want every image to carry the essence of a real moment and spark something in the viewer.” That desire for connection is also what led him to begin sharing more of his journey on TikTok.
“So I took the risk and started posting. I wanted people to get a sense of who I am, because connection is what makes art land. If someone connects with you as a person, they’ll connect with your work on a deeper level, too.”

Stay tuned! You can read Richard’s full feature in our upcoming Alumni Newsletter!

www.richardvandewater.com

01/23/2026

Alumni Sweethearts aren’t just high school sweethearts! While some love stories begin in the halls of Ben Lippen… others are written later 💕
Wherever yours began, we’d love to share your Alumni Sweetheart story this February.

Complete the form at the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXzhtmWYfJBEIrQ-sOgklMVWe8sxffkoIIlEQ5B7CijB6KWA/viewform?usp=sharing

01/14/2026

We are hitting the road! 🚙💛💚

Welcome to Ben Lippen on the Road, a new series where we visit college campuses across the state to connect with our alumni and hear how BL helped prepare them for this exciting chapter of their lives. First stop: USC and these Falcons showed up (on a frigid morning!) to share their stories! Stay tuned.

More campuses. More stories. More Falcons. Where to next?

12/10/2025

The Fleming family has been part of Ben Lippen for four generations! 💚 💛 From Asheville to Columbia, with Joshua '93 serving as a local pastor and involved in missions around the world, Gabriel '95 serving as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force overseas, and Hannah (Fleming) Edgren '97 teaching on campus, their story shows how Ben Lippen has shaped their faith, service, and family legacy since the 1940s.

Read the full story at the link below.

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10/29/2025

From cheering on the Falcons to cheering on women in her studio, Sutton Satcher Barrow ’15 is following God’s call to minister to and encourage women through fitness.

Her journey after Ben Lippen took her from Clemson to the world of politics, then to Nashville, back to Columbia, and now to Greenville, SC. Through it all, God was shaping her passions. When she discovered Lagree fitness and the joy of encouraging others, she knew she wanted to create a space designed to strengthen clients physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Sutton now owns Made Four in Greenville. The name “Made Four” reflects the four-count movement of Lagree and the belief that we are all made for something greater. Her mission is to help people grow stronger in every way so they can confidently live out what they’re made for.

Sutton and Robert are enjoying life with their daughter, Satcher, and are joyfully expecting a baby boy in November! They love exploring Greenville, Saturday morning coffee runs, hosting friends for dinner, and investing in their church community at Downtown Pres.

Read the full story at the link below

We’d love to spotlight more stories like this! Send us a message or email [email protected].

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09/24/2025

As Ben Lippen marks 85 years of Christian education, we celebrate stories that bridge our past and present, like that of Patrick Major ’65.

Patrick first came to Ben Lippen in 8th grade when his missionary parents entrusted him to the school. “My classmates truly were my new brothers and sisters,” he recalls. The rhythm of dorm life, devotions, and friendships deeply shaped his faith.

After graduation, Patrick devoted more than 40 years to Christian education as a teacher, principal, and leader with ACSI. This fall, he and his classmates are returning to Columbia for their 60th reunion during Homecoming on October 3, a milestone that reflects the lasting impact of the Ben Lippen experience.

“This year we wanted to not only get together but also show appreciation to the school, as it is now, for the impact it’s had on our lives,” Patrick explains.

We can’t wait to celebrate this class and their classmate Steve Gay, who is being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame this year. It will be a very special Homecoming!

Read the whole story at the link below:

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