10/09/2026
Lindsey: "Growing up, my parents were my biggest supporters. They encouraged me to pursue a practical career after high school, and many people told me I'd make a great nurse. After spending my first year of college completing online classes during the pandemic, I decided to enroll in the nursing program at LMC. I moved into Beckwith Hall, which was a big step away from my only support system at the time."
David: “I started at LMC as an engineering student. That just didn't click. I was always passionate about choir. I started going to the LMC choir as a community member, then changed my major. Kris Zook was the choir director, and he really helped me.”
L: “During the first week of nursing school at LMC, they say, find a friend. A support system is really important. There was this Halloween party on campus, and my friends in the nursing program wanted me to go. Before that, I wasn't very social. I was here for school. But they convinced me.”
D: “I went to the party hoping to get to know more people, because music people had our own community. It was incredible to meet Lindsey there. We hit it off. Later that night, I went out with my friends, and I couldn’t stop talking about this girl.”
L: “David introduced me to his music friends and to Kris Zook. Even though I wasn’t in music, everybody was so welcoming. They said, you’re in nursing? Good for you. You’ll do great. The nursing program was challenging, but David helped me stay motivated and persevere. He’d study with me and make it fun. I graduated from LMC and started working as an RN in St. Joe.”
D: “As a music major at LMC, I worked two shows for my audio tech class. Dolphy, who was the technical director at TPC Technologies (now Force Tech), was the one who first learned my name. He saw that I was genuinely curious and willing to do the work. I became an independent contractor with Force Tech, and then they hired me full-time running lights, video, and audio for shows.”
L: “We had talked about getting married in the future, but we were still getting established. I was on night shift. He was still an independent contractor. Then one day he texted me, ‘I'm going to buy a ring.’ And he proposed a week later.”
D: “We got everyone together for the wedding. Our wedding party included three friends from LMC. Kris Zook was the officiant. He had been a mentor to me when I was starting out.”
L: “I wouldn’t have made it through the nursing program without Kris being so supportive. He was the right choice to officiate.”
D: “To Kris, Lindsey was Lindsey and not just another student or number.”
L: “Not even in his program.”
D: “Which made it even more special.”
L: “Nothing about this is common to me. I’ve had opportunities to work elsewhere, but I’ve chosen to work close to my family and friends. I have the community and family that we built at LMC.”
D: “Forever friends that we met through college and then our jobs.”
L: “Give it another 25 years. Our kids will be at LMC.”
-Lindsey Ott, 2023 LMC Graduate, Nursing Associate in Applied Science
David Ott, 2023 LMC Graduate, Music Associate in Arts
