Time and distance have been no match for Loyola alumnus Kayla Antoine-Lynch and Christian Lynch’s love. 

For the past 12 years, the couple has supported each other from far away and right next to each other. This year they showed off their connection when they made it to the semi-finals of Variety and Colossal’s America’s Favorite Couple Contest. 

The Lynch’s love story began at Loyola in 2013, when Lynch asked Antoine-Lynch for homework over Facebook. 

“I honestly didn’t even use Facebook that much, so it’s kind of a miracle that I looked at it that day, so I feel like it was meant to be,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

Antoine-Lynch was majoring in buiness with a minor in theater while Lynch was majoring in business administration with a minor in marketing. 

They had multiple classes together, although Antoine-Lynch recalls not knowing who Lynch was until he asked for homework. 

“He loves to tell the part of the story that I didnt know who he was,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

 The pair have been committed to each other since their freshmen year, and tied the knot in June of 2023. 

“We started dating in November of 2013 and we have been together ever since,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

Both of them have fond memories of Loyola and said that they made many connections that have lasted.  Lynch is originally from Maryland and said that being in New Orleans for college was fun. 

“Just living on campus and enjoying that freedom that we had back then when the responsibility was just to keep your grades up, I really look fondly upon those moments, said Lynch. 

Lynch ran track for Loyola and said he had a great run up until his senior year when he injured his knee. 

“I made so many friends living on campus and being on the track team,” Lynch said. 

Antoine Lynch also noted that her husband broke mutulple records while running for Loyola. Lynch shared that one of his good friends and teammate from Loyola was a groomsman at their wedding. 

“ I have a lot of great connections that still have not gone away, so I am grateful for my time there,” Lynch said. 

He added that meeting his wife was also at the top of his favorite memories at Loyola. 

“Of course I also met this one, said Lynch referencing Antoine-Lynch.  

Antoine-Lynch was a member of Alpha Kapa Alpha Sorority incorporated and said that it helped her find her footing on campus as a commuter student. 

“I feel like that really helped me find my community and I think made my college experience better,” she said. 

Antoine-Lynch said that some of her favorite memories took place in the Hub in the basement of the Danna Center. 

“I met a lot of people there and it would be really fun, and we could bond over being commuters, sometimes they would even have commuter only events so we kinda felt exclusive,” she said. 

Antoine-Lynch also remincised about her time in the theater department. 

“I really loved the theater department. All of the people there I’m pretty much still friends with,” Antoine-Lynch said.

Antoine-Lynch said that the entering of Americas Favorite Couple Contest came from her “addiction” of entering giveaways and competitions. 

“I looked it up to make sure it was legit and I was like ‘wow this is Variety Magazine’ this is insane, ” she said. 

Antoine-Lynch entered the contest without telling Lynch, expecting that they wouldn’t be picked. 

“I was kind of just like YOLO,” she said. 

She shared that the application process consisted of answering some questions about how you met and your favorite things about each other. 

“I answered all of those on my own and he had no idea,” Antoine-Lynch said.  

About a week after applying the couple got accepted. 

“I was like ‘oh nice now I have to tell him I did this thing’,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

Anotine-Lynch said she didn’t know much about it but that she’s very competitive and knew they could do it. 

“We didn’t realize it would be like two months of getting people to vote for us, and it was grueling,” she said.

The couple made it through to the semi-finals and ended up coming in 11th place. Antoine-Lynch said the experience showed her how much of a support system the couple has. 

“It really showed how many people love us, and obviously I knew that, but some people were going so hard for us as if they were going to win the prize,” Antoine Lynch said. 

The couple was campaigning on social media during the competition to get votes. 

“We were probably highly annoying,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

She said that they were texting people all the time to remind them to vote.

“You could vote the first time for free, and then you could give money to vote and it would go to the LA food bank and Oceana,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

Lynch said that is was his wife who did most of the outreach. 

“She definitely lead the drive on the outreach, she’s a very popular person and she knows everyone,” Lynch said.

She said that while it was family and friends voting for them the most, they also had some people that they didn’t know give money to vote for them.

“There was one man that gave like 150 or something crazy, I honestly think that it’s just because we are super genuine people and we had a super cute picture,” she said. 

Lynch said that he thinks that their sucsess came from people seeing how committed they have been to each other. 

“A lot of people in our circle saw how much we loved each other and how much we wanted to make it work,” Lynch said. 

Lynch shared that they did long distance for five years after graduating college. The couple was living separately after graduating, with Lynch in Maryland and Antoine-Lynch in New Orleans. Antoine-Lynch moved to Maryland the week before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020 and reflected on how lucky they were to be together during that time. 

“If I had waited at all then it would have been like another two years before I could have moved,” she said. 

Lynch agreed that was important for them to have that time together. 

“We are grateful that we were together during this global event because who knows where our sanity would have gone,” Lynch said. 

The pair emphasized the importance of maintaining the relationships you make in college. 

“I think that a lot of people don’t give long distance a chance, but when you truly find that person I feel like you should do whatever it takes to fight for it,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

She said that her and Lynch’s commitment to each other is how they got to where they are now. 

“I feel like if we had ever wavered we wouldn’t be where we are, and he’s honestly my favorite person,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

They also both shared gratitude towards Loyola for being the place they found each other and so many other connections. 

“It’s crazy because I almost didn’t go to Loyola and if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have met him,” Antoine- Lynch said. 

She said that Loyola’s community is to thank for all the connections she made there.  

“Because Loyola is so close knit I feel like even if it’s not a romantic relationship the relationships that we did develop have been amazing. So really cherish those relationships that you make,” Antoine-Lynch said. 

Lynch added that nurturing those relationships can also help you professionally. 

“Preserving those relationships that you made in college is great not only for companionship, but also professionally. These could be the people that may be the first investor in your company,” Lynch said. 

The couple both agreed that Loyola has great people worth meeting. 

“Loyola has a good track record of having some pretty decent people,’’ Lynch said. 

Kendra Reed, a professor of management at Loyola spoke highly of the couple saying they were always a beautiful pair inside and out, and noted that the respect they had for one another was very special. 

“When they came together, it was magical,” Reed said. 

Reed shared that they were both striving for excellence and the way they supported each other always stood out to her. 

“I think it was the mutual respect and the way the both adored each other that stood out to me,” she said. 

Reed said she didn’t know what the competition was, but she was excited to learn that they were competing. 

“I’ve watched it evolve over social media and when Kayla went to grad school, I wrote her recommendation. So it’s been pretty neat to see a relationship that started at Loyola, be in the limelight. They are the kind of people we want to see in the limelight,” Reed shared.

Reed reflected on how Loyola can inspire its students to be themselves and encourage genuine relationships. 

“I think they probably were both drawn to Loyola for the reason we hope, the magis, the something extra that we can hopefully create a safe space for people to really be themselves and find relationships that compliment and bring out the best in them,” Reed said. 

Reed emphasized how wonderful it has been to watch them together over the years. 

“She’s a very strong woman and he’s a very strong man and they are both so warm hearted, it’s pretty neat,” Reed said.