Cupid strikes ASU Bowling Team
Sometimes, students leave the W. P. Carey School with more than a top-rated education — they find a life partner, too.
Every February, we celebrate the stories of W. P. Carey graduates who found their partners at the business school. We call them W. P. Carey Cupids — couples who met at W. P. Carey and are now making lives together.
Christy Rouse Hooppaw and Chris Hooppaw (BS Management '95) got to know each other as undergraduate student-athletes while traveling with the ASU Bowling Team to compete in tournaments across the country and hanging out at the Memorial Union.
"It was fun — we made many great memories with our friends and each other over our years at ASU," say the Hooppaws. "We never looked back, and for the past 32 years, we've built a life together that we cherish."
After graduating from ASU, the Hooppaws established the W. P. Carey Rouse–Hooppaw Scholarship to support first-generation college students with financial needs.
"We wanted to give back to ASU. It's where we met and we’ve been fortunate to be able to help others," they say.
When the endowment ended in 2023, they sought new ways to support ASU students. They launched the First-Year Laptop Scholarship Program, ensuring incoming first-year students with significant financial needs receive a laptop to keep.
"We are now in the second year of building the program and the feedback has been immensely positive," say the Hooppaws.
Now, after nearly 30 years of marriage, they continue to reflect on their Sun Devil pride and the special role ASU holds in their relationship.
Question: Tell us more about how you met.
Answer: Luck, chance, or fate — you decide. Christy joined the ASU Bowling Team on a whim, having only bowled a few times and never competitively. She made the team in 1989, and Chris joined the next year as a first-year student. It took several months to realize we liked each other and, by February 1991, we were officially dating.
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate that our life goals have stayed in sync, and we've unconditionally supported each other in pursuing them. Through it all, we've stayed grounded in what matters most: us and our children.
Q: Where are you two today?
A: After marrying in Arizona in 1995 and spending a few years working for Discover Card, we moved to Chicago for a decade, followed by a brief stint in Boston. Today, we call Washington state home.
Chris is vice president of Fraud & Credit Risk Management at T-Mobile, while Christy manages our small business and a few properties. Our eldest daughter is an undergraduate studying BioCultural Anthropology, and our youngest daughter is a high school junior.
We enjoy entertaining, traveling as much as possible, and, of course, cheering on ASU football whenever we can!
Q: What is something special about how you started your relationship?
A: From the start, our strengths complemented each other, and we quickly learned to trust and rely on one another. That foundation of mutual support has been key to our journey together.
Q: What's your advice for couples meeting at W. P. Carey and dating during college?
A: Communication is key — respect each other, be willing to listen, and make time for one another despite your busy schedules. And don't forget to laugh — a good sense of humor goes a long way.
Q: What was your favorite place to spend time together on campus?
A: We spent most of our time downstairs in the Memorial Union, practicing on the lanes.
Q: What's your favorite memory you share?
A: There are so many! Our first date was at The Chuckbox — we're glad to see it's still open since the area has changed so much since the early 90s. We also spent a lot of time on Mill Avenue with college friends.
Q: What are you looking forward to?
A: Seeing our kids graduate from college and spending more time in Arizona.
Q: When did you last visit campus, and what did you do?
A: We recently visited with our youngest daughter to tour ASU's School of Music, Dance and Theatre as she considers her college options after high school. We were also lucky enough to catch a football game during Family Weekend this past fall.
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