O-H — I do! A Buckeye love story
O-H — I do! A Buckeye love story
As told by Isaac McAdams
Astha Rastogi ’21 chose to attend Ohio State because of her interest in Dr. Peter Rogers’ Integrated Business and Engineering (IBE) Honors Program. She had no idea what that decision would lead to — or how it would change her life.
Astha met Andrew Benisek ’21 when Dr. Rogers assigned them to the same group for their freshman capstone project. As the semester came to an end, both chose to become teaching assistants for the course. This decision further solidified their bond with one another, and their friendship with Dr. Rogers.
“I remember first noticing Dr. Rogers at a fall IBE picnic and he was actively engaged in a water balloon battle with some of the upperclassmen. I laughed at the time and was honestly surprised to see a professor having so much fun, but in hindsight this highlighted the dynamism Dr. Rogers brought to the program.”
During their time with Dr. Rogers, Astha and Andrew became experts in product development. Courses in the IBE Program combine business and engineering with an overarching focus on developing viable solutions to real-world problems, and Dr. Rogers taught practical lessons that focused on ideating and prototyping products.
Dr. Rogers’ lectures covered more than the design process, though. He emphasized the importance of listening to people’s needs and finding creative solutions that improve their lives. For example, one of Astha and Andrew’s first projects was to find a way to simplify a daily task for a person with arthritis.
Though Dr. Rogers retired during their junior year, he left an indelible mark on Astha, Andrew and countless other students. Astha and Andrew kept in close contact with him, even after their post-graduation move to Seattle. To them, Dr. Rogers was not just a former professor — he was a teacher, mentor and close friend.
When Astha and Andrew got engaged and started planning their wedding, they realized how essential it was to find the right officiant. Both families had different traditions the couple wanted to honor, so their ideal officiant would unite those customs and guide Astha and Andrew through the ceremony.
They decided to ask the best person for the job: Dr. Rogers, who had an innate ability to build bridges wherever he went and leave a lasting impact on those around him. More importantly, he played a vital part in bringing the two together and continued to inspire Astha and Andrew every day. Dr. Rogers was surprised and touched by the couple’s request. His dedication to his students extended far beyond the classroom, and it showed as he started the ordination process so he could officiate Astha and Andrew’s wedding.
True Buckeyes at heart, Astha and Andrew decided to hold their wedding in Columbus, where they met and fell in love. At the beginning of the ceremony, Dr. Rogers delivered a message about the lifelong journey of marriage. The couple also recognized some of their favorite learnings from his class at Ohio State woven into the message! He encouraged them to listen to one another, understand the other’s needs and be open and honest. It was a thoughtful nod not only to the way they met, but also to Dr. Rogers’ lessons that would stick with them always.
Connections in the Ohio State community come in many different forms. From mentorships to friendships and marriages, the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships is limitless. And although the connection between Astha, Andrew and Dr. Rogers is unique, their story demonstrates the common thread that ties our community together — our extraordinary bond as Buckeyes for life.
Story collected by Isaac McAdams, written by Mollie Hiss, edited by Will Hejduk
Photography by Making the Moment