Longhorn Love: A Camp Texas Proposal

By Gaby Guajardo in Blog, Special on February 14, 2013 at 1:17 pm | No Comments

Longhorns Patrick Ferrell, BS ’12, Life Member, and his girlfriend of four years, Danica Schmidt, BS ’11, Life Member, met as incoming freshmen at Camp Texas—the Texas Exes’ three-day retreat that introduces new students to UT—and both went on to serve as CT counselors.

So when the couple decided to attend the Camp Texas counselor retreat last weekend at Camp Balcones Springs, the scene of their meet-cute, Ferrell knew there was no better time to propose.

“It was a big thing in our college lives,” Ferrell says. “That’s how we met, we were in the same group. And I thought it would be so cool to propose there.”

On the last night of camp, it’s a CT tradition for the men and women to split into separate groups. The male counselors and campers rehearse “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by The Righteous Brothers, and then serenade the women at the end-of-camp luau.

At this weekend’s retreat, Camp Texas director John Warder asked the alumni counselors—including Ferrell—to perform the song to show current counselors “how it used to be done.” When the men reached the line of the song that says, “I get down on my knees for you,” everyone stopped singing, and Ferrell got down on one knee to propose.

Schmidt says she was completely shocked.

“I honestly had no idea it was going to happen this weekend. It was a complete surprise,” she says. “I saw my friends just the night before, and they all did such a good job of keeping it a secret.”

Ferrell, on the other hand, says he thought Schmidt was suspicious.

“People were definitely acting weird before it happened,” he says, “but I’m just really glad she didn’t pick up on it.”

The couple doesn’t have a specific date in mind yet, but says they hope to have their wedding within the next year and a half. According to Ferrell, it’s even possible they’ll have it at Camp Texas—where it all began.

Photo courtesy Patrick Ferrell. 

Tags: camp balcones springs, camp counselor, camp texas, Danica Schmidt, engagement, John Warder, Patrick Ferrell, proposal, Valentine's Day