It’s a big step from collegiate baseball to the Big Leagues. Mike O’Connor, BBA ’02, has scored his dream job and plays for a team that’s just a long fly ball from his alma mater. The left-hander has been a pitcher for the Washington Nationals since April 2006. The fourth Colonials baseball player to play in the majors, he was picked up in the 2002 Draft by the Montreal Expos. O’Connor was also the Nationals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2005 at Single-A Potomac.

“I played on GW’s baseball team all four years I was at the University, and that helped me a great deal in preparing for professional baseball,” he says. When asked what the best part of playing with the Nationals is, O’Connor says, “Being able to play baseball for my job!”

O’Connor met his fiancé, Courtney Stuart, BBA ’02, at the end of the fall semester during their junior year, when they both lived in Fulbright Hall. Stuart says, “When we met, I thought we had a connection, but I was leaving to study abroad in Italy for the spring semester.” Luckily, O’Connor and Stuart were able to reconnect the first weekend of their senior year when they discovered they both lived in New Hall and had several classes together. They have been dating ever since and became engaged last December.

“Mike proposed to me on the Mall surrounded by the monuments. It was very appropriate and symbolic since it was GW and D.C. that brought us together,” Stuart says.

Stuart is the senior manager of development, planning and feasibility at Marriott International, based in Bethesda. After graduation, she began her career as a financial analyst at America Online and then moved to Marriott International, where she has been since 2004.

“GW opened my eyes to the endless career possibilities due to its location in the heart of Washington D.C.,” explains Stuart. “While attending GW, I had an internship every semester in a variety of industries and job capacities. The internships allowed me to discover what I liked and disliked about certain industries and jobs. I felt like I had a head start on my career relative to other friends that did not attend GW.”

Stuart enjoys the fact that her job allows her to travel to new cities to evaluate potential Marriott hotel sites. “Mike is actually a good resource since he travels so much for baseball,” she says.

The couple will attend Alumni Reunion Weekend (September 28-30) this year and they look forward to catching up with their friends.

For more information or to register for Alumni Reunion Weekend, please visit www.alumni.gwu.edu/reunion or call 1-(800)-ALUMNI-7.