Ohio State professor Victor St. John reflects on ‘Love Is Blind’ experience, marriage and newfound friendships

Grayson Newbourn, Helena Hennessy
Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:01:58 +0000
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Ohio State professor Victor St. John (left) and Christine Hamilton in season 10 of “Love Is Blind.” Credit: Courtesy of Netflix/Kinetic Content

For 10 seasons now, the hit Netflix dating show “Love Is Blind” has asked contestants the question: could you fall in love with someone without ever seeing their face??

Victor St. John, an assistant professor in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, sought to find out after his friend suggested he check out the application.

“One of the things I quickly noticed was that [the application] really forced you to think about yourself in a very introspective way, in terms of just what your romantic history has looked like and what you want for yourself, kind of in that department,” St. John said. “In many ways, it was cathartic, kind of going through it, so I filled it out. Before you knew it, I filled out several questions and then submitted the application.”

A show known for its drama, viewers watch as contestants converse in pods, separated by physical walls as they work to lower their emotional barriers. Upon finding their romantic connection, couples propose to each other before meeting face-to-face, then go on a trip together to test their physical connection and decide whether or not to go through with marriage.?

Once he received the call that he was cast on the Ohio season, St. John said he had a mere 48 hours to pack a bag and have final conversations with his loved ones before beginning the experiment.?

“I don’t think there was necessarily an immediate preparation you can do,” St. John said. “I think it was more so, if we’re gonna say preparation, just kind of years building up to that moment.”?

St. John, who described himself as a more shy and introverted person, had never planned to be on reality TV — instead, he said he had always planned on following a more traditional route, living “by the books.”

“The fact that I’m in this space now is new, but one thing about myself, for sure, is that I will embrace what’s happening in the moment and I won’t run away from it,” St. John said. “So while that’s happening now with all the love and support, I’m gonna dive right in and see where everything kind of goes and how everything coalesces.”?

In his years of romantic experience, St. John said he had unconsciously accomplished all the preparation he needed.??

“We’re always kind of shifting and changing and growing as individuals, especially if you’re just reflective and introspective in different ways,” St. John said. “I think the preparation was happening years prior, too. So when that moment came up, it was like, ‘Hey, just be yourself.’”

After arriving at the pods in California, St. John hit it off immediately with Christine Hamilton, a speech language pathologist from rural Ohio, connecting over their Christian faith and shared values. By the end of episode one, St. John and Hamilton were happily engaged, and at the end of the season, they had tied the knot — one of two couples to do so.?

Not only did St. John and Hamilton bond in the pods over their mutual religion, but the male contestants also grew closer over their shared personal spirituality — a topic which St. John said he wishes the show would have aired more of.?

“I can remember times of us just praying on the men’s side, if someone’s family member passed away, there was someone who lost a loved one on our side while we’re out there,” St. John said. “I’m just like, this is insane.”

St. John acknowledged that while every viewer of the show may not share the same religious views, the environment remained unlike any he had ever experienced.?

“I feel like when you talk about faith, sometimes folks are like, ‘I don’t want to hear that stuff,’ but that’s kind of one of the pieces that I’m like, ‘They didn’t show any aspect of that,’” St. John said. “That would have been cool to kind of see it flowing through the entire space. Even folks who don’t consider themselves spiritual in any sort of way. It was just right. It was interesting.”

Since the show’s wrap on filming, St. John has remained close with several of the men of the ensemble — particularly Jordan Faeth, an account executive specializing in data security and Haramol Gill, a former emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

“[Gill and I] hit it off because we had the Buckeye connection,” St. John said. “He’s a good conversationalist, so we just hit it off — all types of conversations about the state of the world, and there’s a big kind of social justice and love that hangs in his heart that also connected with my heart.”?

Following the show’s release, St. John said he has received an outpouring of support from the Ohio State and Columbus community, with many people he knows personally stepping in to share their experiences with him.

“It was breathtaking in a lot of ways, to see the way folks were just being encouraging [and] supportive,” St. John said. “Even when weird things were happening online, if there was any weird post, people [were] jumping in like, ‘I actually know him. I changed his diapers as a kid,’ or ‘I worked with him,’ or I don’t know, it was something good that they had to say, and it was really heartwarming to see those posts and see people kind of galvanize in that way, even till this day.”

His support base has expanded far beyond just the local community, gaining nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram in the past two weeks alone — for a total of over 77,000 at time of publication — according to Social Blade. Viewers have taken to online forums like Reddit to express their support and love, as well as their desire to see more men like St. John, and more couples like St. John and Hamilton on reality TV.?

“I’m not religious, so I usually roll my eyes when couples talk about god so much,” one comment read. “But these two seem to practice what they preach. A nice couple who genuinely found love. I wish they had more screen time.”

Another commenter agreed, noting that it’s time for a change in what is shown in these shows.

“They mostly want to show unhealthy or dramatic people it seems,” the comment read. “Unfortunate. I know its TV but this is 2026. I’m sick of seeing chaotic toxic people. Give us a truly romantic reality show for a change.”?

St. John said that, though he appreciates the praise, he’s been taken aback by the amount he’s received for just being nice to others.??

“I say this with a pause and kind of a question and concern, is that in some of the conversations and things I’ve seen around myself in particular, like, ‘Oh, I think he’s a kind guy,’ et cetera … I feel like that should be the bare minimum in some ways,” St. John said. “I feel like it was surprising in some spaces and part of me was like, ‘Oh, you know, thanks for the love,’ then I’m like, ‘Why is it a surprise that humans are being kind to other humans?’”