From intern to author
Courtney DeVoe '12 (Loveland, Ohio) didn't expect to publish a book before graduating, but that's what happened thanks to her summer internship with Johnston Design Group, a Greenville firm that focuses on sustainable architecture.
"It was a great way to learn more about the firm and their ideas," says DeVoe, who learned how Johnston incorporates economy, ecology, and wellness in its designs. She served as editor and graphic designer, choosing photos and quotations and working with Johnston on four essays for
A Blank Canvas.
Though she originally intended to major in art history, she added an urban studies major after taking Halfacre's environmental policy class. She was inspired by a project on using environmentally sound techniques to restore historic properties, and her summer internship, which was funded by the Furman Advantage program, cemented her desire to ensure that historic structures are preserved using modern technology and sustainable techniques.
"I was impressed with how my summer internship turned out," she says. "I led a project myself and got to be hands-on and I know it will help me down the road, applying for grad problems and jobs. And it's kind of nice to say I was published as an undergrad."