Meet our Intern: Courtney
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF! WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS, HOBBIES, ETC.
Well, I have a B.S. in neurobiology and animal behavior with a psychology minor, so I like all things science. Otherwise, as unoriginal as it may sound, I love being outside: hiking, kayaking, running, biking, horseback riding, sailing, disc golfing, dancing, jet-skiing, surfing, beaching and so on. Other than physical activity, I really love photography and – if we’re being honest – correcting grammar and spelling in published materials (ads, signs, company names, novels, textbooks, packaging, mail, news articles, street signs… you name it, I’ve found it).
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT GRAPHIC DESIGN?
I can’t be in a static environment day in and day out doing the same monotonous things over and over. I’m always seeking ‘new’. Not only does design allow my mind to wander, but I’m rewarded for it – how great is that? It’s also a profession that lets me use both my science and math background in tandem with my creativity; I’m in a perpetual state of problem-solving which is great, because I love a good challenge. It just feeds my unending curiosity!
WHAT MADE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN INTERNING FOR PIECES OF ME THIS SUMMER?
This brand is all about celebrating the best pieces of yourself. Sometimes you’ll encounter negativity and criticism – especially from your own worst critic: yourself. So I think it’s great to have a small reminder on your wrist that you’re a total badass and you’ve got this. And, the fact that the brand and aesthetic are super chic certainly didn’t go unnoticed either.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST DREAMS OR ASPIRATIONS?
I want to travel and I cannot wait to graduate and begin to do so. I’m already planning a trip with my adventure buddy to begin a couple of weeks after I graduate. If it were practical, I would live out of a packed suitcase. I’d love to live my life in stints: work for a few years, save money, travel, rinse, repeat. As Ben Gibbard coined it, I want to be a ‘little wanderer’.
TELL US ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOURSELF
My first word was a sentence: “got the ball.” #overachiever
YOU'RE ADVENTUROUS, INDEPENDENT, INTELLIGENT, AND DETERMINED. TELL US HOW YOU REFLECT THOSE TRAITS.
ADVENTUROUS: I think my interests showcase my adventurous pursuits, but I spent a month one summer tagging/wrestling/measuring/swimming with sharks and stingrays in the Gulf of Mexico for an ongoing study on their behavioral patterns. I trained a giraffe and had a 400lb overweight cow break my finger during my time as a zookeeper. I got stranded camping on Manitou Island due to a horrific storm (in a non-waterproof tent, might I add). I broke my neck snowboarding in high school. I played horse polo at Michigan State. I climbed to Hanging Lake, went bouldering, and whitewater rafted in Colorado and I’ve been hiking in the Smokey Mountains. I tore my achilles hiking in California. I swam and snorkeled with wild stingrays and sea turtles in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. I’m heading to Maine and Cape Cod soon to go whale watching and canoeing to find moose. And I’m sure there are plenty more I’m forgetting.
INDEPENDENT: When I graduated from Michigan State I didn’t know anyone west of Chicago, but I up and left Detroit for an internship I found in Los Angeles. I lived alone, but it was one of the best things I’ve ever done because that was a time I truly realized “being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely,” and I was strong and independent enough to figure that out for myself and, quite frankly, it was life-changing.
INTELLIGENT: I like to think that after all of my education and experiences, I’m fairly well-rounded at this point, and being well-rounded is perhaps one of the things I like the most about myself. My dad always says that he loves listening to me explain something new that I’ve just learned because my passion is infectious and, he swears, there’s a legitimate sparkle in my eye as I’m talking.
DETERMINED: Determination was exactly what it took to switch career paths after five years at Michigan State to obtain a B.S., getting a few jobs in the field, and realizing it wasn’t exactly right. So I did it the right way, and I started over in graphic design.
