Written by Regina Ender
To Courtney Donlon, the best part of an event is the joy it gives the attendees. Her desire to create something fun for those around her has always been her motivation for wanting to become an event planner and eventually own her own event planning company. To prepare herself for all the different facets of coordinating events big and small, Donlon is majoring in communication studies and getting three minors in business management, graphic design, and leadership.
In her time at APU, Donlon has already had her fair share of event planning experience. She has served as an intern for GBK Productions, a marketing, public relations, fundraising, and special events company known for integrating entertainment and luxury products with nonprofits. Presently, Donlon is a special events intern for APU’s Communiversity, further affirming her sense of calling in the field by creating memorable events for her peers. In her roles as a Living Area Council member for Engstrom Hall and as a Communiversity Campus Life Crew member, she helped plan various events throughout the school year. When the renowned TEDx event came to campus, she helped with hospitality for both the main event and the live viewing party. During the Communication Studies department’s annual IMPACT Conference, she helped make the event happen, bringing together students, faculty, and alumni for the important tradition. APU recently hosted the National Christian College Forensics Invitational where Donlon served as the hospitality and fellowship coordinator, bringing a sense of unity between the schools through various activities and competition.
In and out of the classroom, Donlon has thrived in her major. She recently presented her research paper Disclosure of Invisible Illnesses and How it Affects Relationships at the Western States Communication Association Undergraduate Scholars Research Conference. Additionally, Donlon is an executive board member of Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association.
Donlon has also been engaged in the campus community as an Alpha Leader and a Resident Advisor. She has done service work in Mexico and India and studied abroad in South Africa, where she worked with the LifeMatters Foundation planning fundraisers and teaching English. Currently, she serves as a high school youth leader at Cornerstone Bible Church, providing guidance and a listening ear for the next generation. This summer, she looks forward to joining the Ride for Water team, a group of students who ride their bicycles 3,000 miles across the country to raise funds for clean drinking water for those in need. Prior to the trip, Donlon is using her event planning skills to host events and fundraisers and seek out donors and sponsors for the group.
In all of these experiences, Donlon said her faith has been strengthened and she has been given the tools to become an effective servant leader and a capable industry professional. She tries to live a life of ‘zeteo’, which means ‘to seek’ in Greek, by seeking out the joy and happiness while also seeking out Christ in all that she does.
Words of Wisdom: “Breathe. Everything is going to be okay. God's got your back and has a way better plan for you than you could ever imagine.”
