Redesigning careers

Deanna Cook '93
Associate, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus, Ohio
Majors: art and education

Preparing for her vocation.
Deanna transferred to Bluffton at the beginning of her sophomore year. "I wanted a smaller college where there was a feeling of community, where I felt valued as a student, and where I was able to have quality interaction with my professors." Although beginning college as a mathematics major, she changed her major to art and education upon her arrival at Bluffton.

Expanding her horizons.
Deanna's education and interest in fine art and art history were nurtured by Professors Gregg Luginbuhl, Jaye Bumbaugh and Mary Ann Sullivan. Mary Ann encouraged her to spend her last quarter in Poland—a travel-abroad option Deanna did not know was available to her. "Traveling abroad was a wonderful, life-changing experience." Upon her return to the United States, Deanna attended graduate school at Bowling Green State University and received her master of arts in art history in 1996.

Finding her way.
Following graduate school, Deanna worked as an archivist at Marlborough Gallery in New York City, N.Y. When a friend offered her the opportunity to work as a graphic design assistant at Food & Wine Magazine, she accepted the position. Making her way back to the Midwest, Deanna continued working as a graphic designer and then completed her student teaching requirement. She was hired as an art instructor at Lima Senior High School, in Lima, Ohio, teaching freshmen and sophomore art courses, where she remained for four and a half years. Beginning to think about the skills and talents that God had given her, as well as where she wanted to be long-term, Deanna opted for another major change: law school.

Becoming a lawyer.
While studying law at Ohio Northern University, in Ada, Ohio, Deanna served as associate editor for the Ohio Northern University Law Review. She was a member of the Willis Society and graduated academically at the top of her class. Following her first year of law school, Deanna worked at the law firm McNamee and McNamee, PLL, in Beavercreek, Ohio. After completing her second year of law school, she worked in Columbus, Ohio, for the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, which led to her current position with the firm as an associate. Deanna is a part of the commercial and real estate practice group at Vorys. She enjoys the challenge of working in a variety of fields such as real estate development, zoning, commercial contracts and franchising. "My work at Vorys is very rewarding. We are committed to excellence in the practice of law, and there is a real sense of collegiality and teamwork."

New challenges and old pastimes.
Deanna is training for her first half marathon in June. "It's important to have goals and challenge yourself, and I decided the half marathon would be the next thing that I would set my mind to do." In addition to her training, she enjoys spending time with her family and has returned to her long-time passion of creating artwork, particularly linoleum prints.