Furman Engaged was a steppingstone for Fretwell ’16

Before Joe Fretwell ’16 worked for a national nonprofit, he built a foundation of community work and research at Furman University.

These days Fretwell is vice president of neighborhood planning at national nonprofit Purpose Built Communities based in Atlanta. He collaborates with partners throughout the country to help transform neighborhoods through revitalization work that drives economic mobility.

But it was at Furman that he took his first steps into the world of community vibrancy work, and it was at Furman Engaged where he learned how to explain that work to an audience.

“At Furman, I really had the chance to explore the history and sociology behind neighborhood diversity,” he said. “I realized how important difference is in our daily lives.”

Engaged learning equips students with perspective

Joe Fretwell ’16

Fretwell grew up in Columbia, South Carolina attending racially diverse schools, but noticed that the neighborhood he lived in was mostly white. Seeing racial separation in his own hometown made him curious enough to explore political science and poverty studies at Furman.

While his classes introduced him to new ways of considering socio-political challenges, his internship with direct-services nonprofit United Ministries was transformative. During his work there he met many people experiencing homelessness and saw what their day-to-day life navigating social services was like.

“It was eye-opening to see that level of poverty disadvantaging people right in our back yard,” Fretwell said. “The human experience of that internship was something I wished more people could have the chance to feel.”

Furman Engaged showcases student work

Following his internship, Fretwell dove into undergraduate research on residential segregation and the policy landscape surrounding this issue in the United States. Working with politics and international affairs professors Elizabeth Smith and David Fleming, Fretwell presented his research findings at Furman Engaged, a campus-wide showcase of student research, internships and creative projects.

Each year, students show off their poster presentations, academic talks and performances to their classmates, faculty, staff and visitors. Fretwell worked with his professors to learn how to distill his work into effective summaries and convey complex thoughts to a mixed audience.

“It was a great example of the value of Furman. I got this 1-on-1 experience with faculty in how to connect this policy issue with ideas and thoughts that people are working with in the real world,” Fretwell said.

A decade later, Fretwell does presentations like these regularly for work at Purpose Built Communities. Furman Engaged paved the way for him to feel comfortable collaborating with community leaders and nonprofit partners throughout the country.

“I do a lot of public speaking and presenting to people who don’t know all the details of a subject like I do,” he said. “Those skills are invaluable, particularly if you’re trying to affect public policy in some way, which I do all the time.”

For a full schedule of Furman Engaged presentations, click here.