AMERICUS — t is the stereo-typical movie romance plot, girl meets boy at college, girl and boy find common interest, girl and boy find love, girl and boy get married, and girl and boy live happily ever after.

Ah, if only the movies and life were somewhat similar.

In the case of Christopher and Amanda Thornton, though, it seems if that might true.

Amanda Thornton, 23, a native of Powder Springs, GA, and her husband, Christopher Thornton, 24, of Watkinsville, GA, met while attending Young Harris College in Young Harris, GA.

According to Amanda, “We spent a lot of time together, outdoors, camping and such, and discovered that we both really love the land.”

She continued, “I remember wanting to be an interior designer when I was growing up.”

Christopher said, “I wanted to be a structural engineer. I have family who are developers, and then seeing all the beauty at Young Harris, I was just intrigued.”

The couple is in their senior year, with both looking to get degrees in Landscape Architecture.

As explained by Christopher, landscape architecture involves the environment. “It is the organization of space around you...similar to architecture but in dealing with the environment and outdoors...the purpose is to draw people to the intended space.”

Amanda added, “I think of landscaping pure and simply as just enhancing the beauty that has been given to us.”

With all of that in mind, what brings the University of Georgia students to Americus?

The Thorntons are interns with the Archway program. As many know, the Archway project is through a partnership with the county and the University of Georgia.

As a land-grant institution dedicated to teaching, research, and public service excellence, UGA’s leadership aspired to bring the university into the 21st century and address the state’s critical community economic development needs. Building on nearly a century-long pursuit of its mission in public service and outreach, UGA’s challenge was to expand and simplify access to higher education resources by cities and counties throughout Georgia. After much deliberation, the Archway Partnership was born – an exciting initiative of “portal” counties through which communities can reach the wealth of expertise among faculty and students, who, in turn, can gain opportunities for technical assistance and outreach. Collaborative projects are tailored to address priority issues uniquely identified by each community.

The Archway Partnership has been the vehicle to bring all of the community stakeholders together in one room to identify and solve community problems; the mechanism that brings higher education resources to bear on those problems; and the platform embraced by the entire campus to bring to bear the full weight of UGA on local issues.

As interns to Sumter Count through a collaboration of the Archway Program and the College of Environment at UGA, Barbara Grogan, local Archway Professional, said, “the Thorntons were brought on to assist us in revitalizing the community.”

Amanda said, “We are to redesign the entrance signs into the community.”

Christopher interjected, “Refurbish is probably a better word.”

Amanda nodded, “And we are going to refurbish the Hwy. 19 corridor, and we’re working on some local logos, like this one for the county.”

Grogan said, “They will be designing a bridge connecting the golf course to the college, revitalizing an older building on campus, working on the vegetation/light on the SGTC Parkway, and make the entrance ways to the Sumter schools a little more pleasing to the eye.”

The Thorntons, through a gracious partnership between the Archway Project and Georgia Southwestern State University, are residing on the campus during their internship. Christopher and Amanda laughed, “I think we have scared some of the others in the dorm apartments. When they hear UGA, interns and married, they kind of stay away.”

The couple married July 19, 2008.

On how their working in the same field has reflected on their marriage, Christopher said, “Actually, it is working really well that we are in the same field. Our schedules are somewhat the same.”

Amanda added, “We like to do different things. I do tend to see the bigger picture, and he sees all of the little details.”

“But that enables us to check and balance each other out,” said Christopher.

Grogan laughed, “And that is what I was looking for during the interview process.”

Of Americus, Amanda said, “I think the downtown area is a very pretty place.”

“The historical designs is very nice,” said Christopher.

“I am reminded of Athens with the close knit community,” said Amanda smiling.

To meet Amanda and Christopher Thornton, our UGA/Archway Summer Interns, stop by the Rees Park Development Building during normal business hours Monday - Friday.