Courtney researches Oval Office décor

"I had the opportunity to differentiate myself and I wanted to do decoration in some way. I stumbled on a scholarly article that showed a lack of analysis on the Oval Office as visual policy," Courtney said. "So I explored how the Oval Office has been decorated and what it means, which is very potent."

Her research looked at heuristics, where certain things are displayed to help people make a jump mentally. Displaying an image of family, for example, suggests a strong interest in one's family. Eagles represent nationalism, and former President Richard Nixon had about 50 in various forms in the Oval Office, making someone feel small and confined. It was very intimidating, she said.

"He wanted to make people feel small compared with former President Jimmy Carter, who barely changed anything because he was very fiscally responsible. He didn't want to spend a lot of money, and he didn't spend a lot of time in the Oval Office, so he pretty much left it as is, but made it a lot lighter to make visitors he was more approachable," Courtney said.

Courtney researched personal changes, too, and discovered that former President John F. Kennedy displayed numerous boats, which she said indicated a love of sailing and being more approachable that his successor Lyndon Baines Johnson, whose décor choices were large and imposing pieces.

"He liked everything big. He would lean over you because it was his thing to make people feel small and intimidated," she said.

This deliberate manner of decoration is seen as far back as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, according to Courtney.

"Presidents would bring in teams to decorate, teams to decide what kind of message they were going to send," she said. "It's so blatant. It's right there, but people don't really analyze it. Pictures are published, and most presidential libraries have a replica of their Oval Office."

Courtney was able to get in some sightseeing during downtime, including art galleries and the Capitol.

"Seeing the buildings on the National Mall was very moving and felt unreal at first. Seeing artwork that I had studied in the gallery at the art museum was also incredible. We did get to go into the Capitol building, and it was difficult to wrap my head around how many important people had walked through those halls," she said.

Her visit to the Capitol included a simulation game in which Courtney and fellow presenters tried to pass a constitutional amendment with Courtney portraying Sen. Bernie Sanders. The amendment didn't pass, but Courtney said she enjoyed the experience.

Courtney was nominated by Dr. Erin Bush, associate professor of history.

"I'm thrilled Sara had the opportunity to present her research at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress. Her analysis of Oval Office decor reveals how presidents have strategically used their most iconic workspace to project power, communicate their personalities and signal policy priorities. Her paper offers an original contribution to our understanding of presidential visual rhetoric," Bush said.