2018-19 Fulbright: Marcella Mercer

Marcella Mercer, a senior journalism major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has earned a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Malaysia.

A graduate of Nebraska City High School, Mercer will use the award to teach English in Malaysia while being immersed in the culture of the Southeast Asian country. She also plans to create a photo club for Malaysian students and community members.

“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to better understand a place that means so much to my family,” Mercer said. “Also, I’m excited to try proper street food.”

Outside the classroom, Mercer will use smartphones and disposable cameras to create the photo club. Participants will develop projects of their own choosing, while Mercer offers technical and visual literacy skills she’s learned at Nebraska.

Photos developed through the club will be featured on social media channels, allowing members to share stories of their community with the world. Mercer also plans to display the photos in an exhibition open to the Malaysian community.

While on campus, Mercer has worked as an editor at the Daily Nebraskan, written for the Omaha World-Herald, and served as a mentor for both the University Honors Program and Nebraska Human Resource Institute.

Mercer has also studied overseas in Singapore, Thailand and Uganda.

Upon returning to the United States, Mercer plans to develop her journalistic skills, with a goal of becoming a foreign correspondent for a national publication. Ultimately, she hopes to return to school, earn a master’s degree and become a reporting or writing professor.