MACON — Two Mercer University graduates have earned Fulbright Fellowships to serve in Moldova. College of Liberal Arts graduates Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Bibb, a political science and journalism double major, and Donald Eugene “Gene” Mitchell Jr., a political science major, earned the prestigious fellowships through their strong academic achievement and extra-curricular engagement. Both traveled to Moldova as part of Mercer On Mission in 2010.
Bibb, a native of Rome, graduated in May and had received an assistantship with the University of Georgia to pursue her master’s degree in political science, but has received a one-year deferral in order to take advantage of the Fellowship. Bibb was a awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and will be teaching English 20 hours each week and will devote the remainder of her time to working with the Independent Journalism Center, which helps journalists in the emerging democracy. She will serve from September to May 2013.
“I’m such a cheerleader for the Mercer On Mission program. It helped me to discover a hidden part of the world and led me back there with a Fulbright,” Bibb said. “I’ll be spending time working with journalists and helping with the NGO, but I also hope to get back to help at the orphanages where we did service work as a part of Mercer On Mission.”
During her time at Mercer, Bibb was heavily involved in The Cluster, Mercer’s student newspaper, where she served as managing editor her junior and senior years. She earned a BEAR Award for Outstanding Student involvement, as well as the Outstanding Senior in Journalism and Media Studies. She earned her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude. This summer, she is also serving as an intern for The Telegraph in Macon. She also served as president of Mercer’s chapter of the Society for Collegiate Journalists, vice president of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society for political science and as vice president for the Georgia College Press Association. She served as a 2011 Truman Scholar Representative for Mercer.
Mitchell, a Marine Corps veteran and native of Fitzgerald, has deferred his fellowship in order to run for the Georgia State Senate in District 7, his home district. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. He also served as president of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society for political science and Omicron Delta Kappa, the leadership honor society. He founded and served as president of the Mercer Veterans’ Association. Mitchell also served as a columnist for The Cluster, parliamentarian in the Student Government Association and as Honor Council investigating justice. He was also a 2011 Truman Scholar Representative for Mercer.
The Fulbright Program is the largest U.S. international exchange program and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Each year, hundreds of students, scholars and professionals undertake international graduate study, advanced research and teaching opportunities in university, high school and secondary classroom settings throughout the world. The program was established in 1964 to foster cultural exchange and ambassadorship between the U.S. and international community.
About Mercer University
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University enrolls more than 8,300 students in 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies – on major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah and at four regional academic centers across the state. Mercer is affiliated with four teaching hospitals — Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, and The Medical Center and St. Francis Hospital in Columbus — and has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. The University operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. www.mercer.edu
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