ECU student receives Fulbright scholarship
East Carolina University School of Communication senior Emory Saia is one of 14 young professional journalists and students to receive a Fulbright scholarship for the Berlin Capital Program in Germany.
The Berlin Capital Program gives journalists and students the opportunity to better understand the media’s role in the political, economic and cultural landscape of Germany and Europe. The weeklong program, Nov. 12-19, includes seminars and discussions with media experts as well as visits to political, cultural and media institutions.
ECU senior Emory Saia
Saia, a journalism student from Pennsylvania, learned about the program from ECU communication professor Dr. Cindy Elmore, who thought she would be a great candidate. Saia spent most of the summer compiling her 19-page program application with encouragement from Elmore, who was “patient, kind and so willing to help and motivate me to continue,” Saia said.
The youngest of five children with parents who are professors, Saia credits her family for the desire to seek new learning experiences. Her brother, Taylor, also received a Fulbright scholarship and traveled to Indonesia to teach English and music for six months. Saia’s sister, Maggie, an ECU alumna, and Taylor guided and supported her application process. “They reminded me that it’s not about the end result, but the journey,” she said.
Saia plans to embrace the opportunity although anxious “to take this leap, literally on a plane across the world by myself.” She encourages other students to challenge themselves. “Push yourself out of your comfort zone and accept new experiences and adventures as they are around you. You just have to be willing,” she said.
Saia serves as an intern in the ECU School of Communication, where she maintains the social media accounts, creates promotional material, plans events and assists as a director in Dr. Mary Tucker-McLaughlin’s Producing the News class. Saia will take over the School of Communication Instagram account to document her experience. Follow her journey at https://www.instagram.com/ecu_soc/.
-by Brittany Thompson, School of Communication