On that trip she met with representatives from Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), a non-governmental organization that promotes inclusive and unbiased media coverage of all individuals. The experience piqued her interest.

“They were a really friendly, colorful bunch,” she said of the MMA organizers. “I was fascinated in learning about the types of activism they do in the media and how they combat structural issues. I was looking for something that had real-life impact, and this did at an international level.”

Jonathan McVerry, ‘Penn State doctoral student brings international perspective to her efforts,’ Penn State News, November 28, 2016