An ordained minister and five-year Emory staff member, Merrick expresses her devotion to the stewardship of both people and resources through her three vocations: her ministry, her writing and editing, and her work at Emory.
"After having been a paid minister's assistant in three churches, I decided that I did not want to be paid for my ministry, unless it's an honorarium for a special occasion," said Merrick, who holds a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology in Denver. "I was a religion major as an undergraduate and I felt called to some kind of ministry even in high school. It's always been something that I've headed toward and knew that it would be just a matter of time, in this case 20 years, before I would get there."
"Generally, I write columns and feature articles for magazines and newspapers," Merrick said. "Most often I write for minority-oriented publications. When I write a column, I interview a person about an event or an interest in their life or something they are a part of that they're excited about. What I enjoy most is interviewing people and saying for them in print what they are not able to say themselves, and doing it in a way that affirms them in whatever it is that they are doing."
Merrick said she writes most often about topics that are important to her personally, which means she often does not get paid for her efforts. "People who can pay for publicity go some place else and buy it," she said. "I write on behalf of people who need me, in terms of matching my skills with a job I see that needs doing. Sometimes I create the job. For example, if I see that an organization needs a newsletter, I might say, `I would be happy to do a newsletter if you would like me to.' That's not uncommon."
The approach to advocacy that Merrick takes in her writing is usually in the form of "positive strokes for those who are taking the actions necessary to help those in need."
As assistant in Surplus Property, Merrick's stewardship duties are considerable. She is responsible for keeping track of thousands of details on used merchandise and equipment that University departments want to sell. Merrick and her supervisor, Surplus Property Coordinator John Zolder, ensure the smooth operation of the program's office and main warehouse at the Materiel Center. (A second Surplus Property warehouse is located in the basement of the Lowergate parking deck.)
Merrick and Zolder initially try to match items that departments offer for sale with buyers from the Emory community. Only when an item is not purchased within the University is it offered for sale outside of Emory. Once an item is sold, Surplus Property receives a percentage of the sale price, which generates the revenue to maintain the program. The department selling the item receives the bulk of the proceeds.
Although the most common items sold through Surplus Property are computer equipment and office furniture, Merrick's sales abilities have been challenged by some rather unusual items, such as "Smokey-the-Bear" type hats from the Emory Police Department purchased by the theater department, and drapes and artificial flowers from Lullwater.
A special project that Merrick and Zolder are currently working on is finding a campus home for a large brass bell that was on the Emory Victory, a World War II ship named for the University and launched in 1945. Merrick said the bell was acquired for Emory in 1964 by then-business school Dean Guy Trump.
Rather than quickly selling the bell to the first taker, Merrick and Zolder decided to take the time to seek out a good home for the bell. "We will keep the bell on campus," Merrick said, "and we are looking for a department that wants to house it, display it and maintain it for the historical significance it has for the University."
For Merrick, who became an assistant in Surplus Property in 1992, that opportunity to preserve a part of Emory's history and serve as a steward for the University is only part of the appeal her job holds. The diversity of activity and the unpredictability of her job also make her work a lot of fun. "Part of who I am is reflected in this kind of job," she said. "I'm a Gemini (the Zodiac sign represented by the twins), but I have more than two parts. Different vocations come to the forefront at different times of my life. But I have to do all three of my vocations at some time and in some way."
--Dan Treadaway