Emory Report

March 27, 2000

Volume 52, No. 26

Murg named Luce Scholar By Deb Hammacher Brad Murg, a senior international relations/economics/philosophy major from Grosse Pointe, Mich., has been named a Luce Scholar by the Henry R. Luce Scholars Program. Murg is one of only 18 Luce Scholars chosen nationally for the 2000-01 academic year and the first Emory student since 1988 to receive the honor. As a Luce Scholar, he will live and work in Asia for one year. The honor came as a surprise to Murg, who did not expect to be selected since he was the youngest person interviewed. "I'm ecstatic," he said. "It's nice to be recognized, and I think it's going to be a phenomenal experience." Murg expects to work in economic development and hopes to be assigned to Thailand or Malaysia. "I've done a lot of work in Africa and Latin America, but Asia is the one big block I haven't had an opportunity to work with," Murg said. Murg said he wants to spend a few years "working on the ground" and getting his Ph.D., and he hopes eventually to work at the International Monetary Fund or World Bank. Murg's international studies honors thesis revolved around the topic of central banking and democratization in the Third World. "Brad is a very mature and articulate young man who readily stands out among his peers in terms of scholarship, interests and leadership," said college Dean Steven Sanderson. Murg was unanimously selected as Emory's candidate for the scholarship by the University's Luce selection committee. Murg currently works as a researcher at the Georgia Supreme Court. His work involves the Child Placement Project, a program that seeks to reform Georgia's juvenile court system. He also is conducting a socioeconomic study of poverty and juvenile justice in Georgia's 159 counties and working to implement a new automated case plan system to increase the efficiency of Georgia courts. Following his 1997 high school graduation, Murg went to work at the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago. He continued to work with the consulate as a freshman for a semester at Loyola University before transferring to Emory. Murg worked for the consulate through December 1998, telecommuting part-time and traveling to Chicago once a month during the school year and working full-time during the summer. In the political and economic relations section of the Consulate General, Murg dealt with matters as diverse as trade irritants, agriculture, environment, immigration regulations and the Land Mine Ban Treaty. He also attended a number of conferences on behalf of the Canadian government, including the United Nations Food and Agricultural Agency in Rome, Italy. "At the UN conference I came to appreciate the importance of mutual respect during multinational interactions­­that a country's dignity must not be overlooked," Murg said. "At the same time, we need to try to fully understand what it's like to live and work in the Third World." Murg has received a number of prestigious awards, including a citation from the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1998 after organizing public awareness campaigns to secure the ban of anti-personnel land mines. As an Emory student, Murg's activities include serving as an executive board member of the Newman Club, an organization that serves Emory's Catholic community. He also is active in the College Republicans and Georgia Republican Party, Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honor society and Sigma Alpha political science honor society, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Luce Scholar candidates are nominated by 66 colleges and universities. Candidates must be American citizens who have received at least a bachelor's degree and are no more than 29 years old. Nominees must have a record of high achievement, outstanding leadership ability, and a clearly defined career interest with evidence of potential for professional accomplishment. The specifics of a scholar's work in Asia depends on the assignment negotiated with his or her host institution. Luce Scholar candidates are nominated by 66 colleges and universities. Candidates must be American citizens who have received at least a bachelor's degree and are no more than 29 years old. Nominees must have a record of high achievement, outstanding leadership ability, and a clearly defined career interest with evidence of potential for professional accomplishment. The specifics of a scholar's work in Asia depends on the assignment negotiated with his or her host institution. Return to March 27, 2000 contents page