Humphrey Fellows 2009

2009-2010 Humphrey Fellows at Smith Island

Each year about a dozen journalists and other professionals travel from all over the globe to the University of Maryland for ten months of study and professional pursuits. The Philip Merrill College of Journalism is one of 17 American campuses that host Humphrey Fellows each year in a variety of fields.

The fellowship is a Fulbright exchange program, funded by the U.S. State Department and administered by the Institute of International Education.

The program is led by award-winning journalist Lucinda Fleeson, formerly with the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Serap Rada, who has a Ph.D. in government and international relations from the University of Maryland.

With guidance from the Humphrey staff, each Fellow undertakes an individualized non-degree program of academic coursework, independent research, professional affiliations, field trips, special seminars, and consultations with experts in the field. Additionally, Fellows attend a Washington, D.C., conference with Humphrey Fellows from across the United States in the fall.

For more information, visit the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism website. 

About the 2009-10 Humphrey Fellows

Ana Maria Avila – Mexico   
Ana Maria Avila is a senior analyst for the Institute for Security and Democracy in Mexico, which focuses on media, violence and human rights. She also contributes to the state TV channel and national newspaper on issues of politics, organized crime and security issues. She wants to focus on journalism ethics and investigative reporting.

Daphne Cassar – Malta    
Daphne Cassar is a reporter, editor and newscaster for Maltese National TV and Radio.  She wants to focus on immigration issues, television production and investigative reporting.

Maggie Michael Ghabrial – Egypt    
Maggie Michael Ghabrial works for Associated Press News Agency in Egypt where she covers Mideast politics, social and religious conflicts. She wants to study investigative journalism.

Paul Hills – South Africa    
Paul Hills is a lecturer at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. He would like to investigate the development and use of community and campus television stations as well as focus on environmental and development journalism.

Stefan Hudec –Slovakia    
Stefan Hudec of Slovak Republic writes for the foreign news desk of SME newspaper. During his Humphrey year he wants to improve his international reporting skills and discover new ways to increase foreign news readership.

Nadia Klussey – Togo    
Nadia Klussey serves as a communication and marketing adviser for Women Entrepreneurs in Togo. She is interested in the use of communication and media as a tool for economic development.

Nada Krstic –Serbia     
Nada Krstic works as an editor in the Serbian Government’s department of Media Relations. In her Humphrey year she hopes to explore the theory and practice of effective communication strategies between the government and the public.

Claudia Andrea Montecinos – Chile    
Claudia Andrea Montecinos is a political reporter for the prime time newscast at Television Nacional de Chile. She would like to explore how elections campaigns are built and how electoral behavior is determined by communication strategies.

Racheal Nakitare –Kenya    
Racheal Nakitare is a senior producer for Kenya Broadcasting Corporation in Kenya. She is interested in new media, and the use of television as a medium for community development and  citizen empowerment. As a board member of International Association of Women in Radio and Television, Racheal wants to monitor women’s portrayal in and their use of media.

Anduela Nika –Albania     
Anduela Nika is the editor of Klan Magazine in Albania.  She wants to study investigative journalism, political and economic issues, as well new media technologies.

Najibullah Sharifi –Afghanistan    
Najibullah Sharifi is a producer for National Public Radio in Afghanistan.  He would like to establish a professional center to educate journalists in Afghanistan.

Anuradha Sivagurunathan – Malaysia        
Anuradha Sivagurunathan works as a copy editor with The Star newspaper in Malaysia and as a freelance media producer. She is interested in the dynamics between citizen journalism and traditional media, with a focus on new media and business reporting. (

Jaroslav Valuch- Czech Republic    
Jaroslav Valuch is a program coordinator for "People in Need," an international relief, development and human rights organization based in the Czech Republic. He wants to gain expertise in the use of new communication technologies for human rights and new media literacy projects with a focus on young people, NGO workers and activists.

Qi Wu – China        
Qi Wu is chief reporter and editor of political, economic and social news for Sanlian Lifeweek Magazine, Beijing. She would like to improve her research skills in journalism and mass communication.