Two Mercer University marketing team members were recognized for outstanding work in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) 2025 Best of District III Awards. 

The story, “Mercer tackles global water crisis by bringing clean water to communities in need,” was honored in the research, medicine and science news writing category. It was written by Andrea Honaker, digital content specialist in the Office of Marketing Communications.

The goal of the story was to raise awareness of Mercer’s initiatives to address the global water crisis. It highlighted the unique focus of the University’s Cecil Day Family Center for International Groundwater Innovation and the research and service projects that have brought clean water to communities in need, both locally and abroad. 

“Andrea’s story beautifully illustrates the significance of Mercer’s global engagement and the life-changing impact of its efforts to provide access to clean water. We’re proud of the well-deserved recognition she has received for her outstanding work,” said Matt Smith, assistant vice president for marketing communications. 

In addition, the video, “Mercer On Mission: Vietnam 2024,” was recognized in the promotional (long) video category. It was filmed and edited by Marin Guta, associate director of creative strategy in the Office of Enrollment Management. 

The video highlighted the University’s Mercer On Mission program in Vietnam, where since 2009, faculty and students have fit more than 24,000 amputees with prosthetic legs and hands. Guta accompanied the Mercer On Mission team on the month-long trip in the summer of 2024.

“Marin spent several weeks fully immersed with the Mercer On Mission team in Vietnam to capture and tell — through photo and video — the life-changing stories of both the local patients and the Mercer students impacted through the University’s signature program,” said Denise Cook, assistant vice president for marketing and communications in the Office of Enrollment Management. “This trip was a full-circle moment for Marin, having discovered her passion and talent for video production during her first Mercer On Mission Vietnam trip as a student in 2015. She is a gifted storyteller most worthy of this recognition for her beautiful and moving work.” 

CASE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement that serves institutions across the world. Its Best of District III Awards recognize extraordinary work among CASE District III members located in nine Southeast states. 

This year, CASE received 829 entries from District III, and Mercer is one of 72 institutions from District III to be represented through the Best of District honor.