Merrill graduated in 2026 from Bates College with a major in English literature and a concentration in the Middle East in a global context. She also co-captained the Bates Women’s Varsity Rowing Team. She has lived nearly a decade overseas, in Africa and Southeast Asia.
In 2024, Merrill spent half the year in Rabat, Morocco, studying Arabic and human rights, social justice, and cultural transformation, as they impact the MENA region. Professionally, she has worked in both government and the private sector. Merrill also speaks Chinese, and her research interests include, inter alia, China’s growing influence in the Arab world and how evolving models of leadership impact the relationships between Arab states and the United States. Merrill is interested in pursuing a career in foreign policy and national security.