Valentina Fala/ Fourth Estate
Marijana Grbeša-Zenzerović comes to Mason for research and finds student community
BY VALENTINA FALA, STAFF WRITER
Marijana Grbeša-Zenzerović, a Fulbright Scholar from Croatia, has traveled the world pursuing academic excellence in communication. From earning her master’s degree in the United Kingdom to completing a Ph.D. in Slovenia and teaching at Penn State University, Grbeša-Zenzerović’s journey is nothing short of remarkable.
At Mason, Grbeša-Zenzerović engages with students in digital advertising and strategic communication courses while conducting research on the current U.S. presidential elections and its disinformation. She plans to compare these findings with her previous research in Europe.
Grbeša-Zenzerović’s interest in Mason transpired from her recent studies in celebrity culture and the Lab for Character Assassination and Reputation Politics. Directed by Mason professor Sergei Samoilenko, CARP studies “character assassination and reputation management” and focuses efforts on researching, teaching and assessing character assassinations to understand and help others understand this phenomenon, according to CARP’s official website. Grbeša-Zenzerović will be participating in CARP’s annual conference in March 2025.
“I first came [to Mason] in August. I haven’t been here for long but I have this feeling that I have been here for a very long time which, basically, that’s how I feel at home here,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.
Back in Croatia, Grbeša-Zenzerović teaches political marketing, political communication, mass media and strategic communication at the University of Zagreb. Her research includes European elections and their media coverage.
Grbeša-Zenzerović was inspired to pursue a career in communications in the 90s after watching war journalists, whom she saw as heroes, during the Croatian War of Independence. Now, she is also part of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users (MSI-eSEC) where she serves as one of their experts.
Grbeša-Zenzerović has visited the U.S. many times and notes the difference between European and American studies. In her view, European students focus on theories, a rigorous curriculum, and memorization; whereas, American students are typically more inquisitive, excelling in critical thinking and in seeking answers.
“They dare to ask, they dare to debate, they dare to say their opinion,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.
Grbeša-Zenzerović serves as an inspiration for those who aspire to travel the world while pursuing their passions.
“What strikes me about George Mason is this impression on campus that students are kind of the ones leading the game, they are like people in charge of everything,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said. Her journey at Mason has just started, yet students and the faculty have been a main factor in her personal and professional growth.
Grbeša-Zenzerović will deliver a special lecture titled “The fun factor: How pop culture wins elections in the age of social media entertainment” on Wednesday, November 13 at 12:15 pm at the Communication Department’s Main Conference Room in Horizon Hall and via Zoom.
