Columbia-Nikkei journalism scholarship goes to Jiang Xinlin

TOKYO -- Nikkei and the Columbia Journalism School in New York have awarded the annual Columbia-Nikkei Scholarship to Jiang Xinlin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate from Chengdu in China's Sichuan province.

"Receiving this award has motivated me to hold myself to the highest standards," said 23-year-old Jiang, who has already started graduate studies in data journalism at Columbia.

"I'm committed to amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities and inspiring others with the passion and knowledge I gain here," she said.

Jiang graduated this year from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, double-majoring in communication arts and journalism, earning a certificate in digital media analytics.

Jiang led as editor-in-chief at Madnews, a news outlet for Chinese students in Madison. Her reporting series, "Asian Hate in Madison," won first place for individual multimedia storytelling in the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Eric Sevareid Awards in 2023.

The story resulted in increased campus security and feelings of empowerment among Asian students, according to Jiang. To build upon her experience, "I look to report stories that challenge assumed wisdom, especially across cultures and geographies," she said.

Established in 2017, the Columbia-Nikkei Scholarship awards $100,000 to an outstanding student from Asia who has an interest in data and business journalism.