TOKYO -- Nikkei and the Columbia Journalism School in New York have named 23-year-old reporter Francesca Rose Regalado from the Philippines as the inaugural Columbia-Nikkei scholar for her outstanding academic achievement.
Specializing in investigative journalism, Regalado will graduate in May 2019 with a master's of science degree. Her plan is to return to her home country and improve the quality of reporting there.
Regalado graduated from a U.S. university with a degree in international relations. She then worked as an economics reporter for a Japanese newspaper in the U.S.
At Columbia, she is polishing her investigative journalism skills while conducting field work.
"The Nikkei scholarship was a godsend, and without the generosity of donors like Nikkei, I would not have able to see my dream through," said Regalado.
"My hope is that this scholarship will encourage Asian journalists like me to take a leap of faith and pursue journalism training at Columbia University, and ultimately raise the standards for journalism in our home region," she added.
Established in 2017, the scholarship provides $100,000 to one student from Asia each year. Winners return to their home country after graduation to help establish a sound journalism industry based on freedom of speech.
