By the time Maggie Andresen ‘17 graduated from Temple University, she already established an impressive career in photojournalism. However, one experience was missing: a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award. After two attempts at securing an open study/research award, she is now a recipient for her project "Documenting Resilient Communities Fighting Climate Adaptation Apartheid in Lagos." For the 2020-2021 Fulbright award cycle, Andresen is one of two Klein College of Media and Communication recipients and one of the 16 Temple awardees.

Andresen, who graduated from Klein with a degree in journalism, came to Temple determined to chart a course for her career that allowed her to amplify the voices of citizens and changemakers locally and abroad. She was particularly drawn to PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods, a foundational journalism class and publication of the university’s Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab, for its hyperlocal focus and its opportunities for community engagement. Along with her participation in the South Africa Klein College Global Opportunities study away program and her time studying abroad in Italy, Andresen found that the opportunities afforded to her through Temple strengthened her love for photojournalism and storytelling as a whole.

“I’m attracted to photojournalism broadly because I think that there’s a power to a single image,” she says. “I’m also a video reporter; I love producing videos, I love editing videos. But there’s something about the power of a single image that can kind of transcend language and transcend borders, that people can interpret regardless of literacy in whatever way they choose. And I’ve always thought that was incredibly powerful.”

Barbara Gorka, director of scholar development and fellowship advising for the university, started working with Andresen on her first Fulbright application when Andresen was a rising senior. Because many competitive, merit-based awards like Fulbright allow individuals to apply even after graduating, the two have worked together for several years, completing two applications for the Marshall Scholarship, where Andresen was a finalist and an alternate candidate and one application for a Rhodes Scholarship, where Andresen was a finalist.

With each Fulbright application, Gorka found that Andresen better understood the responsibility of a Fulbright participant as “a cultural ambassador for the United States.” Gorka believes that this understanding and Andresen’s thoroughness in researching the most relevant information and connecting with the right professionals contributed to Andresen finally receiving a Fulbright.

Andresen designed her project to work with numerous Nigerian researchers, activists and budding photojournalism groups like Legends of Lagos. While in Lagos, she will develop media that brings attention to community-generated solutions that combat increasing water rise and city demolitions for urban infrastructure.

Andresen is currently based in Rwanda as a freelance photojournalist and is an independent contractor with Reuters Africa. She is a previous International Women’s Media Foundation fellow and has had work published with major news organizations including BBC World News, Associated Press and CNN.

Claire McGlinchey ‘20, who was awarded a graduate study Fulbright this year based at Dublin City University, declined the offer to accept another opportunity at the University of New Hampshire.