After spending countless hours immersed in data-driven stories during my early years as a rookie journalist, I realized that data journalism — the craft of using data analysis and visualization to unearth patterns, trends, and insights on complex issues and inform audiences in a compelling way — would be my next frontier to explore. 

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I began searching for a program that could deepen my passion and hone my skills, and eventually, the United States became my ultimate destination. Apart from the atmosphere enriched by mutual awareness of journalism’s significance, the United States is also home to several notable newsrooms that produce powerful data stories tackling a wide range of social issues, aiming to make the world a better place, as well as a renowned academic nexus that offers numerous robust programs designed to train well-versed data journalists. This is where my Fulbright journey begins.

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I felt deeply driven to come to the United States and harvest knowledge from working with data and journalism, hoping to channel those lessons to the Thai news industry and become a spearhead in producing more robust data journalistic works that can contribute to some tangible societal changes in Thailand. But with limited capacity to finance myself for studies abroad, I needed a tide to carry me to shore. Fulbright became that tide. My goal of fostering an academic bridge between Thailand and the United States resonated with the Fulbright mission, so I applied for a scholarship. It took five years and two attempts before I could finally call myself a Thai Graduate Scholarship (TGS) Fulbrighter in the 2024 cohort.  

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I landed at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park — my first time in the United States, and in fact, my first time leaving my motherland. Being far from home was a confluence of excitement, anxiety, fear, and wanderlust. Yet, with my goal fixed firmly ahead, I believed I was ready to face anything.

My first year was challenging in ways I could never have imagined. Though I had a solid grounding in journalism, studying it in a new language and different context was extremely demanding. Words are a journalist’s most powerful tools, so I spent hours refining my grasp of English nuance to reflect fairness and neutrality in my writing — the heart of good journalism. Good journalism is also propelled by a decent understanding of society, so I immersed myself extensively in politics, the judiciary, racial issues, diversity, culture, and a variety of subjects that matter to American society. Moreover, as I pursued my data concentration, I needed to venture into coding and visualization, which were intimidating at first but turned out to be diverting.

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Beyond struggling with imposter syndrome in an academic sense, my other segments of the journey in the United States weren’t entirely lined with roses. Unfamiliar weather, mental and physical distress, or even the political turmoil of the past year, have contributed to the hindrances I have to tackle day and night. Nonetheless, I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by a sublime group of people—school friends, professors, fellow Fulbrighters, loved ones at home, and the dedicated staff from Fulbright Thailand—who consistently lift me during breakdowns and dark moments, making a place almost ten thousand miles away feel like home.

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Despite all twists and turns, now, halfway through my journey, I see how much I have grown — both professionally and personally. My knowledge and skills in data and journalism have been expanded exponentially. I’ve got multiple opportunities to engage with a real newsroom where journalistic integrity is rigorously upheld, like I’ve never experienced before, along with producing several academic and journalistic pieces I never imagined I could do a year ago. I’m so proud of all the work I’ve done so far, and even prouder to know that I could make positive impacts through it. Above all, resilience is a silver lining in all the hardships I’ve endured. I reach the point where I feel courageous, no matter how insurmountable the problems lying ahead look, and that is the most precious treasure I’ve retrieved along the way.

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None of this would have been possible without Fulbright. To me, Fulbright is a tide that carried me to shore, but more than that, it’s also a braid of waterways linking me to others who share the same ideals. Over the past year, I’ve met many wonderful Fulbrighters who are astonishingly passionate about their field and heard tons of stories about how they yearn to make this world a better place. These experiences are like rekindling flames that will keep thrusting my heart to go on until reaching the finish line of this journey.

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Molecule Jongwilai

2024 TGS in Journalism at University of Maryland

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