Journalism Student to Explore German Media and Politics Through Fulbright Program

Emma LaPointe, a junior at the University of Arizona School of Journalism, was selected to participate in Fulbright Germany’s 2026 Berlin Capital Program, an international opportunity that brings college students and early-career journalists from the United States together with media professionals in Germany.

The program is designed to give participants a deeper understanding of how journalism operates in different cultural and political systems, with a focus on Germany’s current news ecosystem and the forces that shape it. 

From April through July, LaPointe and her 20-person cohort will meet for monthly virtual sessions before traveling to Berlin in September for a week of discussions, site visits, tours and networking opportunities.

“I’m excited to explore Berlin,” LaPointe said. “It’s a beautiful city and there’s so much history there. I’m excited to immerse myself and meet people.”

For LaPointe, the experience will allow her to explore her academic interests as she triple-majors in journalism, political science and German studies. She also serves as editor-in-chief of the Daily Wildcat student news outlet, works as a Tucson Spotlight intern and is a student ambassador for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Her interest in Germany has taken shape over several years. She speaks German and has visited the country multiple times, including a study abroad program in Leipzig and a high school student exchange that took her to Bavaria. 

During a previous visit to Berlin, LaPointe toured the city’s Topography of Terror museum, which deepened her interest in World War II-era history.

“German history and politics are fascinating and even similar to the U.S. in some ways” she said.

LaPointe is especially interested in learning how Germany’s history, from its involvement in wars to the fall of the Berlin Wall, has shaped its media landscape and the way journalists there work today.

As she prepares for her trip abroad, LaPointe is hoping to come away with lessons that might apply to her own work moving forward.

“How can I be a better journalist? What could we be doing differently in America?” she said.

In 2025 LaPointe explored those same questions when she attended the "History, Memory and Responsibility" journalism seminar in Oświęcim, Poland, through the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.

The seminar included lectures and tours centered around how journalists can effectively cover sensitive topics and communicate the significance of historical events.

"I hope to take what I have learned into my education and career," LaPointe said.

Through the Fulbright experience, LaPointe aims to bring back a broader understanding of international reporting, which she one day hopes to pursue professionally.