TUJ student Tahina Rakotonanahary wins the FCCJ’s Swadesh DeRoy Scholarship
Tahina Rakotonanahary, an undergraduate communication studies major at the Japan campus of Temple University (TUJ), has won the Swadesh DeRoy Scholarship, a prestigious journalism award presented by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ). She received the award on January 14, 2026, in recognition of her outstanding short video work.
Rakotonanahary was selected for a video diary portraying a Malagasy student who studied in Japan on a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) scholarship and is preparing to return home amid political unrest. The film follows the student’s reluctant departure after studying in Japan through a JICA fellowship. When asked what he will miss most, his response is simple and resonant: the calm, the food, the trains, the cleanliness.
“Overwhelmed, honestly. I was happy but overwhelmed,” Rakotonanahary said, recalling the moment her name was called and learned that she had won the award.
She explained that the award has encouraged her to complete the full video, as the piece submitted to the committee was only one segment of a larger project she is currently working on.
FCCJ Praises
Established in honor of longtime journalist Swadesh DeRoy, the scholarship supports undergraduate and graduate students in Japan, as well as Japanese students enrolled in journalism programs overseas, who are pursuing careers in journalism.
The FCCJ scholarship committee praised her work for its emotional restraint and visual storytelling. The video interweaves intimate interview moments with footage of street clashes in Madagascar and quiet scenes of daily life in Japan. Though brief, the piece is atmospheric and reflective, with careful pacing and strong subtitling that underscore its impact.
The Swadesh DeRoy Scholarship is intended to help recipients further their journalistic training through language study, reporting travel, professional equipment, or internships. Rakotonanahary’s selection highlights the growing international presence and creative strength of TUJ’s communication studies program.
Preparing for the Next Stage
Born and raised in Paris to French and Malagasy parents, she had always wanted to study abroad for college. After graduating from high school, she initially studied political science at a university in Italy before enrolling at Temple Japan in August 2023. In addition to majoring in communication studies, she minors in art and political science, driven by a long-standing interest in telling real stories through journalism and documentary filmmaking.
Asked whether she plans to pursue a career in journalism after graduation, Rakotonanahary said she is considering graduate school to further build her academic skills. While honored by the award, she emphasized that she is focused on what comes next. With a humble smile, she added, “There are a lot of options in front of me, which is exciting, but I still haven’t made up my mind.”
After the current spring semester, Rakotonanahary is scheduled to travel to Temple University Rome to complete both her degree and art minor. “Going there would feel like coming full circle,” she said. “I see it that way because I began my adulthood by leaving home to study abroad in Italy.”
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