Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Master’s Degree) Spotlight: Aulonë Kadriu

Aulonë Kadriu is a 2025–2026 Fulbright Foreign Student Program grantee currently pursuing graduate studies in Journalism at New York University, with a focus on digital and magazine storytelling at New York University. She shares her experience navigating life in New York City, exploring multimedia journalism, and discovering unexpected passions along the way.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of Kosovo to the United States to study for master’s degrees at U.S. universities. The program has brought some of the world’s finest minds to U.S. campuses and offers program participants insight into U.S. society and values. Many foreign Fulbright grantees are early-career professionals who will return to take leadership positions in their home countries, often working in the public sector, including in government or at universities.

This program is jointly funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Kosovo.

1. Where are you studying, and what is your field of study? I’m studying journalism, with a focus on digital and magazine storytelling at New York University in New York City.

2. What is one thing about your university or host city that has surprised you. Before coming to New York City, the city felt almost intimidating. I was apprehensive about learning how to navigate its fast-paced lifestyle: the subway stretching across boroughs, the sheer scale of the campus, and the constant movement.

After arriving, however, New York was quite the opposite of what I had constructed in my head. A lot of New York is like the movies, while a lot of it isn’t. Contrary to my expectations, in those very first days the city felt accessible, warm, and surprisingly easy to navigate and adapt to. Its efficient public transit means there is no part of the city out of reach, making every subway ride an adventure in itself. Even if you get lost, New York City is a good city to get lost in.

Moreover, experiencing New York City as an NYU student is a special treat. With the university’s campus embedded in Lower Manhattan and spread across multiple buildings, you find yourself with a sense of “home” in many places. 

3. What does a typical week look like for you right now? It is now mid-December, and with the semester over, I am finally catching up on reading and enjoying a much-deserved break. Before the break, however, my schedule was full, with classes three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On days when I wasn’t in class, I used the time to conduct interviews and fieldwork, meet sources, research story ideas, and write and edit my pieces.

NYU’s journalism program emphasizes storytelling across many formats. This semester, I had the opportunity to explore text, audio, video, and photography, which meant that when I wasn’t in the classroom, you could often find me around the city filming, taking photographs, or collecting audio for my next story. Most recently, I filmed and edited a video about a violin maker in Manhattan. At the beginning of the semester, I could barely turn on a camcorder.

And of course, I make plenty of time for leisure. In the summer, I swim at the public pool near my house or go to the beach in Coney Island, while in the winter I use NYU’s gym facilities, which include two excellent indoor pools. Beyond swimming, I enjoy attending theater performances, trying new restaurants, reading, meeting friends, and occasionally watching a new show, although I tend to pick shorter ones.

All in all, I feel that I have grown tremendously, both academically and culturally, in such a short amount of time, and I am excited for what lies ahead.

4. What is one skill you didn’t expect to gain but did?
Before choosing NYU, I researched its curriculum and approach to journalism thoroughly, which helped me develop clear expectations for what I would learn. I was particularly drawn to NYU’s multimedia approach: its emphasis on teaching journalism across multiple mediums and formats.

However, I didn’t anticipate how much I would come to love certain skills. During my first semester, I took a class focused on audio, photography, and video, and I discovered a deep enthusiasm for photography. This experience has led me to consider shifting my focus more toward photojournalism in the coming semesters. NYU’s resources have been critical in allowing me to experiment and further develop these skills beyond the classroom.

Moreover, photography, beyond being a powerful journalistic medium, has become an excellent way to get to know the city. I’ve explored neighborhoods I might not have otherwise visited and met people I wouldn't have encountered. These connections have made my storytelling richer, more vivid, and nuanced—something I’m deeply grateful for. It has allowed me to connect with the world in a more meaningful way while telling stories with greater creativity.

5. What has been the biggest culture shock for you in the U.S.? I have lived and studied in Kansas in 2017, and at the time, I believed I had already gained a glimpse of what life in the United States was like. While that experience did prepare me in some ways, I quickly realized that the U.S. is incredibly diverse, and one cannot truly claim to “know” the country, even after living here for an entire lifetime. Even New York City’s boroughs and neighborhoods are so distinct that moving from one to another can feel like changing cities, let alone states. During my winter break, I traveled to San Francisco, California, and once again, I was struck by the sheer diversity of this country, from the weather and landscapes to the food, streets, and architecture.

This realization has been exciting rather than overwhelming, as it has given me the opportunity to adjust, learn new habits, and understand different ways of functioning. Often, I also find myself being the only person in the room who has lived in Kansas, which has been a fun icebreaker.

I wouldn’t say I’ve experienced a major culture shock. New York City, in particular, feels like a place that offers something for everyone, with cultures from all over the world. It allows me to find comfort when I feel homesick while still constantly discovering new experiences. One day I’m eating spinach pie, beans, or qofte at an Albanian restaurant; the next, I’m enjoying birria tacos at a Mexican spot. One day I’m watching a show at an Albanian-run theater, and the next I’m exploring exhibitions at MoMA. One moment I’m in Manhattan, surrounded by skyscrapers that make it hard to see the sky, and the next I’m in my quiet neighborhood park, watching the sunset. It is truly a great place to be. It has something for everyone.