For the first time, the School of Public and International Affairs invited graduating students to apply for the opportunity to speak at the School’s Commencement ceremony. Amanda Zaner (MID ’25) was chosen by the selection committee to speak on behalf of their class this Friday, May 2, 2025. Dean Slotterback shared the news in an email to faculty and staff earlier this month, noting the strength of all who applied and highlighting the characteristics that set Amanda apart.
“The applications we received were thoughtful, inspiring, and a true reflection of the talent and passion in our student community,” she said. “Amanda impressed the committee with their compelling message, strong voice, and authentic reflection of the values and experiences that define our student body.”
We look forward to hearing Amanda’s remarks and celebrating all of our graduates at the ceremony later this week!
Amanda Zaner (she/they) is graduating from the Master of International Development program this year, with a concentration in Human Security and a certificate in Global Sustainable Development. Rooted in social justice, her work spans across academic research, activism, and civic engagement. Amanda’s broader research and advocacy interests include community-based resource coordination, Political Rhetoric analysis, social identity and resistance movements, and Politics of Presence.
Amanda currently serves as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Ford Institute for Human Security, where she manages website content, assists with event coordination, and supports data collection & analysis for collaborative research initiatives. She is also a student research lead for two of Ford’s interdisciplinary working groups—Online Violence Against Women in Politics and Closing the Water Gap—which focus on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and water justice.
With a passion for community organization and leadership, Amanda is President of the “Pride in Public and International Affairs” (PIPIA) student affinity group and previously served as Vice President of the GSPIA Student Cabinet. She also participated in the Hesselbein Forum Leadership Program in International Affairs in addition to serving on various committees across university departments.
Amanda holds a BA in International Studies with a concentration in International Political Systems from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She graduated in 2023 with a 4.0 GPA from IUP’s Cook Honors College, while also competing as a student athlete on the university’s field hockey team. She holds minors in Anthropology and Religious Studies and a certificate in Cultural Competencies from IUP, in addition to a graduate certificate in Multilateralism, Globalization, and Corporate Diplomacy from the University of Amsterdam.
Amanda’s professional experience spans nonprofit organization work, political campaign management, and volunteer work across environmental preservation, community health, and digital history archiving. Her work has been published by the Center for Democracy and Technology, and she has presented at several research conferences, including the International Conference on Computational Social Science (IC2S2) at the University of Pennsylvania. She also looks forward to presenting her independent research at the upcoming Politics and Gender conference at Rutgers University this May. She is grateful to be a recipient of the GSPIA Phyllis Coontz Fund award, and the IUP Political Science Department Academic Excellence Award.
Looking ahead, Amanda plans to continue working at the intersection of nonprofit advocacy, academic research, and public policy. She also aspires to pursue a Ph.D., intending to focus on community organization and artistic expression as mediums for social activism, with the long-term goal of becoming a professor committed to community-engaged scholarship. Her passion for education—as both a tool for empowerment and a catalyst for systemic change—continues to guide her vision for creating inclusive, justice-centered academic and civic spaces.