On Friday, May 2, faculty, staff, family, and friends of the School of Public and International Affairs gathered in Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall to celebrate the Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony.
Dean Carissa Slotterback congratulated students on their accomplishments and thanked them for bringing their deep motivations, insights, experiences, and personal convictions to the Pitt community.
“As students you came here because you want to have not only careers, but also lives that are about impact and service,” she said. “It is our privilege to support you on this journey, and we will be watching closely to celebrate all of the great work you will surely do in the years ahead.”
Master of International Development (MID) graduate Amanda Zaner spoke directly to her peers as the Student Commencement Speaker, her voice full of emotion while recounting fond memories and looking toward the future.
“We don’t need permission or a perfect moment to make a difference,” she shared. “We came here with the desire to build our skills and our capabilities, but we built so much more than this. We built our connections, we built perspective, and we built this wonderful community. So as we move forward let’s carry with us the lessons we’ve learned, the friendships we’ve made, and the moments of change that we have already set into action. Because our passions are as wide-reaching as the people here today, and because we get to keep growing into who we want to be as we shape the world we want to see.”
Itha Cao (MID ’15) offered valuable insight from her own experience during this year’s Commencement Address, highlighting the relationships she made at Pitt and the power of seemingly small acts of service to make a big difference.
“Your journey, like mine, is not just built on textbooks, research memos, and exams,” she said. “It’s built on the relationships you’ve forged, the resilience you’ve shown, and the dreams you dared to say aloud. Today is your day – a celebration of your hard work and your belief that a better world is possible.”
Cao’s remarks focused on distinct lessons – ‘fall down, get back up, repeat,’ ‘build genuine relationships,’ ‘be humble and curious,’ ‘stand up to bullies,’ and ‘take care of yourself along the way’— inspiring this year’s graduates to step into this new chapter with conviction, passion, and grace.
“Wherever you go from this day forward, remember that you are ready, you are needed, you are enough, you matter. Your ideas, your compassion, and your courage will shape our systems, rebuild what’s broken, and create a world that is more just, more kind, and more human—and I for one, cannot wait to see you do it.”
Award-winning students, honored for outstanding achievements in their programs and commitment to the School, are listed below.
Following the ceremony, graduates and their loved ones gathered to enjoy refreshments, share congratulations, and take photos with classmates, professors, and family.
The full ceremony was livestreamed for those unable to attend in person, and a recording is available on the School’s YouTube Channel. Congratulations to our spring 2025 graduates!
Graduation Awards
International Development Program Award: Rebeca Nogueira
Public Administration Program Award: Simon Joseph
Public and International Affairs Program Award: Dastan Imanaliev Public
Policy and Management Program Award: David O’Donnell
Endowed Awards with Special Focus
Taraknath Das Foundation Prize: Sobia Ayub
Gloria Fitzgibbons Memorial Award: Christianne Accurso
Kevin Morrison Memorial Award: Samuel Rendon
David E. Oeler Award: Ethan Alfery Simon
Reich Human Security Writing Award: Deborah Sike