October 2025 - Amanda Said
BA International Studies (Comparative Culture and Identity); BA Applied Statistics; BA French ‘16
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
University of Michigan Affiliations: Freedom House Detroit (volunteer), UROP, Study Abroad (Sciences Po Aix)
“My international studies major laid the foundation for my career journey. The program exposed me to diverse perspectives, cultures, and systems of thought, helping me understand how global and local inequities are interconnected. It propelled me to step out of my comfort zone to try new opportunities, like traveling and meeting people from different places and professions, eventually propelling me to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Harvard, where I specialized in education policy. Now, as the Executive Director of a nonprofit serving under-represented students, I still lean on the skills, values, and perspectives I gained from my undergraduate studies to lead with compassion and strategy to drive change.”
