Sam Podnar knows if she’s going to make her city a better place, she can’t shy away from difficult conversations.
The Pittsburgh native and graduating senior is deeply invested in advocating for the interests of her neighbors, at the polls and on the national stage. Sometimes the best way to get to know someone, Podnar said, is by first knocking on their front door. She’s led canvassing efforts and voter registration drives in support of multiple campaigns.
“It’s gratifying to speak to people about their lives — to show up and say, ‘What’s on your mind? What are the issues you care about?’” said the politics and philosophy major in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and David C. Frederick Honors College.
Her passion for community advocacy and policymaking has shaped Podnar’s time at Pitt, leading to many rich experiences and accomplishments — including a 2025 Harry S. Truman Scholarship in recognition of her public service work, which includes contributions to College Democrats at Pitt and internships with the offices of Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Miller, U.S. Rep. Chis Deluzio and former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
One of Podnar’s biggest takeaways from her time at the University, she said, has been the value of listening to people’s personal experiences.
“I ask myself every single day, ‘What do you have to learn from everybody else?’” she said.
Podnar contends that her classes with Brock Bahler, a teaching professor in the Dietrich School’s Department of Religious Studies, were instrumental in her coming to a new openness — to seeing beyond her own story.
“With Dr. Bahler, I explored the philosophy of race and religion, understanding the systemic factors that influence the American policy-making environment,” said Podnar. “His classes completely shaped my worldview. I learned to be humble and to sit back when I don’t know something.”
Bahler noted that Podnar’s work in the community enriched her academic education, too.
“I think her experience doing public service has made her aware of the tie between theory and praxis,” he said. “She understands how what we think or believe has real-life implications, and she brings that knowledge into the classroom.”
In addition to her Truman Scholarship, Podnar is attending the University as a Stamps Scholar, the recipient of a full-ride scholarship for Pennsylvania residents who exhibit leadership, academic achievement and service to their communities. She was also awarded a William J. Keefe Congressional Fellowship to serve as a summer Congressional intern and a Martinson Award to study transatlantic relations in Brussels. And last fall, Podnar was named a finalist for the globally competitive Rhodes Scholarship.
This year, Podnar is deepening her ties to the local community as a member of the Elsie Hillman Honors Scholars Program cohort, an initiative that bridges students with nonprofits to develop community-beneficial projects or conduct research.
Through the program, she works with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, a regional public education agency, advocating and advancing equitable opportunities. Podnar developed a preschool early-intervention advocacy toolkit to support young learners with developmental delays or disabilities. She also crafted talking points that the Allegheny Intermediate Unit brought to an advocacy day in Harrisburg, where Podnar joined her colleagues in meetings with legislators.
Her work with the organization will have a lasting and positive impact, said Executive Director Bob Scherrer.
“Sam is an impressive young woman who brings curiosity and insight to her work. She cares deeply about people and the systems that support them, and she has a remarkable ability to translate that care into meaningful action,” he said.
Podnar is sticking close to home post graduation, when she begins her job as a community affairs liaison in Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office, an appointment that will allow her to continue her drive to bring positive change for her neighbors.
She credits the support of her family and her Frederick Honors College mentors — Lesha Greene, director of national scholarships and post-graduation success, and Michael Myers, Pittsburgh Electus Faculty Fellow — among the many people who helped propel her through the last four years.
“I think about all the people who have helped me get to this point,” Podnar said. “Family, friends, professors, peers, mentors and colleagues at Pitt and in the political world in Pittsburgh have propelled and encouraged me every step of the way.”
Photography by Abigail Kirsten