Mannela is a graduate student in the United Nations and Global Policy Studies program; she received her bachelor's degree in Political Science, Geography, and International & Global Studies from Rutgers University in 2019. She values the opportunity to deepen her knowledge of international affairs through research, diverse peer discussions, and project-based collaboration.
Mannela was involved and held leadership positions within various student organizations throughout her undergraduate career that encouraged her academic and personal interests. She developed her professional portfolio by completing internships in Advancement and Fundraising in higher education and policy research and advocacy for minority groups in Washington, DC. During her time at Rutgers, Mannela was selected to be the research assistant for conducting primary data research on political participation trends in New York City. She continues to advance her professional career through her current position in the higher education and development space at the Rutgers University Foundation.
Mannela is motivated by the opportunity to gain experience in international relations and development as she concentrates her graduate studies in international law, human rights, and gender equality. These interests grow from her diverse global experiences and connections, which also afforded her advanced Spanish comprehension skills and continuing to improve a limited working proficiency of French.
