Zari Warden’s ’25 PLU journey leads to an interdisciplinary tapestry of creativity and advocacy
By Britt Board
Assistant Director of Communication
Zari Warden ’25 arrived at PLU as a vocal performance major ready to pursue a career in music. However, her journey quickly took a transformative turn, one that would redefine not only her academic path but also her sense of identity and purpose.
“I came in as a vocal performance major, but realized quickly that classical music wasn’t what I wanted to focus on long-term,” Zari recalls. After a conversation with her advisor, Dr. Angie Hambrick, Zari was encouraged to try an Intro to Media Studies course — a move that changed everything. “That class not only taught film and media, but also about intersectionality within media and race and really embedded all the things I was interested in into the class.”
Now a double major in communication and gender, sexuality, and race studies (GSRS), with a minor in music, Zari’s education has become an interdisciplinary tapestry that blends creativity and advocacy with self-reflection and exploration. “Being a GSRS major allowed me to learn about my history, my Black history, queer history, and the importance of collective action. I was able to learn about my own neurodivergency and how hard it is to get an ADHD diagnosis, especially as a Black woman. The classes gave me space to explore my own self-identity.”
Being a GSRS major allowed me to learn about my history, my Black history, queer history, and the importance of collective action. I was able to learn about my own neurodivergency and how hard it is to get an ADHD diagnosis, especially as a Black woman. The classes gave me space to explore my own self-identity.
Zari says that support from faculty has been crucial in allowing her to explore her self-identity. “Dr. Marnie Ritchie has been a huge influence,” Zari shares. “She offers space for students to be themselves, but also a space to be emotionally vulnerable and develop that trusting relationship, which is something I appreciate about her.”
At PLU, Zari has found ways to fuse her passions through a variety of projects and leadership roles. She’s well-known for her work on PLU’s social media, creating clever, community-building videos that spotlight campus life — including her personal favorite: the legendary “Crows vs. Squirrels” video. “It’s such a silly debate, but it really brought people together,” she laughs. “Two years later and it’s still my favorite video I’ve created.”
Zari also channels her voice through LASR, PLU’s student-run radio station. Her show, “Here’s the Thing,” blends music, storytelling, and candid reflections on everything from holiday traditions to Broadway reviews. “LASR has been a space where I can just be myself and yap,” she says. “It’s a platform where I can share my interests and connect with so many other students about their interests.”
Zari is also an accomplished singer and songwriter, including being named Seattle Refined’s “Artist of the Week.” Zari shares that her music has changed a lot since she began her time at PLU. “I used to over-dramatize everything – I would take the smallest thing and make it this big story that didn’t completely reflect myself or my experience. Now, I take what I’ve learned at PLU about myself and my identity and write music that truly reflects my experiences.”
Beyond the airwaves and online content, Zari is deeply committed to social justice work. Her capstone project — “Black Women in Nonprofit Careers: Finding joy through resistance in a caretaking role — examines how Black women navigate burnout, joy, and kinship in their careers. “Nonprofit work is rooted in community care, but often Black women in those spaces are burdened by unrealistic expectations and tropes such as the ‘strong Black woman,’” she explains. “I want to explore how we can not only remain in these roles but thrive — and how we can collectively change systems to better support us.”
Scholarships played a key role in making Zari’s journey possible. “Scholarships are the reason I’m here,” she says. “I come from a low-income household, raised by a single mom, so having these scholarships takes a lot of stress off of both of us.” Among Zari’s scholarships is the Clifford Rowe Journalism Scholarship, which honored Zari’s work creating engaging, community-focused media. “I didn’t even realize at first that what I was doing was journalism,” she says. “But it is — I’m telling stories, I’m building community. And that scholarship helped me see the impact I’m making.”
As she looks ahead, Zari plans to continue working in the nonprofit sector while releasing new music and her capstone podcast on Spotify (@Zari_Alexandria). Zari’s advice for first-year students? “Don’t be afraid to change your path! I was so stubborn about sticking to majoring in music, and I’m now so happy that I found additional ambitions that support the career I’m pursuing.”