From student-athlete to entrepreneur, Liberal Arts graduate charts next chapter

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As she prepares to graduate this weekend, Penn State student Vama Maniar reflects on an undergraduate journey shaped by exploration and intention. A fourth-year English major and business and the liberal arts minor, Maniar balanced the demands of Division I athletics and honors-level coursework while seeking out internships, funding and entrepreneurial opportunities that helped her explore what she wanted her future to look like. Guided by a personal mantra to “reach your highest potential every day,” she approached college as a time to stretch herself and begin shaping what comes next.

“Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts offers incredible support for students who are willing to reach for more,” Maniar said. “Every year, my travels for internships, both domestic and international, were funded through SEN grants and enrichment funding, which allowed me to focus fully on learning and growing while knowing Penn State is supporting my goals every step of the way.”

Choosing to be an English major was an easy decision for Maniar, who knew she wanted to be a writer from a young age thanks to her consistent reading, journaling and writing.

“Ever since I was little, my mom inspired me to write poetry, and it was my first glimpse of just how supportive my parents were of my creativity,” Maniar said.

Maniar said she takes her inspiration primarily from her parents. Her mom is an artist who nurtured her creativity from a young age, while her dad is an award-winning boutique investment banker who instilled in her an entrepreneurial mindset and her drive to turn ideas into action.

Encouraged to think creatively and act decisively, she said, Maniar began turning ideas into projects from the age of 11.

“At 11, I started a bullet journal business. At 15, I founded my own business, which has now grown to a community of more than 50,000 people and has supported more than 500 women through my workshops,” Maniar said. “That drive to build something meaningful and help people all while understanding how businesses operate naturally led me to pursue a business minor.”

Academics weren’t the only thing that drew Maniar to State College. She was born in California and lived there until the age of 7, when she moved to Mumbai, India, and discovered her passion for fencing. There, she was surrounded by supportive coaches and teammates at Elite Fencing Club who fostered an environment that taught her the power of mentorship and community.

“Penn State is the No. 1 school for Division I Fencing. As a national-level athlete, being recruited to one of the best NCAA teams in the country felt like a dream come true,” Maniar said. “When I arrived as a new student, I realized that many of my teammates didn’t understand my capabilities or how I trained, and it often left me feeling isolated, misunderstood and behind. But it also forced me to confront discomfort head-on, dig deep into my resilience and prove to myself, not anyone else, what I was truly capable of.”

Maniar said her experiences in fencing changed her approach to challenges, teaching her to focus on what she can control and persist with strong, disciplined determination.

She brought the same drive to her studies, leading her to become a Schreyer Scholar. She’s maintained a high grade-point average, crediting it in large part to “the structure, rigor and support the program provided,” she said.

While her honors-level courses were challenging at first, Maniar said she can now see how her analytical skills, interpretations and confidence in handling difficult materials have grown due to her involvement in the program. She said she's grateful for the professors who guided her intellectually, emotionally and professionally throughout her journey.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have had professors who genuinely cared about me as an individual,” Maniar said. “That’s what makes the College of the Liberal Arts so special, whether it’s a 15-person honors seminar or a 200-person lecture, my professors took the time to listen, guide and support me when I reached out to them.”

Those professors include Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences John Minbiole, whose honors courses, CAS137H: Rhetoric and Civic Life I and CAS138T: Rhetoric and Civic Life II, left such an impact on Maniar, she said, that she became one of his teaching assistants.

“His teaching style was empathetic yet structured and helped me build confidence in public speaking,” Maniar said. “The safe and encouraging environment he created gave me the skills to speak in front of large audiences, something I know will help me immensely in my career.”

Assistant Professor of English and African Studies Samuel Kolawole and academic adviser Julianna Chaszar were two other influences on Maniar’s college experience, she added.

Kolawole and Maniar initially met at a book reading and later in writing classes. Maniar said Kolawole noticed her enthusiasm, encouraged her to write more and allowed her to gain real-world experience with publishers as a social media content manager for his book releases. In this role, she attended events with Kolawole, including one where he won the prestigious Whiting Award in New York, an experience she describes as unforgettable.

Chaszar, meanwhile, helped guide Maniar through her college experience, navigating honors guidelines, planning course loads and managing credits. Maniar said that guidance allowed her to confidently balance academics, athletics and her own projects.

Wanting new challenges, Maniar applied to spend a semester at Columbia University, where she worked on her honors thesis exploring the evolution of self-improvement in Gen Z across student athletes, honors students and content creators and took classes in finance, biotech and Shakespeare. She said the experience challenged her to think bigger, dig deeper and speak up with more confidence.

“Both experiences were incredible, but in different ways,” Maniar said. “I’ll always be grateful to both institutions; Penn State for nurturing me and providing a supportive foundation and Columbia for showing me the power of my independence and intellectual courage.”

While at Penn State, Maniar also pursued several internship opportunities.

“After freshman year, when I was still dreaming of being a business journalist, I had the incredible chance to intern as a journalist for The Indian Express in Mumbai,” Maniar said. “I got to investigate, report and be published for a missing-person case, but I realized that this was a passion I wanted to keep as a personal pursuit rather than a career.”

She said the skills she developed there served her well during her recent internship in the College of the Liberal Arts’ Office of Strategic Communications.

“They reached out to me personally after seeing a reel I made inspired by Professor Samuel Kolawole’s book reading,” Maniar said.

Maniar has now written more than 25 Penn State News stories highlighting students, alumni and events over the past two and a half years. She said the team’s collaborative environment and supportive culture have made every assignment feel meaningful.

Maniar also took on a marketing internship at Simon Sinek’s the Optimism Company. Having created the position specially for her, Sinek and his team welcomed Maniar with guidance and generosity as their new B2B marketing intern. There, she conducted white paper and “worthy rivals” research and event content analysis for Sinek’s social media accounts, with her internship concluding with a sponsorship proposal pitch to her marketing team.

“Beyond just the technical skills, the experience taught me how a mission-driven team operates at the highest level while remaining authentic to a shared purpose,” Maniar said. “I feel so lucky and grateful for Simon, Sara and the team’s mentorship, which has shaped how I approach work, leadership and purpose today.”

Maniar said she’s grown into someone she is proud of and has learned how to adapt to changing environments without losing sight of her values or ambitions. Her confidence has especially grown over the last four months.   

Every experience, she said, is an opportunity to learn, grow and discover more about yourself and what you want to achieve. Maniar said she knows her advice works because she has implemented it since she was 15, when she founded her company, @Mindbuild.co on Instagram.

The company started as an accountability platform to track Maniar’s goals and motivate her to follow through on them. However, she said, over time it has evolved into a community centered on empowering women. Its primary purpose is to help women find their purpose, clarify their goals and create actionable plans to elevate their lives, no matter how busy or overwhelmed they feel, Maniar said. It has now grown to a community of more than 50,000 women.

“I realized that so many people, especially women, struggle to find a space where they can grow, stay motivated and feel supported while chasing their dreams,” Maniar said. “What started as me trying to organize my life became a platform that has impacted tens of thousands of women.”

The company’s evolution, Maniar said, has been the most fulfilling part of the journey.

“Every story, every message from someone who felt stuck but was able to move forward because of our workshops, reminds me why I started and why I need to keep growing and expanding the impact of this platform,” Maniar said. “It’s about transformation, connection and showing that with the right mindset and tools, women can truly achieve what they set their minds to.”

Later this month, Maniar will take her experiences, lessons and skills to New York City, where she will work as a sales analyst. She said she's excited about the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment and engage with finance professionals.  

“There are so many people I have to thank for helping me shape the past 3.5 years. I am endlessly grateful to all the incredible people who have supported me along the way,” she said. “Your guidance, encouragement, friendship and belief in me have made this journey possible and will continue to inspire every step I take.”