Where Did Zohran Mamdani Go to College? His Education Before Running for NYC Mayor

Ever wonder how college can actually change the direction of your entire life? For Zohran Mamdani, a small school in Maine turned into the starting point for a political career that recently led him to win the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

Key takeaways

• Zohran Mamdani attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, graduating in 2014 with a degree in Africana Studies
• Mamdani wrote for the student newspaper, where he challenged administrators on different campus issues
• His college years taught him that organizing actually works, which became the foundation for his political career

What college did Zohran Mamdani attend?

Zohran Mamdani graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014. Bowdoin is a small liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, about 30 miles north of Portland. The school only has around 1,800 students total, which makes it way smaller than most state universities.

For someone who grew up in New York City and went to the Bronx High School of Science, Maine probably felt pretty different. But that small campus environment ended up shaping everything that came after.

What did he study?

Mamdani majored in Africana Studies. This field looks at the history, culture, and politics of Africa and Black communities around the world.

Students in this major take classes in history, political science, sociology, literature, and other subjects to understand these topics from different angles.

His department chair at Bowdoin said the program taught Mamdani how to think critically about power and inequality. You can see that influence in the policies he talks about today.

How did college shape his activism?

Mamdani has said that his time at Bowdoin is where he first got serious about organizing. Here's what he did on campus:

• Co-founded Students for Justice in Palestine: This became one of his first major organizing projects. The group is still active on campus.
• Worked at the student newspaper: He started as a news editor for the Bowdoin Orient, then switched to writing opinion pieces. His articles often criticized how administrators handled different issues.
• Took a class with incarcerated people: The course brought Bowdoin students together with people at Maine State Prison. Classmates remember him as someone who really listened.

One of his former classmates described him as someone who could bring people together and make everyone feel included, even when discussing tough topics. That skill clearly helped him later in politics.

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What happened after he graduated?

After leaving Bowdoin in 2014, Mamdani didn't jump straight into politics. Instead, he:

1. Worked as a housing counselor in Queens, helping low-income homeowners avoid foreclosure
2. Volunteered on political campaigns to learn how elections work
3. Briefly tried pursuing a music career in hip-hop
4. Ran for New York State Assembly in 2020 and won

That six-year gap between college and his first election shows that political careers don't happen overnight. The organizing skills he learned at Bowdoin took time to develop into something bigger.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What degree does Zohran Mamdani have?

Mamdani has a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College (2014). He hasn't gone to graduate school.

Is Bowdoin College expensive?

Yes, the total cost is over $80,000 per year. But Bowdoin meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all students and doesn't consider your ability to pay when deciding admissions. About 45% of students receive need-based financial aid.

Did Zohran Mamdani go to Columbia University?

No. His father teaches at Columbia, and reports suggest he applied there, but he ended up attending Bowdoin College instead.

What high school did Zohran Mamdani attend?

He went to the Bronx High School of Science, one of New York City's specialized high schools that requires passing an entrance exam to get in.

What jobs did Mamdani have after college?

Right after graduating in 2014, he worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor in Queens. This job involved helping low-income homeowners fight eviction. He also pursued hip-hop music briefly before fully committing to politics.

Final thoughts

Zohran Mamdani's journey from Bowdoin College to NYC politics really shows how much higher education can shape someone. His college days, focusing on social issues, activism, and even the newspaper, helped him build essential skills like critical thinking, organization, and communication—all super important for his political career.

But his story also shows the reality of college costs. Not every student can afford to attend a school like Bowdoin, and not everyone has the flexibility to work in lower-paying fields after graduation while building toward a political career.

Affording college debt-free, whether for politics or other fields, offers more choices. Research options like scholarships, grants, federal loans, and work-study now for smart education decisions.

Source

• Zohran Mamdani - Wikipedia
• Zohran K. Mamdani - Assembly District 36 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly