Donald Zárate is a second-year Ph.D. student in Political Science at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), specializing in
Political Theory. His research centers on
utopianism and
social dreaming, examining how these ideas shape societal structures and individual aspirations. Donald holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Political Science (B.A.) and Psychology (B.S.) from UCR and three associate degrees in Science & Math, Social & Behavioral Studies, and Humanities, Philosophies & Arts.
Donald's most recent work includes “Here and Now: Black Perspectives on Antiutopianism,” which was invited to be presented at the
Society for Utopian Studies in October 2024. He has also been a semi-finalist in the
UCR GradSlam competition. His academic achievements have earned him the UCR Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship, the Regal AmeriCorps Award, and the California For All Education Award.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Donald serves as president of UCR’s
Pi Sigma Alphachapter and volunteers with the
LIFTEDprogram to support higher education for incarcerated individuals. He also has over nine years of service in the U.S. Army, currently holding the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Donald aims to complete his Ph.D. and commission through UCR’s
ROTC, with a long-term goal of teaching at West Point.
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