Q&A with Sean Prenter, 2024 20Twenties Young Alumni Award recipient
Sean Prenter.
Sean graduated with a BA in Politics in 2023 and has gained international recognition for his advocacy work and research on accessibility.
His navigation of a traumatic brain injury, that occurred in his first year of study, has shaped his sense of community through the support he was offered, and his motivation to give back.
Sean’s volunteering reaches across the world, including his time in Southeast Asia, where he taught English and meditation to children in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, with the Otago Peace Club. He also volunteered at the Berlin Special Olympic Games in 2023.
In 2024, he earned the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for the Reimagining India Study Tour, furthering his understanding of inclusive and sustainable development.
Sean had an internship with the Transportation Group - an organisation that draws on best practices in the United Kingdom and United States. His research helped to critique disability inclusion across sustainable solutions to transport.
In recognition of his leadership, Sean was awarded the Matariki Global Citizenship Certificate in 2021 and the University of Otago Student Leadership Award in 2023.
Q: What was your reaction to receiving the 20Twenties award?
Any news from the University of Otago catches my attention, but receiving an award from the place where I completed my undergraduate studies is something truly special.
Otago was a shaping chapter of my life, and when I heard the news, I carried the Dunners glow for a whole week – revisiting memories of its people, campus, and community.
Q: What have you done since graduation and what are you doing now?
Since graduating, I’ve completed a Master of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, conducting a policy review on the Tertiary Education Commission’s Disability Action Plans.
I now work as a Policy Analyst at the Ministry of Disabled People, Whaikaha, working on a refreshed, all-of-government approach to disability – work that is exciting, meaningful and deeply rewarding.
Alongside this, I’ve represented New Zealand at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Youth Workshop in Taipei on behalf of the Asia New Zealand Foundation and presented on disability and inclusion to organisations such as the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Westpac, and Diversity Works.
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
At the heart of all I do is my pūmanawa, what makes my heart beat, shaping a brighter future. I picture it like a shining kōwhai on a Dunner Stunner – a society where disabled and non-disabled people live in harmony, united by the strength our differences bring, recognised by ability, and bound by dignity.
Q: What were the highlights of your time at Otago, and has it helped you in following your interests?
When I think of Otago, I remember the burning warmth of its people, crimson like the beech and oak trees in autumn, glowing against the crisp air. Even from Wellington, that ember still burns, shaping my relational approach to every part of my work.
Special thanks to Lisa Ellis (Professor of Philosophy, and Deputy Director of the Philosophy, Politics and Economics programme), who sparked my intellectual curiosity, sharpened my rigour, and grounded it all in relationships.