NYU Alumni & Friends Connect

February 15, 2020

The NYU Alumni Association (NYUAA) represents all NYU alumni, from every NYU school and department—a community more than half-a-million strong. The diverse and active NYUAA Board of Directors is made up of alumni volunteers who steer the Association in their mission to engage and support alumni.  

Monefa Anderson (WAG ’96, MEYERS ‘07)

Monefa Anderson (WAG ’96, MEYERS ’07) is a third-year Board member and the current president of the Meyers Alumni Association. Monefa is the Director of Nursing for the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Health. In addition to her two degrees from NYU (an MPA in Health Policy & Management and a BSN in Nursing) and notable career as a healthcare executive, Monefa has a BA in Philosophy from the State University of New York at Binghamton and is board certified as a Gerontological Nurse Specialist and Nurse Executive; and she’ll soon return to NYU to pursue her doctoral degree!

Meet Monefa:

What is your favorite:

  • Food? I was born and raised (and still reside) in Brooklyn, NY and if you know Brooklyn you know that you can get any type of food from all over the world. Needless to say, my favorite food list is long. I do love all things savory, spicy, and sweet!
  • Book? I just finished the novel The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates that I liked and a recent favorite was Becoming by former First-Lady Michelle Obama.
  • TV Show and/or Movie? I catch The Daily Show with Trevor Noah whenever I can and This is Us for a good feel-good cry (haha).
  • Song and/or Musical Artist? My taste in music runs the gamut and my mood dictates my choice at any given time. I go from rock to hip-hop and from R&B to classical.
  • Way to spend a Saturday? Spending time with my family and friends, catching a movie or shopping.
  • Place to travel? This past summer I went to Florence, Italy and stayed at NYU’s Villa La Pietra—an incredible experience. I was able to see beautiful Florence, tour the Antinorinel Chianti Classico winery in the Tuscan hillside, and spend time in Rome.
  • Place on the NYU campus? Bobst Library. I spent most of my time there as a Wagner graduate student. When I attended Meyers, the building on First Avenue didn’t exist and classes were held throughout the Washington Square campus. I always found a quiet place to study in beautiful Bobst Library.
     

What is your favorite memory from your time at NYU?

Meeting classmates and friends in Washington Square Park between classes and hanging out in the Village!

Why do you stay involved with NYU?

I stay involved because I make the time and think it’s the right thing to do. If someone thinks they can’t attend an institution like NYU, or that it is unattainable, I want them to see me, hear my story, and know that it’s all possible.

Why do you give back to NYU?

I give back to NYU because it has given me and my family a remarkable educational experience. My brother obtained his doctorate from NYU, I have two degrees and was recently accepted into a doctoral program so will be returning for a third! NYU is New York and I am a native New Yorker so…it’s home.

What's been your toughest challenge serving as the Meyers College of Nursing Board President?

It has not been tough at all. My desire for and direction of the board and its members is to be visible and relevant to current students— who will be our future alumni—and actively engage our vast alumni body. Honestly, when I was a student, I did not hear about the alumni board or meet a member until graduation. I wanted to change the narrative and with the help of fellow board members and Janet Griffin, Director of Alumni Relations, we have established a robust mentoring program, alumni and board members attend classes as quest speakers, we hold informative events with distinguished panelist and importantly, we have fun holding summer roof-top parties and wine tasting events. Additionally, with the election of two new members to the NYU Alumni Association Board, we have only expanded our ability to represent Meyers and serve the greater alumni community.

Did you have any NYU classes or instructors who inspired or impacted you?

Not only am I president of the Meyers Alumni Board, I also serve on an advisory council at Wagner led by the dynamic Thomas D’Aunno. I have been and continue to be inspired by so many that I feel remiss to only name a few. Since I had my masters almost 10 years before I returned to Meyers as a student in the accelerated BS program, my early career was shaped by such great minds from Wagner as John Billings, Beth Weitzman, and Anthony Kovner. As a nursing student/nurse leader, I am inspired by educators such as Judith Haber, Madeline Naegle, and Dean Eileen Sullivan-Marx.