Uplifting the NYU Alumni Community on the West Coast: A Spotlight on Liliya Gritsenko (CAS ’08)
November 15, 2023
“I absolutely loved attending NYU. Everything I have accomplished is rooted in my time there as a student. The education, friendships, and experiences I gained at NYU have all shaped me into the person I am today,” says Liliya Gritsenko (CAS ’08), Co-President of the NYU Alumni Club in Los Angeles, and a remarkable alum whose dedication and passion have helped elevate our NYU alumni community in Southern California to new heights.
As the co-president of the NYU Alumni Club in Los Angeles, one of the largest and most active of the dozens of NYU alumni clubs around the world, Liliya has played a pivotal role in fostering connections, enriching experiences, and amplifying the impact of the University's efforts in the region through facilitating networking events, social meetups, receptions, and more. Her unwavering commitment to creating a sense of unity among fellow alumni and giving back to NYU has been nothing short of inspiring. “Staying active in the community is a way to give back to the University that has given so much to me,” she says.
Read on to learn more about Liliya, the exciting events coming up in Los Angeles, memories from her time at NYU, and more.
Meet Liliya:
How did you first become involved as an NYU alumni volunteer?
I joined the NYU Alumni Club of Los Angeles in 2017 as a way to meet people in my “new” home when I moved back to Los Angeles.
Why would you encourage other alumni to get involved?
It’s a great way to stay connected to NYU, build your personal and professional networks, and explore different areas of the city by attending fun events.
Does your club have any events coming up?
Absolutely! We have great events for alumni to enjoy.
On November 21, join us for our mixer with NYU Athletics as we welcome NYU men’s basketball head coach Dave Klatsky and his coaching staff to Southern California!
And of course celebrate the holiday with us at our biggest, award-winning event—the annual Holiday Party on Ice!
Would you please share your most memorable moment(s) from NYU?
I remember sitting in one of the giant theater-style classrooms in the Stern building on my first day as an NYU student, looking around and thinking “wow, I can’t believe I am finally here!” It was an incredible moment of both, gratitude and sense of accomplishment. NYU was always my dream school. Having attained a seat in that classroom, I knew that any other goal was within my reach. The details of my career, and life, may still have been forming, but I felt a sense of complete confidence and exhilaration that I could do anything armed with an NYU degree.
What is something your fellow alumni would be surprised to know about you?
I was a competitive ballroom dancer in high school and considered doing it professionally.
So that our global community can get to know you a bit better, we have a quick lightning round for you:
- What’s a bucket list item you have? Spend a night in a glass igloo in Finland watching the Northern Lights.
- What’s your favorite day off activity in LA? The beach, of course!
- What’s a place you want to travel to? Maldives.
- Favorite food? Ice cream mud pie. Yummm.
- Favorite song or musical artist? Currently, Brothers Osborne.
- What’s your favorite place on NYU’s campus? Washington Square Park. It’s the heart of the campus.