Interview with Rajni Tibrewala (MAT ’09) on Growth, Community, and Education

A passionate educator, life coach, community builder, and double Violet, the Science Education alum brings more than a decade of experience to her dual roles as a science teacher and life coach.

Based in the Bay Area, Rajni Tibrewala (SPS ’04; Steinhardt MAT ’09, Science Education) has dedicated her career to helping others connect to their purpose—whether that’s through the classroom, a coaching session, or a moment of shared laughter at an NYU alumni event. “I want my students to feel a sense of belonging in educational spaces and develop a love of learning,” she says—a guiding principle that also shapes her work with fellow alumni.

Since joining the NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area, Rajni has become an active and creative member of the volunteer committee, planning everything from hikes and wine socials to virtual workshops and new student send-offs.

As a new school year approaches, the NYU Alumni Newsletter caught up with Rajni to learn more about this educator’s NYU journey, her approach to balancing passion and well-being, how NYU inspired her methods in the classroom, and how she continues to build community long after graduation.

How did you first become involved as an alumni volunteer?

I moved to the Bay Area in 2018 and to San Francisco early in 2021 and found that I really needed community in a time that felt so isolating, especially being in a new city. I signed up for the alumni newsletter and went to a couple of alumni events in the Bay Area that year. I quickly made friends with other alumni who were also in search of building and growing a community. The leader of the group invited folks to get involved in planning events, and soon I was leading my own and joined the volunteer committee.

Rajni Tibrewala speaks at an NYU podium — Rajni speaking at the NYU Alumni Club West Coast Conference

Can you share a little bit about your role with the NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area? What programs and events have you worked on and participated in?

I serve on the volunteer committee for the NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area. Over the past few years, I’ve participated in the West Coast Conference committee, led hikes in the Santa Cruz and East Bay Redwood Parks, and hosted an online coaching workshop on work-life balance. I’ve also helped organize a variety of events, including a new student send-off, a smash room outing, a pumpkin patch visit, an elephant seal walk, an Exploratorium After Dark night, and a quarterly wine club social.

What do you love most about being involved with NYU and the Alumni Club?

I get to meet new people and help others make connections with folks who have a shared experience of our time at NYU. The alumni club has been invaluable to me in making friends and building community.

Would you please share your most memorable moment(s) from NYU?

One of my favorite things to do when I was a student was walk around campus, downtown, and everywhere in the area. I recently visited NYC this summer and took some time to walk around campus, saw some new/prospective student tours, and smiled as I remembered fondly when that was me! I spent some time sitting in Washington Square Park at the fountain and people watched, one of my favorite activities in NYC. I also remember, before freshman orientation, getting my roommate assignment and contact info and being disappointed that it was someone from just a couple towns over on Long Island, where I grew up. When we met, I found out she had the same feeling of disappointment and we laughed about it. We soon became close friends and bonded over our love of shoes and fashion, and we even shared an apartment many years later after our NYU days.

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

In my master’s program at NYU Steinhardt, I was inspired by several of my instructors. Jhumki Basu, who passed away during my time at Steinhardt, was a role model for who and how I wanted to be as a science teacher in urban public schools. Her dedication to her career, high standards for her students, and passion for democratic science teaching inspired me to be the best possible version of myself for my students every time I step into my classroom. My mentor at Steinhardt, Jason Blonstein, majorly impacted me in my teaching work as well. Something he said during class one night still sticks with me, and I remember it often when working with my students: “There is a difference between sympathy and empathy—sympathy doesn’t help someone, but empathy does.”

How has your time at NYU helped shape your career and life outside of NYU?

Something that always stood out to me about NYU is: a private university in the public service. I think of public service as a responsibility to make things better for all if we are able to. My time and what I learned at NYU is what motivates me to continue my career in public education, working with populations that are often excluded from access to a high-quality science education that will set them up for success in the future. I always felt I belonged at NYU, and that it nurtured my love of learning. I want my students to feel a sense of belonging in educational spaces and develop a love of learning.