How Does One Become “Exemplary”? Just Ask Mehrin Ali

By Noela Franco

When I sit down with Mehrin for our interview, her effortless style pops out immediately: all black ensemble; single chain loose around her neck; stylish kicks; sleek updo. It’s the perfect combination of comfortable and fashionable. It’s the perfect outfit for an individual always on the go, running from meeting to meeting, attending class, hosting town halls, organizing rallies; an outfit that does it all – fitting for a woman who does it all as well.

The daughter of Bengali immigrants and a Senior in CAS studying Politics and Peace and Conflict Studies, Mehrin Ali has held almost every major leadership position an undergraduate student can possibly hold at NYU: Class Activities Board President; NYU Welcome Chair; President and Cofounder of the Mu Delta Alpha Sorority; Share Meals President; and most recently this past year, President of the Student Government Assembly, NYU’s highest student government, composed of school representatives and senators from across the university in which Mehrin serves as its first Muslim, female president. 

It’s not surprising to see Mehrin so involved on campus. As a teen, she was very active in her high school’s extracurriculars, serving as president for a number of organizations. Paired hand-and-hand with her outstanding academics, it was no surprise to anyone when Mehrin was offered acceptances into several prestigious institutions, including NYU’s very own baby blue rival, Columbia University. As fate would have it, an error in processing financial aid paperwork would prevent Mehrin from enrolling at the gated university. She recalls, “I sent my financial aid paperwork in the mail the day of the deadline, not realizing that financial aid wouldn’t process it until a day later, making it late and making me ineligible for any aid.” She laughs good-naturedly at this point in our conversation, shaking her head, “My mom was pissed.”

Yet as the saying goes, all things happen for a reason. Stepping into the Kimmel Center for the first time at the end of August as a first year in 2018, Mehrin eventually realized the reason for the mishap. “When I walked in through the doors and looked up at the stairs full of students singing and dancing, cheering me on and congratulating me, I realized this was where I was supposed to be.” This sensation of destiny carried over into the Presidential Welcome, an annual event that welcomes first year students. Sitting in the Barclays Center, Mehrin was strongly moved by one student’s speech. “I can’t remember exactly what she said,” Mehrin frankly tells me, “…but she looked like me, and I knew I wanted to do what she was doing one day.” It turned out that the student giving the speech was the President of the Student Government Assembly. In real time, wearing her own SGA bomber jacket, embroidered with the word President in fine, white lining, Mehrin cheekily smiles, “It’s funny how things come full circle.”

That first year at NYU became the first step on a long path of campus involvement for Mehrin. Starting off as a general member for different clubs, Mehrin began attending weekly meetings for organizations that matched her interests. Food sustainability and food hunger are two major issues of concern for her, so she began doing service work packing meals with the Islamic Center and working with NYU Share Meals, a club that aims to dissolve food insecurity for NYU students. It’s an issue that hits close to home, as Mehrin explains, “When I became involved in the club and educated on what food insecurity was, I was like, ‘Wow this just describes the entirety of my life.’ From there I was passionate about what food insecurity is, how we can combat it, and what resources we need to address it.” It was a major accomplishment for her, then, to become President of the club her Junior year and to later successfully implement the Swipe it Forward program for the 2021-2022 school year, which allows any NYU student to receive a meal swipe from the dining halls, no questions asked. “[It’s huge] to not have to worry about where a next meal comes from, because it is guaranteed…[it’s] a weight off of [student’s] shoulders.”

As she did with the Share Meals club, Mehrin slowly began applying for elevated positions in various organizations. In 2019, she joined the Sophomore CAB EBoard, actively putting together different academic and social events for fellow Sophomores (she’d go on to become President of CAB her senior year). She also became a Student Engagement Coordinator with NYU Welcome during the summer of 2020, a role that proved to be critical in the way NYU Welcome looked to support new students transition into college in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by Assistant Director for the Center for Student Life, Eena Singh, NYU Welcome was reformatted into an entirely virtual format for the Fall 2020 semester, a transition that relied heavily on Mehrin’s leadership and charisma to be impactful. “Mehrin has been a star since the beginning of her time with Welcome,” Singh says, “Always helping out, always offering ideas…Mehrin has been incredible.” Mehrin’s involvement with Welcome Programs would only increase from here, as she would later become a NYU Welcome Co-Chair during the summer of 2021, working in the city throughout the summer to plan NYU’s first in-person Welcome in over two years. There is a joy that is derived from helping others feel at home in a new place, a sentiment that Mehrin knows all too well. “I wasn’t that excited about NYU when I first got here,” she confesses, “but I had that moment in the lobby of Kimmel where everything clicked. I want to help give that moment to other new students. That’s what we do here with Welcome.”

It’s through her work with NYU Welcome in which Mehrin met Steph. Meeting Mehrin for the first time at a Muslim Women affinity space, Steph wanted to create a more permanent space for Muslim women on campus, a space which could focus exclusively on the support, growth, and development of Muslim women — and thus the Mu Delta Alpha Sorority Chapter at NYU was born. Now entering about a year and a half in its establishment, the sorority has put together various service, professional development, and cultural events focusing on creating connections and networks that can support the women of the sorority even past their graduation. “I am honored to have founded MDA’s Eta chapter at NYU,” Mehrin says, “It is a shame that this space could not have been created until this year but I am hopeful for future generations.” As President and CoFounder, Mehrin has worked hard to lay a framework for future classes of Muslim women to rely on: “[Future classes] will have a lifelong sisterhood that is dedicated to developing them into leaders that excel in service and professionalism and do not compromise their religious beliefs in any space.” Of all her accomplishments and work achieved at NYU, the establishment of the MDA chapter at NYU nears the top of Mehrin’s professional and personal list.

Though even with the success and prestige that comes with being such an involved student on campus, it hasn’t come without its battles. Running on an incredibly tight schedule, Mehrin has had to give up a lot to be in the position she is today. “I don’t always get to see my friends and family as much as I’d like… sometimes I wonder whether it’s all worth it.” Especially since entering her position as SGA President, Mehrin has faced an intense and, at times, discriminatory backlash from critics: “I’ve been called a b*tch, I’ve been called an *sshole…I’ve gotten a number of racist and Islamaphobic critiques.” Through it all, Mehrin has grown a lot as a leader and as an individual as SGA President. “The biggest skill I’ve learned is restraint, and patience,” Mehrin says, “you need restraint to ignore the bs and make sure you focus on the issues that actually matter.” Running an All-University wide organization is not easy, but Mehrin makes it seem like this at times. As explained by her Vice-President and incoming President of SGA for the upcoming school year, Ron Hall has seen Mehrin lead with a determined, collected stance. “Mehrin is one of the most supportive people I’ve worked with throughout my time at NYU,” Hall tells me, “Her dedication to both her team and students is one of a kind – you can’t help but want to be great when you are with her!”

As for what comes next in a lifelong chapter of growth, development, and success, Mehrin is taking a change of pace after graduation. “I’ve learned a lot about what’s important to me this past year, and I’ve decided to spend a little more time with my family before heading off to law school.” 

We head our separate ways out of her office on the second floor of Kimmel, and I see her wave goodnight to various security guards and workers in the building on her way out. Regardless of where Mehrin goes and where her future lies, she’ll surely continue to stand out and befriend all who are fortunate to cross paths with her.