Live Blog

As a high school senior from a town approximately one hour north of the city, Caroline Veith had a clear idea of what her ideal college would resemble: an intimate, closed-campus community.

The CAS senior said NYU was far from what she had originally wanted, so she did not even consider applying. With that and her presumed major of international relations in mind, she applied early decision to American University. But after her freshman year, she applied to NYU to be closer to her parents and three sisters at home.

Even though it was a grand leap from what she wanted, Veith settled in comfortably three weeks into the semester. She said the easy transition had a lot to do with the Welcome Week events geared toward transfer students, which is where she met some of her closest friends.

“I realized I would have never made friends if it wasn’t for the Welcome Week stuff that they had and all the programs that they offered,” she said. “If I hadn’t met my friends, I probably just wouldn’t be happy here, and I would be in a completely different situation.”

Veith, who was also heavily involved in service activities prior to coming to NYU both at American University and in her high school, said her positive experience when she arrived to Washington Square ultimately drove her to get involved and take on the leadership roles at the university.

“I hear about people from other schools, or even just other students, who had such a bad experience,” she said. “Hearing that and then knowing what I went through and knowing how I could actually have a direct impact on people is what sort of motivates me to keep going.”

In an effort to have a positive, direct impact on transfer students, Veith applied to become a transfer ambassador the following year.

Her ascendence into a leadership role for the transfer community escalated when she ran TransferMation — the Alternative Breaks trip exclusive to transfer students.

But that was only the beginning. Despite the Welcome Week events devoted to transfer students, Veith still felt more could be done for this community at NYU.

“I realized that there was one thing that I felt like was really missing for transfers, which was a transfer student advocacy group,” she said.

Reviving and revamping the defunct transfer student club, Veith launched the Transfer and Transitioning Student Association as a way to give transfer students a much-needed voice in the NYU community.

With Veith leading the way, the TTSA held its first Transfer Recognition Day, Nov. 29, which more than 300 students attended.

“To be able to hit that number throughout our day’s events was just … the best feeling,” she said. “I felt like what I had worked so hard on over the summer and what I really pushed to start this year really paid off.”

Don’t expect that accomplishment — or even graduation — to impede this social-minded leader, though. Veith decided to transfer from Steinhardt School of Communication, Education and Human Development to the College of Arts and Science to pursue a major in sociology and a minor in education, which will allow her to pursue her passions.

“I love working with people,” Veith said. “So I’m considering going to school for social work when I graduate or going to law school to do some sort of public service work.”

A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Dec. 13 print edition. Tony Chau is city/state editor. Email him at [email protected].