Anjali Barnabas
As a native New Yorker, Anjali Barnabas ‘24 knows just how chaotic life in the city can be. But now, a year out from Barnard and working in finance, she’s learning how to move through it without the safety net of school.
“The hardest part,” she says, “has been not having that built-in structure of the institution. You have to preserve the community on your own now. That takes effort.”
At Barnard, that community came in layers. She studied art history and economics, joined what feels like every club imaginable, and stepped into leadership again and again—President of Columbia Venture Partners, President of Meet Me at the Museum, Professional Development Chair of Columbia Women’s Business Society, Head Speaking Fellow, Student Admissions Representative, and more. “I was involved in a lot,” she laughs, “but I actually wish I’d done more. More clubs just for fun. More conversations with professors.”
One of her favorite spaces was Meet Me at the Museum, which she described as a kind of third space—especially important after COVID, when campus culture was still rebuilding. For Anjali, clubs weren’t just extracurriculars—they were where things really happened. “That’s how I met everyone,” she said. “And it made the city feel more connected too”—a reminder that at Barnard, we aren’t just students, we are a part of New York City as a whole.
The desire to be a part of something comes up a lot when Anjali talks about her time at Barnard. It’s where her confidence in connecting with others really clicked. “I wasn’t afraid to go up to people, strike up a conversation,” she says.
Now, in her first year postgrad, Anjali carries that confidence into her work life. She’s working in finance—fast-paced, intense, and full of people who think and communicate very differently. “You start to notice the different mentalities,” she says, from the community-centered aspects of Barnard to the professional world of business. “You have to advocate for yourself in new ways.” But she doesn’t seem fazed. “I think Barnard made me more emotionally aware. I know how to read a room. I know when to ask questions. I know how to handle feedback.”
She adds that it wasn’t just about confidence—it was about knowing herself. “[Barnard] made me more sure of my abilities,” she says. “I gained a lot of confidence, where I had to speak up for myself and stand by my ideas.”
Still, she’s honest about the transition. “Preserving that structure of community is hard.” It doesn’t happen automatically anymore—you have to build it yourself. But that’s also why she believes students should take risks while they do have that support. Try new things. Say yes.
Barnard’s culture, she adds, is something you feel as soon as you walk on campus—and it’s not something you find just anywhere.
“Every college has classes. But what you remember is the student body. Barnard is strong, close-knit, uplifting. No one’s judging you. Everyone wants to hear your story—and know you in your most true and authentic self.”
Some of her favorite memories aren’t even tied to events or accomplishments. They’re smaller, more everyday: being in the library with friends, switching between deep intellectual conversations and total nonsense. “Those are the moments I remember,” she says. “I remember how I felt—completely supported, totally open-minded. It felt like family.”
Because what Barnard gives you—besides the academics, the resume lines, and the city—is a way of being in the world.
Her advice to prospective and current students is simple: Take advantage of everything on and off campus. Barnard pushes you—in formal and informal ways. Let it.