Administrator Spotlight: Ria Malatesta

Admissions Assistant

Tell us the story of how you came to work at NYU Law? Were you always in your current position?

I graduated from Rutgers University—New Brunswick in May 2022 with a dual degree in English and Journalism and Media Studies. In the months following graduation, I deliberated over various career paths in writing, editing, and publishing, but ultimately found myself wanting to return to academia. That fall, I started applying for administrative positions at universities in New York and New Jersey, and by January the following year I landed in NYU Law’s Admissions Office. It’s been just over a year since I started as an admissions assistant and I feel so lucky to be at the center of such a vibrant intellectual and professional community. I’m confident that this was the right choice for me.

What’s a typical day for you like?

My answer to this is largely dependent on where we are in the admissions cycle. Spring is the busiest time of year for our office, from coordinating admitted student events to closing out our JD application. My days typically begin and end with communicating with prospective and admitted students. In between, I process applications for review, help deliver scholarship applications to our scholarship committees, and assist senior officers with planning for recruitment events such as our Admitted Students days. Since JD Admissions is a smaller office, I get to do a lot of hands-on work in different administrative capacities, and I feel that I’m always expanding my skill set.

What’s the most challenging thing about what you do? And what’s the most rewarding?

I would say that scholarship processing is probably my most challenging responsibility. It involves close coordination and communication with administrators and committees in different departments at NYU Law. With hundreds of applicants applying to many different scholarship programs throughout the admissions cycle, I have to be consistently organized and exact so no one slips through the cracks. This kind of maintenance goes hand in hand with the most rewarding part of what I do—witnessing someone’s journey through submitting an application, getting admitted, competing for their scholarship, and receiving their award. It’s a special experience to be a part of someone’s admissions process.

What do you wish you’d known about the Law School on your first day of working here?

I wish I knew how open and integrated the community at NYU Law is. I was surprised to see invitations in my inbox to attend school panels and symposiums on interesting topics in global and environmental law. I’m particularly looking forward to attending the Dean’s Cup this year!

What is your favorite spot on campus, and why?

My favorite spot on campus has to be the courtyard of Vanderbilt Hall. It’s the first thing you see when you walk up to the Law School for a reason—there’s no energy quite like it, especially in the fall and spring.

Posted April 5, 2024