Nima Samimi, aka Muhammad Seven, receives master’s in Middle Eastern Studies
This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Nima Samimi knew early on that everything’s in a name — except identity. Growing up, the first-generation Iranian immigrant boy often wondered who he would be if his name sounded more American. It was driving determination cloaked in self-doubt that led him on a path of discovery to understand his cultural history and ultimately to a symbolic stage name, Muhammad Seven. Now 41, he will walk Commencement with the appreciation of Middle Eastern culture he earned in November with his master’s of liberal arts degree from the Harvard University Extension School in hand, and a name reflecting a deeply felt expression of identity through music. Samimi was born in Boston to an American mother and Iranian immigrant father, who came to the United States in 1975. On his mother’s side, his grandparents were Catholic and Protestant. His father’s parents were Muslim...