Israel-Harvard journey taught grad to ‘see obstacles’
This story is part of a series of graduate profiles ahead of Commencement ceremonies. There was a time when Oren Rimon Or ’23 “didn’t see obstacles.” Raised by a single mom, a teacher who instilled in her the value of education and the desire to thrive, she moved more than 5,000 miles away from her native Israel to attend Harvard. This was after volunteering in high school for an organization that aids refugees and taking a three-year gap to complete National Civil Service and work for a nonprofit researching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Then came her first year of college, a “bubble of stress” — but she credits the experience with helping her to mature. She feels more grounded and better prepared to confront challenges, even if that means recognizing the possibility of failure. “I changed from someone who went into things blindly into someone who acknowledges the obstacles along the way, and yet continues...