Mahlet Shiferaw stuck with STEM while helping others do the same
This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Growing up, Mahlet Shiferaw developed a love for drawing and was a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy genres, children’s classics like J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series and C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia,” and she was “obsessed with drawing unicorns.” But her mother, who moved to the U.S. from Ethiopia after Shiferaw was born, wanted her to focus on more practical subjects. She encouraged her to branch out and try reading some nonfiction. Eventually, Shiferaw picked up a book about space, and then another, and found the topic just as fascinating as her science fiction favorites. She was hooked. “My parents apparently always thought that I was going to be in the humanities and were surprised I stuck with STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math],” said Shiferaw, who last month graduated from the College as a joint concentrator...