Celebs

Yara Shahidi Reveals She Completed Her 136-Page Thesis For Harvard University Degree

Some college degrees require you to pitch and present a thesis before you can call yourself an alum. So, every year, thousands of students buckle down and do the, often tedious, work of putting together their project. For our celebrity friends pursing their higher education, that process doesn’t look so different. At least, that’s the case for ‘Grown-ish’ star Yara Shahidi. On Thursday, she revealed that she’s one step closer to graduating Harvard University after completing her own thesis.

“Weighing in at 32, 508 words, 136 pages is this thesis writer Yara Sayeh Shahidi,” the undergrad student said in a video. “Let’s goooo.”

Yara shared the video via her verified account early Thursday morning. Viewers can see Yara wearing a crimson-colored sweatshirt with “Harvard University” written in white lettering. She wore her hair in a loose bun while snowflakes poured down onto the star and background scene. She, rightfully so, praised herself in the caption of the clip.

“Your favorite thesis writer is officially done writing,” she said. “Try not to be intimidated by my stats.”

Yara’s College Journey

Back in April 2017, Yara told ‘Seventeen Magazine’ she had a handful of college acceptances, including Harvard, and was weighing her options. And talk about a flex, the month prior to that, Yara had received a recommendation letter from former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Fast forward to September 2021, we got to see just how serious Yara was taking her Harvard schooling. Yara received a request to present at the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards. But, she made it clear to showrunners that her priority of the night was getting on a flight to make it to class on time. So, she was allowed to present early in the show.

“The lovely people at The Academy really helped me out because I was like, ‘Guys, I have a hard out to make this flight,’ Yara told ‘Entertainment Tonight’ at the time.

Yara is expected to graduate with the class of 2022.

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Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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